36 ORIGIN OF THE MORGAN. 



saddle and buggy, but as stallions to extend the breed, — is jei 

 tain. They have many warm admirers, and find ready pur- 

 chasers. Others, on the contrary, are disposed to concede to 

 them no uncommon value as a family, as will be seen by some 

 quotations which we shall presently make. 



The origin of the Morgans is thus stated m a letter to us from 

 a highly intelligent and, a? we believe, perfectly responsible 

 source : — 



Burlington, March 8th, 1850. 



My DEAR SiE, — The conflicting reports concerning the origin of the 

 "Morgan" horse are so numerous, and come in " such questionable shapes,"' 

 that no one can be satisfied beyond a doubt of the truth of any one story. 



The pedigree given by the descendants of Mr. Justin Morgan, is, in my 

 estimation, the one entitled to the most credit. They have made oath to 

 certain statements in regard to the pedigiee of the " Morgan" horse. But 

 these statements, so far as I can learn, depend upon the reminiscences of 

 early childhood, and consequently are not entitled to implicit confidence. 

 Adopting the pedigree, as given by a son of Mr. Justin Morgan, as tbo 

 most reliable pedigree, I -will proceed. The original " Morgan " horse, thi" 

 founder of the family of horses known by that name, was brought, at two 

 years old. in 1795, from Springfield, Mass., to Randolph, Vt, by Justin 

 Morgan, of the latter place. He was got by " True Britton," he by More- 

 ton's " Traveller" (imported), among whose ancestors are found " English 

 Eclipse," " Childers," and the " Godolphin Arabian." "True Britton" (not 

 the horse of same name mentioned in the Stud Book, and got by imported 

 " Othello"), was stolen from Gen. Delancey, of New York, while with a 

 band of refugee troops on Long Island. Gen. Delancey was the importer 

 of the horses '■ Wild-air" and "Lath," both thorough-bred horses — the for- 

 mer of such superiority that he was sent back to England, in 1772. 

 Judging from Gen. Delanceyg taste in horses, it is but right to infer 

 tliat "True Britton" was thorough-bred. Thus much for the sire of the 

 "Morgan" horse. Concerning his dam, Mr. F. A. Weir, of Walpole, N. 

 H., writes as follows (Cultivator, January, 1840, p. 19.): "The dam is 

 described by Mr. John Morgan, who knew her, as of the 'Wild-air' breed, 

 of middling size, with a heavy chest, of a very light bay color, with a 

 bushy mane and tail, the hair on the legs rather long, and a smooth, hand- 

 some traveller. She was got by ' Diamond,* a thick heavy horse, of about 

 tlie middling size, with a thick heavy mane and tail, hairy legs, and a smooth 

 traveller." " Diamond," Mr. Weir further says, was got by " Wild-air," out 

 of the " noted imported mare ' Wild-air.' " I can find no account of any 

 such importation, and deem it improbable that a mare and horse should 

 have been imported about the same time, and allowed to retain one and 

 the same name. However, I may be wrong, and Mr. Weir right. " WUd- 

 air," sire of " Diamond," was got by imported " Wild-air." 



The reasonable conclusion from this statement is, that the dam of the 

 old " Morgan" had some good blood in her veins, but was ,iot thoroug/ir 

 bred. This, it is believed, is as correct and reliable an account of the pedi- 

 gree of the " Morgan" horse as can be obtained. From the appearance of 

 chose horses now living, nearest related to the original " Morgan," it is evident 

 that the old horse was possessed of no small share of pure blood. There 

 can be no good reason to doubt the above pedigree, if we judge from the 

 character of the immediate descendants of the old horse. 



There were but four colts of the original " Morgan" kept as stalliona 

 and concerniiig the blood of their dams nothing is known. 



