i 3 2 THE MORGAN HORSE 



each has sprung one or more famous families of trotters. Of no 

 other horse that lived in the last century can this be said. The most 

 noted other sire of that time from which speed has come is Mes- 

 senger. Messenger was bred in England, foaled 178, and imported 

 to this country 1788. He had all the prestige that attends the im- 

 ported racer ; he was handled by the best horsemen of the day ; and 

 he was mated with mares of the choicest blood. He left probably 

 over fifty entire sons in this country, perhaps many more, yet only 

 one of them, Mambrino, founded .a trotting family. Messenger got 

 one producer of a trotting family out of fifty or more ; Justin Morgan 

 got at least three, probably four, out of one-third that number. 



SHERMAN MORGAN was foaled about 1808, (Linsley says 1808 

 or 1809); and was bred by James Sherman of Lyndon, Vermont. 

 His dam was bought by James Sherman of Dr. Fisk of Cranston, 

 Rhode Island, and taken to Lyndon by Mr. Sherman when he moved 

 there in 1799 from Rhode Island. This is the statement that George 

 Sherman, son of James, gave to Mr. Linsley ; and he also said : " She 

 was a chestnut, of good size, high-spirited, and an elegant animal. 

 We called her of Spanish breed". Mr. Linsley adds the following 

 description : " It is certain she was a fine animal. She was chest- 

 nut, with three white feet and a white stripe in the face. Her head 

 was good, ears small, neck light and rather long; not very com- 

 pactly formed and never carried much flesh. She carried her head 

 high, was a spirited traveler and an excellent saddle beast. She was 

 very pleasant tempered and worked kindly in all places". 



This remark of George Sherman, that they always called her of 

 Spanish breed, is the only suggestion as to her blood that is worthy 

 of notice. Her fineness of finish, high quality, perfect docility and 

 great intelligence, qualities which she has transmitted through her 

 famous son to his entire family, give force to the suggestion of her 

 Spanish origin. The horses of Spain are largely derived from across 

 the narrow straits of Morocco, the home of the Barb, of which the 

 Godolphin Arabian was doubtless a specimen. Of the horses to be 

 seen in the City of Mexico at the present day, some bear a striking 

 resemblance to the Morgans of the Sherman line. We noticed the 

 same, too, of the best specimens of native stock we saw in California. 



"Mr. George Sherman", says Mr. Linsley, "is a man whose 

 character for the most unwavering honesty has been long- and thor- 

 oughly established where he is known". 



Sherman Morgan is described by Mr. Linsley as follows : " Sher- 

 man was a bright chestnut, about thirteen and three-quarters hands 



