2 32 The American Tboroiigbhred 



established in America. He was sired by Timo- 

 leon, a son of Sir Archy, out of a full sister to 

 Tuckahoe. The honors of breeding him belong 

 to Squire Wickham, a Virginia gentleman who 

 owned a few mares and gave a loving atten- 

 tion to the thoroughbred. The grandam of Bos- 

 ton had originally been owned by Randolph of 

 Roanoke. Squire Wickham purchased her from 

 Randolph in 1802. Boston was foaled on the 

 Wickham plantation in 1833. 



He was a little chestnut colt with a broad 

 blaze on his face, and not much was thought of 

 him on the home farm. When he was a two- 

 year-old and not yet used to the saddle or bridle, 

 Squire Wickham sold him to Nathaniel Rives 

 of Richmond, Virginia, for $800. Captain John 

 Belcher first had the care of Boston in training. 

 He was a three-year-old before anything was 

 asked of him. 



The horse seems to have had some striking 

 peculiarities, those peculiarities which go with 

 a strong individuality. Belcher, who was one 

 of the trainers for Colonel William R. Johnson, 

 had seen Boston do things in the early morning 

 which made him think that perhaps in this fel- 

 low he had a high-class animal. Yet he could 



