510 THE MORGANS. 



he was purchased by David Hill, of Bridport, Vt., and was thence- 

 forth called Hill's Blackhawk. He died in 1856. His own symmetry 

 and beauty of form, and even trotting gait, he imparted to his 

 progeny in very remarkable degree. He was in his day a trotting 

 sire of very great popularity. 



He has to his credit Ethan Allen, 2 rSoJ, and eleven heats in 2:30 

 or better; Lancet, 2:27-^, and six heats in 2:30 or better, and Belle of 

 Saratoga, 2:29. He also had Blackhawk Maid, two miles in 5:22. 

 This was a long advance on the original trotting capacity of the Mor- 

 gan family, and was, perhaps, equal to a gain of one minute in speed 

 for a single generation; and the gain in speed was not more decisive 

 ■or marked, than the advance in type and form or stature from that of 

 the Morgans of the first generation. I have said that Blackhawk, 

 ■either as a trotter or a sire, was not to be regarded as a great horse; 

 yet if all the credit of his offspring is to be regarded as due to him 

 alone, he was really a great sire. But it will appear that this was a 

 progressive family, and they displayed their really progressive traits 

 in the way in which they gathered reinforcements in each generation. 

 This was their real element of success. From a superior mare — one 

 that was a great roadster and possessed of excellent blood qualities — 

 Blackhawk produced Addison, and he in turn produced Addison Jr., 

 the sire of Clementine, with a record of 2:21, and thirty-one heats in 

 ii :30 or better. From a daughter of Smith's Hambletonian he produced 

 Sherman" Blackhawk, the sire of Panic, 2:28, and Chicago Jack, 

 2:30, and King Herod, sire of Herod, 2:2Gf ; Foxie V, 2:30, also sire of 

 Rossman Horse, sire of Badger Boy, the sire of Gen. Howard, 2:26^; 

 and also sire of Napoleon, sire of Revenge, that produced Observer 

 with record of 2:24^, and twenty-five heats in 2:30 or better. Such 

 was part of the record and standing of Sheiraan Blackhawk; but 

 his dam was by Smith's Hambletonian, he by Harris' Hambletonian, 

 and his dam by Leonidas, and grandam by imported Bellfounder. 



His further advance in good blood, liowever, was in his son, 

 Vermont Hero, The dam of Vermont Hero was by Harris' Ham- 

 bletonian, the Green Mountain sin^, a particular account of which 

 was given in Chapter XV. He is t.h.3 sire of Lady M. with record of 

 :i:30, but his greatest reputation is derived from his son, 



GKJSr. KNOX. 



'This distinguished son of Vermont Hero was foaled in 1855; is a 

 1>lack stallion, about fifteen hands high, but on his withers rises per- 



