84 THE MORGAN HORSE 



"Thus it would seem by Mr. Cooper's account that, superadded 

 to our 'terribly high-bred cattle' we have among us, of the 'genus 

 homo,' very high blood and ' game blood' too, that, as an American, 

 I feel confident will show itself whenever the occasion requires, with 

 as much truth as the fashion of the day. OBSERVER". 



This settles these facts : The importer of Wildair was James De 

 Lancey, eldest son of Lieutenant-Governor James DeLancey, who 

 died in 1760, leaving his large eatate to his son. Not he, but his uncle, 

 Oliver, was the General DeLancey that was in command on Long 

 Island. This second James DeLancey, when young, served under 

 Abercrombie, which must have been from 1756 to 1758, the only years 

 when Abercrombie was in command in this country ; he was married 

 in 1760, and imported Wildair and the Cub mare in 1764; and it was 

 he who lost True Briton. 



In an article by John Austin Stevens, in the "New York Sun", 

 entitled "Early New York Racing History", are found the following 

 statements : "The DeLancey arms hung on a sign at the old tavern 

 door. Gay blades the DeLancey's were in the last century. Their 

 blood was not spoiled in the mixture of the old French vivacity of the 

 first Huguenot refugee with the staid stock of the VanCortlandts. 

 For half a century, till the breaking out of the Revolution, they had 

 full swing in the city of New York. Inter-married with nearly all the 

 leading families, they had contrived among them to hold about all the 

 important posts in the colony, and nothing loosened their tenacious 

 hold but the grand cataclysm which broke up everything. Then, as 

 high church people, they had bishop as well as king at their backs. 

 The youths had all made their educational or visiting trips to Eng- 

 land, and certainly learned no better morals than those they left behind 

 them. * * * The DeLanceys were a handsome race, also, and pow- 

 erful, stalwart men. As a family they were noted as the head of the racing 

 society of the continent, and it is doubtful whether there is any 

 stable in this country to-day that can be compared, in extent and 

 variety, with that of James DeLancey, at the height of its success 

 and fame. His estate, with his house, gardens, carriage-house and 

 stables, fronted on the Bowery from Bullock, (now Broome), street to 

 a point between Stanton and Rivington streets, and extended back 

 to New Orchard and Bayard streets; beyond were his orchards and 

 cultivated fields. South of Bullock street to Chatham Square his 

 property was laid out in streets and lots, and leased on long terms. 

 On First street (now Chrystie) were his running-stables, and on Second 

 street (now Forsyth) was the paddock belonging to his running-sta- 



