Beloved Oxen Team Mourned At Pennsbury Manor

MORRISVILLE BOROUGH, PA — The Pennsbury Manor is mourning the passing of its beloved oxen, Michael and Roger.

Pennsbury Manor — the reconstructed 17th-century home of William Penn — announced the passing in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

"Our hearts are especially heavy this week at Pennsbury Manor. We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved oxen," officials said. "Above all, Michael and Roger shared a remarkably sweet and inseparable bond. Whether grazing quietly in their field or standing side by side in the barnyard, they were rarely apart. Rest peacefully, Michael and Roger.You were deeply loved, and you will be dearly missed."

The oxen joined the manor in May 2021 at the age of 10, following their retirement from farm work in Maine. Officials said it was a "special and meaningful coincidence" when they learned that the oxen were related to the previous Pennsbury Manor oxen team, Bill and Red.

As Dexter cattle, a small heritage breed originally from Ireland, Michael and Roger were trained to wear a yoke and work in partnership to pull heavy loads, officials said.

"They had been their owner's favorite team and were even credited with helping to build a barn — an incredible testament to their strength and dedication," officials said.

Though they rarely worked during their later years at Pennsbury Manor, Michael and Roger served an important purpose for Pennsbury Manor visitors, especially the school children who met them, offering a "living connection to history and a meaningful understanding of what it means to be an oxen team."

The Pennsbury Manor did not provide a cause of death for the oxen.

(Pennsbury Manor)