500 THE MORGANS. 



until long after his cleatli, very little interest was felt in the question, " What 

 was the exact pedigree of the horse ? " When the inquiry became interesting, 

 and discussion arose, different stories were current, and opinions were fre- 

 quently formed in accordance witli previous prejudices or views of the indi- 

 vidual forming them, as to the value of diflerent breeds of horses. Some, 

 holding the opinion that no valuable horse could be expected without a great 

 deal of racing blood, sought to make it appear that he was nearly thorough- 

 bred. Others having less faith in the English racer, entertained different 

 opinions, and adopted for their creed stories that ascribed to him a very differ- 

 ent origin. No person seemed to take the matter in hand and investigate it 

 thoroughly, until those who might have given the necessary information were 

 gone. 



It is not now probable that the blood of the Justin Morgan can ever be 

 exactly and absolutely ascertained. We think, however, it may be considered 

 certain that this unrivaled animal was produced by a cross of the Arabian or 

 thoroughbred with the common stock, but the proportion of each can not now 

 be determined. 



There are no opinions that men maintain so strenuously, and give up so 

 reluctantly, as those which they form and publicly avow upon matters in which 

 they are supposed by others to be particularly well informed. This is more 

 especially true when these opinions entertained and expressed, relate to 

 matters of practical importance, and not simply to some abstract doctrine. 



From all the evidences which have been advanced with regard 

 to the question of the breeding or origin of this horse, I think we 

 are reasonably safe in the following summary : He was foaled in 

 1793, at or near Spririgfield, Massachusetts, and his sire was True 

 Briton^ or Beautiful Bay^ a horse owned by Sealy Norton, of East 

 Hartford, Connecticut, and then kept by John Morgan, at West 

 Springfield, Mass. 



Mr. Wallace, in the first volume of the Trotting JRegister, gives the 

 pedigree and speaks as follows : 



Justin Mokgan, b. h., foaled 1793 ; got by True Briton ; also called 

 " Beautiful Bay," that was advertised at East Hartford, 1791. The advertise- 

 ment says "his sire was the imported horse Traveller, owned in New 

 Jersey; his dam Delancy's imp. racer." Imported Traveller never was in 

 New Jersej', but his son, Lloyd's Traveller, 2561, of the Stud Book, was 

 owned there, and was doubtless the horse intended. Delancy imported several 

 mares that ran, but there are no means of determining which one is referred 

 to. The presumption is very plain that True Briton or Beautiful Bay was 

 thoroughbred. The dam of Justin Morgan was represented to be of the 

 " Wildair breed." A grandson of imp. Wildair, bearing his name, stood in 

 that vicinity, 1780, and subsequent years. His pedigree is not given in his 

 advertisement farther than is here indicated. Other authorities say the mare 

 in question was a daughter of the Lindsey Arabian, but she was more probably 

 a granddaughter, as Lindsey Arabian, or Ranger, as then called, was not 



