184 THE GOLDSMITHS. 



Abdallah, the sire of Goldsmith Maid, was taken there 

 in 1859. He sired Almont and Belmont and died in 

 1865. The success of his descendants prompted 

 others to visit Orange County, the fountain head of 

 the Hambletonian family of trotters, J. B. McFerran 

 being one of the first. He visited Stony Ford, where he 

 purchased August Belmont and Cuyler. He also pur- 

 chased a number of mares by Hambletonian and his 

 sons, and to their produce, as well as the get of Cuyler 

 and his descendants, the success of Glenview Farm 

 can be traced. R. S. Veech, the founder of the Indian 

 Hill Stud, was a neighbor of McFerran's. He also 

 visited Orange County and purchased a number of 

 mares bred in the same lines to cross with Princeps. 

 The records show that the venture was successful. 



The Kentucky breeders did not take very kindly 

 to George Wilkes when he appeared among them in 

 1875, but the cloud of neglect soon faded when his get 

 were tried on the turf. From 1876 to 1882 he had 

 eleven performers in 2 126 or better, and in his an- 

 nouncement for the latter year, Z. E. Simmons said : 

 "Hambletonian never got a better one than So So, 

 2:17^4. In 1881 St. Julien was the only horse who 

 trotted faster than she did in a contested race, 2:17*4." 

 Volunteer was the sire of St. Julien. He was then 

 eighteen years old, and his service fee $500. 

 Prompted by a desire to own the greatest living sire 

 of trotters, R. S. Veech, while in New York, in Febru- 

 ary, 1882, wired Alden Goldsmith asking if it would 

 be worth his while to visit Walnut Grove Farm with 

 a view of purchasing Volunteer. He received the fol- 

 lowing reply : 



