FIKST FRENCH HORSES IN AMERICA 113 



France to Ohio. Proof that Dr. Brown imported 

 two stallions is complete, or rather that Samuel 

 Holman, Chester Springs, Pa., who was entrusted by 

 Dr. Brown with the task of procuring for him a 

 French horse, bought two with Dr. Brown's money 

 and took one of them for himself. 



Among Dr. Brown's papers turned over in con- 

 nection with the sale of a half -interest in ' ' Old Bill ' ' 

 to the late T. C. Bigelow, Columbus, 0., there is a 

 letter from Samuel Holman dated at London, Eng- 

 land, July 10, 1851, which reads: 



"I leave these few lines to inform you that I have 

 used the £100 got of you for the purchase of a 

 horse. I have bought two, one for you and one for 

 myself. The one is a two-year-old and the other 

 three years old. They are strong able colts. I sup- 

 pose will weigh 1,200 to 1,400 pounds each now. The 

 color does not please me exactly and another objec- 

 tion I had to them was that they cut all their foals' 

 tails off as soon as they are foaled in this country and 

 consequently both are short-tails. Their colors are 

 darkish silver, black legs, manes and tails. How- 

 ever, I concluded to risk them." 



The remainder of the letter goes into details con- 

 cerning shipping. Attached to this are the original 

 French certificates of sale and identification, inter- 

 esting mainly as descriptive of the breed to which 

 these horses belonged, thus: 



"Rouen, July 1, 1851. 



"I do hereby certify that the two Diligence colts 

 purchased from me by Mr. Sam'l Holman of the 

 United States of America were bred and raised by 

 me and from my best brood mares. The stock is 



