MESSENGER DUROC. 425 



I resided at "Washinsjton Hollow — old Duroc and Hambletonian both stood 

 tliere for several years, and of both of their stock I have owned. This horse 

 of the present subject of writina:, favored his sire more than any of his get 

 that I have ever seen, both in color, form and disposition — better limbs and 

 feet I have yet to see than he had ; a faster walker or surer footed I never 

 rode. As to his trotting I know nothing, as he was never in harness while I 

 owned him; and as to his having been foundered, it M'^as done after I parted 

 with him; nor have I ever heard or known of his get to be afflicted with 

 defective feet. In the winter of '22 and '23 I sent him to my brother in Seneca 

 Co., N. Y. ; he had him trained by Whitemore, of Phelps, and run at Oaks 

 Corners, from which time until I sold him to Stage in the spring of 1828, he 

 stood for mares in Seneca and Tompkins counties and nowhere else. He never 

 made a season in Duchess or Oneida, as reported by Mr. Stevens; he was 

 trained and run on several occasions after the close of the season, and was 

 successful. There are those who knew him, the writer included, who believe 

 he would have been Eclipse's superior had he the same advantages. 



Mr. Kelsey, of Poughkeepsie, the then owner of old Duroc, tried to purchase 

 the colt of Mr. Vincent; there was quite a contest between us to get him; the 

 horse was owned by me until I sold him to Stage. 



I have written a disjointed history hurriedly; if it clears up any doubts, 

 I shall have answered your inquiry, but if I have not answered all your 

 inquiries, I will most cheerfully do so on being informed. 



Very truly yours, S. Hayt. 



P. S. It occurs to me since closing my letter, the dam of Mambrino Chief 

 may have come from Messenger Duroc ; he made two seasons, '25 and '26, at 

 Ithaca and vicinity. His stock was highly prized and fine, and had mares from 

 Delaware and perhaps from further east tlian there. Mr. Stevens has well de- 

 scribed the horse as to his general make-up, but I difter widely from his opinion 

 in regard to limbs and feet. I have never known one of his produce to be 

 either spavined or curbed; I have owned a number of them, and known large 

 numbers. It has always been regarded by myself and others, that the Durocs 

 did not mature early. Most of the persons named at Washington Hollow in 

 those inquiries are known to me, and there must be those who remember my 

 horse, as I kept him there a year. The horse partook largely of his sire, 

 disposed to bite ; but Mr. Stevens is in error when he says he bit Stage and 

 caused his death. I was with Stage and know his death was from another 

 cause. S. H. 



In response to my inquiries, Mr. Geo. T. Williams has given me 

 the following letter : 



I was the owner of Mambrino Chief from the time he was between three 

 and four years old, and in part until lie went to Kentucky. I knew his dam 

 and her other sons by Mambrino Paymaster, Goliah and the Cox Horse. 

 They were all gaited substantially alike— big, open gaited ; Goliah was the 

 biggest gaited of the three — more noted in this respect than any other Mam- 

 brino Paymaster stock I ever knew. I knew the stock very well, and never 

 knew any such mark as a grey leg in the family. The mare that produced the 



