ROYAL FEARNAUGHT 213 



Royal Fearnaught is said to be a handsome and stylish horse. 

 He trotted four races in 1884, winning three of them and getting a 

 record of 2:36^ on a poor half-mile track. Mr. James Walker 

 states that he has trotted a trial in 2 124^. Considering his oppor- 

 tunities, he takes high rank among the successful sires of trotting 

 speed. His get are described as mostly chestnut, with excellent feet 

 and legs and good constitutions ; stylish, prompt drivers, game and 

 resolute, but docile. 



Lady Smothers, dam of Royal Fearnaught, a mare of great 

 speed and courage on the road, has always been recorded as Lady 

 Smithers by old Columbus, dam by Harris' Hamiltonian ; but no 

 breeders were ever given, though Mr. Walker states that this breed- 

 ing was given him when he bought the horse. We learned early in 

 1888 that Mr. Wright, breeder of Royal Fearnaught, knew noth- 

 ing of the dam's breeding; that he bought her of the late Luther 

 Clement of Nashua, New Hampshire, and believed she was bred by 

 some member of the "Smithers" family. A letter addressed to the 

 postmaster at Nashua brought a fortunate reply; we had inquired 

 for the " Smithers " family, and the reply was : " The widow Smothers 

 still resides here, and her husband was fond of good horses I am 

 told. Her address is Mrs. A. S. Smothers". 



We addressed a letter to Mrs. Smothers, inquiring if her husband 

 sold a bay mare to Luther Clement, and received the following reply: 

 "NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, April 2ist, 1888. 



<: I think Mr. Smothers sold the mare you inquire about to Mr. 

 Clement. Mr. Smothers bought her of Mr. Leonard Tucker of Royal- 

 ton, Vermont, on recommendation of A. B. Burgess, now of West 

 Hartford, Vermont. Mr. Tucker is not living, I think. 



Respectfully, A. S. SMOTHERS. 



" P. S. I send you Mr. Tucker's letters in regard to the mare 

 you ask about. S". 



" SOUTH ROYALTOX, Vermont, April /th, 1862. 

 " Sold this day to Jonathan Smothers of Nashua, New Hamp- 

 shire, a certain bay mare ; said mare is three years and ten months 

 old; and I warrant her sound and healthy; also kind to drive in 

 single and double harness, so far as used, being broken only to go 

 in sleigh. Price, one hundred and ten dollars; for which I promise 

 to deliver her on board the freight cars in said Nashua, safe and 

 sound, and to freight her from South Royalton depot on board the 

 cattle train the I4th day of April, 1862. Said mare was sired by 

 Draco. Received payment. LEONARD T. TUCKER". 



