252 THE MORGAN HORSE 



had heard Mr. Cushman, Rockwell's wife's brother, say that Rockwell got the 

 horse near Montreal and took him to Stafford, Connecticut ; Mr. Wescott 

 also thought Rockwell paid cash for the horse, but got him very cheap on ac- 

 count of his owner's being afraid of him ; also that Rockwell had a running 

 horse with Pilot at New Orleans. Mr. Wescott and another old resident of 

 Norwich, who remembered the horse well, stated positively that Rockwell 

 called him Pilot when at Norwich. Shortly after our visit Mr. Wescott wrote 

 as follows : 



" I often heard Rockwell speak of this horse you mention. He 

 called him Black Pilot. He bought him in Canada, of whom I cannot say ; 

 he bought him cheap ; he heard of him and went to look him over. The 

 horse was in the stall. The owner said he wanted to sell him, but dare 

 not take him out to show him. Mr. Rockwell managed to get a bridle on 

 him, and, as he came out of the door, jumped on his back and rode him until 

 he tired the horse out, and could handle him. He sold the horse in New 

 Orleans for one thousand dollars, to whom I cannot say. There is an old 

 man living here, a successful horse-dealer by the name of Andrews Pellett, 

 who remembers the horse distinctly ; has seen him pace on our streets here. 

 He says he was the fastest horse ever here ; thinks he would pace a twenty 

 clip ; says Mr. Rockwell rode him with breeching and pullies attached to his 

 bits. Pellett says he was black, fair size, fifteen hands, compactly built, 

 good length of quarter, coarse mane and tail ; of high temperament ; was six 

 or seven years old ; thinks Mr. Rockwell had him here eight or ten years 

 before he came here to live ". 



Several old people at Norwich thought they had heard that Rockwell 

 got Pilot near Montreal. One old resident thus described him : " I think he 

 came from Canada not one of those big-headed horses ; he showed good 

 breeding ; a decent-sized horse, black ; I don't recollect any white. He was 

 a Morgan-shaped horse ". 



We visited Stafford, Connecticut. The first information we got there 

 was from James F. Brooks of that town, born in 1811, who said : "This 

 horse was rather less than middling size, no white, a sprightly little horse, 

 a good-looking little horse, pony-built. Should not think he was here over 

 six months. I think I must have been of age. Mr. Rockwell raced this 

 horse through the street on training day and he was unmanageable. He was 

 a young horse, I should think not more than five or six years old". 



Mr. Rockwell of Stafford, born in 1799, and brother of Elias Rockwell, 

 said : " My brother took the black pacer to New Orleans and traded him 

 off for sugar. I do not know where my brother got him. John Dean owned 

 the horse with my brother, and sold half of his interest to his brother, M. S. 

 P. Dean. After they returned from New Orleans there was a lawsuit about 

 the horse. I think the horse came here in September and went away the 

 next spring. I remember my brother rode him on training day, the first 

 Monday in May. I think the horse was here about six months. He was 

 below middling size, no white, a pretty good-shouldered horse, not very long- 

 bodied ; neck set up pretty well, put on well and cut up pretty well under 



