ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS 989 



that has yet been produced, both very fast and very enduring. Her clam has never 

 been traced, and the breeding of this dam is unknown; she has been recorded many 

 times as Old Ab, or Lady Abdallah, by Abdallah, but no one so recording has ever pretended 

 that there was any certain knowledge of her breeding. Mr. Wallace's record of Goldsmith 

 Maid in Vol. Ill of his Register is: "Got by Alexander's Abdallah, son of Rysdyk's Hamble- 

 tonian; and dam Old Ab, by Abdallah." Butinthe January number of his Magazine, 1877, after 

 giving the letter ofM. Vermeule, her owner, who states that he had no positive knowledge of the 

 pedigree of the dam of Goldsmith Maid, Mr. Wallace writes: "To some of our timid friends it 

 may appear like sacrilige to disturb the pedigree of the greatest trotter in the world, but in 

 reply we must say that we must stand by the truth no difference what happens, no difference 

 what horse it affects. From Mr. Yermeule's letter the presumption is she was by Abdallah, 

 but it certainly brings out the fact that it is not so established. The subject is now open for 

 discussion and the first question to be answered is from whom did Mr. Norris get the mare." 



We have made very determined and presistent efforts to trace this dam, with the follow- 

 ing results : 



Manning Vermeule, Plainfield, X. J., in an interview, said that he traded for this mare 

 of Dan Xorris, who kept, at the time, a livery stable on Houston street, X T ew York; that Mr. 

 Xorris had her several years ; kept her at first for his own use and trotted her a little. Mr. Vermeule 

 thought she was about 14 years old when he bought her. Mr. Osborn, who was foreman for 

 Mr. Xorris, said she was an Abdallah, but he never heard who bred her. Mr. Vermeule 

 kept her but a few months, and sold her to Mr. Decker of Deckertown, X. J., who bred 

 Goldsmith Maid and other colts from her. She was a bay mare, no white, 15% hands, fair neck, 

 good, nice, smooth-made mare, rather a neat, nice head, not a heavy ear, not a coarse mare. 

 She had bad feet, that is, flat-footed and quarter-cracks. Her name was Ann. Mr. Vermeule 

 thought she could trot in about 3:10. "I got her in the fall, sold to Decker next spring. 

 She was a bay mare with bob tail, long switch. I considered her pretty much used up when 

 I got her." 



It was claimed, at one time, that Isaac Marsh of Statcn Island, X. Y., kept the 

 dam of Goldsmith Maid for Mr. Xorris. This Mr. Marsh we visited and from information 

 that he gave us succeeded in tracing beyond question the mare that he kept for Xorris, and 

 which Mr. Marsh thought to be the dam of Goldsmith Maid, and was very certain was an 

 Abdallah mare. This mare, however, proved to be by Long Island Black Hawk, was called 

 Dolly and was sent to Mr. Xorris by a Mr. Livingston of Hudson, X". Y., who bred her. She 

 was a bay mare, and, as described, quite similar to the dam of Goldsmith Maid, but from the 

 letters given below from Manning Vermeule and John S. Xorris, son of Daniel X'orris, it is 

 certain that she was not the dam. Through the assistance of Wm. Wray, a son-in-law of 

 Daniel Xorris, and Mr. Higgins, proprietor of the "Cosmopolitan Hotel," Xew York, to 

 whom Mr. Wray referred us, we succeeded in learning that Daniel Xorris purchased the 

 dam of Goldsmith Maid at the " Bull's Head," in 24th street, Xew York. 



From different parties at Bull's Head, who had been there for years, we learned that 

 Mr. Xorris was accustomed to buy horses there, but we were not able to trace this mare 

 further. She was one of the thousands that came to Bull's Head, Xew York, for sale, and 

 may have come from any part of the country : 



ST. PAUL, Dec. 7, 1887. 



MR. JOSEPH BATTELL: The Black Hawk mare was named Dolly; she was docked 

 with a long switch tail. I remember Ike Vermilia well, but he did not get the mare. I do 

 not recollect the mare my father did trade to him. I am perfectly willing to assist you if 

 possible.. Have been out of town or would have answered this before. 



Yours truly, JOHN S. NORRIS. 



No. 423 Wabash Street. 



ST. PAUL, Nov. i, 1887. 

 MR. JOSEPH BATTELL, 



Dear Sir: Yours of Oct. 17 at hand. I can only say the Black Hawk mare I think my 



