SIRE OF THE MOKSE HORSE. 479 



Mr. John Carswell, of Racine, Wisconsin, says: 



I lived in Salem, Washington county, Ne*v York, from my birtli. in 1809, 

 until 1836. My father's nearest neighbor was James McNitt, the owner of a 

 farm and a distillery, who fattened hogs and marketed them at Montreal and 

 Quebec. He was, also, something of a dealer in horses. On his return from 

 a trip to that region, about 1829 or 1830, he brought back a stallion called 

 European, that was the sire of the Morse Hor.?e. He represented the horse as 

 having been imported into Canada from France. He was en old horse, and 

 showed signs of ill usage, being badly knee-sprung, but was, nevertheless, 

 one of the best trotters at that time. He was a beautiful model — long body, 

 good length of limb, and lofty carriage ; his color was very light grey, or 

 nearly white. Mr. McNitt was also the owner of the dam of the Morse 

 Horse, and he was foaled about 1832. I was not aware that he knew anything 

 of the mare's pedigree. She was a beautiful animal, and weighed about 1,100 

 lbs.; a compactly built, bright bay mare; black mane and tail — very hand- 

 some. I remember seeing the colt — a very ordinary looking one — the next 

 morning after he was foaled. I last saw him in 1837 ; he was then called five 

 years old, and owned by James Mills, now of Illinois; he was a fine-Iookiug 

 colt, very dark iron-grey color. Mr. McNitt sold him to Martin Stover, for 

 $80, and he sold him to Mr. Mills. 



Mr. B. A. Jenkins, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, states as follows: 



Mr. James McNitt brought from Canada to Washington county. New York, 

 two stallions, one a large, dappled grey horse, apparently of some good blood ; 

 he was all used up as to legs, having but one sound one — he could hardly 

 walk — knees worked out of all shape. As to general figure, he was a beauty; 

 long and sound, smooth hips, short back, strong loins, neck well set on 

 shoulders, with a beautiful head. The same man owned a mare that showed 

 blood, and was called the Beck Mare; from this mare and the above horse a 

 colt was raised ; when young was nearly black, but became a splendid iron- 

 grey. This colt, that was afterward called the Morse Horse, was bought by 

 Martin Stover. He raised him, and sold him, I think, when three years old 

 to James Mills. I heard, since I came West, of Mills exhibiting this horse 

 and six of his colts, and driving all of them, with the sire in the lead, at the 

 New York State Fair at Saratoga. The other horse, bought by McNitt at the 

 same time, was a Canadian pony, having all the characteristics of the Kanuck ; 

 was a fast trotter ; went with a pawing gait, lifting his forefeet very high ; 

 was long-bodied, heavy mane and shaggy appearance. He was as good a 

 horse of his kind as I ever saw. 



Martin McNitt, the son of James McNitt, and now of Brown county, 

 Illinois, says: 



The Morse Horse was sired by an imported horse, imported from France to 



Montreal, about 1816. My father, James McNitt, of Salem, Washington 



county. New York, bought him about 1826 or 1827. He was 16 hands high, 



dappled grey, silver mane and tail, high headed, nice limbs, beautiful flat 



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