DEATH OF ALDEN GOLDSMITH. 201 



speaker, and we have heard him round periods over 

 the social board in scores of the prominent cities of 

 the Union. Mr. Goldsmith took an interest in politics 

 and filled several positions of honor and trust. He 

 was also fond of books and pictures, and these are dis- 

 played in liberal quantities in the old-fashioned .house 

 at Walnut Grove Farm. He has left a widow and three 

 children, two of which are sons, James H. and John 

 Alden, both of whom are widely known in connection 

 with the trotting horse. There is one name which 

 history will always associate with the development 

 of the American trotting horse, and that name is 

 Alden Goldsmith." 



John H. Wallace also wrote of him as follows, in 

 the Monthly which bore his name : "Mr. Goldsmith 

 was, perhaps, more widely known than any other 

 horseman in the country. He had been so many 

 years engaged in breeding and developing his own 

 stock, visiting literally all parts of the country with 

 his trotters, that everybody who knew anything about 

 trotting-horses knew Alden Goldsmith. He was a 

 ready speaker without being a careful student, and 

 this trait of his character was manifested in his breed- 

 ing operations. He had faith in results, but he never 

 seemed to comprehend the reasons for the steps that 

 led to results. Much of Mr. Goldsmith's fame is due 

 to the fact that he was the owner of Volunteer, and 

 nearly all of Volunteer's fame is due to the fact that 

 he had a master who was competent and willing to 

 develop the speed of his off-spring. Without being 

 what might be designated as 'natural trotters/ the 

 Volunteers have surpassed all other tribes in their 

 unconquerable will as race horses. Thus, one by one, 



