HAMBLETON JAN'S SONS AND GRANDSONS. 285 



excellent evidence as by Henry Clay, out of a daughter of Baker's 

 Highlander, but more recent investigation has thrown serious 

 doubt upon this pedigree, the subject being fully discussed in 

 the chapters in this work on "The Investigation of Pedigrees.") 

 After the travail that brought the little brown colt into the 

 world, Dolly Spanker died, and the orphaned youngster, like 

 Andrew Jackson, owed his life to woman's kindly care. He was 

 fed by the women of the farm on Jamaica rum and milk sweet- 

 ened with sugar, and soon grew lusty, though he was always an 

 undersized horse, never much, if any, exceeding fifteen hands in 

 height, though he was so stoutly and compactly made that he 

 gave the impression of being larger than he really was. He was 

 of that order that has been paradoxically described as "a big 

 little horse." In color he was a very dark brown, and his flanks 

 and muzzle shaded into a deep tan, or wine color. From a de- 

 tailed description of him published in the Spirit of the Timea in 

 1862, I extract the following: 



" He is about 15.1, but all horse. . . . His traveling gear is just what it 

 should be muscular shoulders long strong arms, tiat legs, splendid quarters, 

 great length from hip to hock, and very fine back sinews. He stand higher 

 behind than he does forward, a formation we like. . . . He is very wide 

 between the jaws. . . . His coat is fine and glows like the rich dark tints 

 of polished rosewood. . . . His temper is kind. We had the pleasure of 

 seeing him at his work, and unless we are greatly mistaken he will make an 

 amazingly good one. He has a long and easy way of going, striking well out 

 behind and tucking his haunches well under him." 



Though from the fact that this writer stated that Wilkes "was 

 as handsome as Ethan Allen," we might suspect him of a tendency 

 to "paint the lily," it will be noted that this was written before 

 the horse had any great reputation to speak of, and it may be 

 accepted as a substantially correct description as far as it goes. 

 In describing his action Charles J. Foster wrote that "his hind 

 leg when straightened out in action as he went at his best pace re- 

 minded me of that of a duck swimming." He was then the prop- 

 erty of Z. E. Simmons, who had purchased him as a three-year- 

 old for $3,000, and another horse. 



George Wilkes, or Robert Fillingham, as he was first named, 

 was a trotter from colthood. At four years old he was matched 

 against Guy Miller, but his party paid forfeit, the reason there- 

 for being afterward alleged that they found Fillingham pos- 

 sessed of so much speed that they decided to "lay for bigger 



