Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-08-04
For the Waterman q Journal
BLACK II A w X,

Origin OF the Morgan Horses.

| have frequently been asked. the
origin of the Morgan Horses in Yer
mont, and whether " Black Hawk, -
owned by David Hill, Esq, OF Bird
port, wosa descendant of this famous
race Of horses. Having access to the
9th An. Vol. of the CutivaIor New
series) published at Albany in 1912,
! find an account of the origin of the
first Morgan and Black Hawk, and
evidence given by those who could
not be deceived 10 the matter A
son of Justin Morgan, SEN, writes in
the Cullivalor of said volume thus =
My father Justin Morgan.
brought said horse or col into Ran
dolph VT, IN the summer or autumn
of 1895. Said colt was ONLY two
years old when my father brought hun
to Randolph, had never been
handled IN any way, not even To be
led by halter. My father went to
Springfield Mass, the place of his
nativity and the place from which he
removed 10 Randolph, ia the spring
or summer of 1895, after money that
vas due to him at that place, US he
SAID and instead of getting money
as he expected, he got two colts, one
a three year old geldiug colt which
he led, The other IA two year old stud
colt. which followed all the way from
/ Springfield 10 Randolph; having
been, as my father SAID always kept
with aud much attached TO the colt
he led. Sad two year OLD colt was
the same that has since been known
all oyer New England, by the name
OF the Morgan Horse. Nv father
broke said colt himself; and as [
have before remarked, owned and
Kept hun until the time of MS death,
which took place in March 1898, aud
SAID horse was five years old when
I my ialher dled--soon after, he passed
iron my fathers estate into the pos
session of William Rice of Wood
stock, VI. cannot slate positively.
that my iaiher purchased said colt
IN Springfield Mass, but am very
coniident that he purchased hlm 10
that town or in the immediate vein
iiy on Connecticut river, and | know
that my ialner always whilc he lived
called hlm a Dutch Horse"
JUSTIN MoRsAN.
SiockbrIdge, VT, March |, 1912.
Also, see Cultivalor Vol Q, page
ITO. John Morgan resides IN Lima
New York State, and is a relative of
Justin Morgan, Sen, and was a Neigh
Dor of the latter previous to his re-
turn from Springfield Mas, TO Yer
mont. In relation to the above nam
ed colt as described by Justin Nor
gan Jr., John Morgan says:
He was sired by horse owned
10y Sealy Norton, of East Hartford,
Gonna called the True Brton or
Beautiful Bay" lie was kept at
Springfield, one season by the said
Justin Morgan, sen, and two years
after | kept him two seasons. lis
horse was sand 10 have been raised
by General Delaney, commander Of
the refugee troops on Long Island,
aud rode 10y him IN the Revolution.
II was SAID that one Smith stole the
horse from the General, at Kings
Bridge, while the General was in the
tavern ran him across the bridge
and took him To the American Army,
near White Plains, and sold hun To
Joseph Ward, OF Hartford Conn,
for $500. Ii was also said at that
time, that he was sired by the lmpor-
ted horse, called 4" Traveller" SAID
To have been kept in New jersey
Nh. WrissIng Z, editor of the
Louisville (Ks.) Journal, in refer
ence to the Morgan Horses, says in
1916:
"Of the old Morgan's progeny
three became famous as siallions VIZ:
the Sherman Morgan, the " oodbury
or Burbank and the Chelsea or Bull
rush. OF these the Sherman Nor
gan was greatly the most distinguish
ed. have ascertaIned To a certain
~ that he died in the winter of 1895
Black Hawk was sired by him."
In l645, ). w. Jeweit in an arli-
Gle in the Culivator, says:
" The figure above is a portrait of
Black Hawk, a colt Of the Sherman
Morgan which was got by the old
Justin Morgan .horse. The dam of
Black Hawk was three quarter
English Mare, raised IN the
province OF New Brunswick. She
could troI mile in less than three
minutes, and weighed 1925 pounds,
and was in every respect "A most per-
feet animal.
"Black Hawk was bred by Mr..
Mathews OF Durham N. II. He is |
a JET black color; weighs in good
flesh l04O pounds; his height IS Is
hands and 4 inch line drawn