Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-09-24


ton, lives John Il. Decker, the founder of
the village of Deckerown, and known
Familiarity as ..Uncle Johnny B." Mr.
Decker is the man who raised the famous
trotting mare, Goldsmith Maid,r who
was & one time the fastest trotting horse
in the world, and who not long ago gave
birth to a fine colt at the Fashion Stud
farm, near Trenton, this State Mr.. Deck
or is a very pleasant old man, seventy
eight years old. and told many Of the
Maids performances when young colt.
That mare" said he, twas one of the
widest and wickedest pieces Of horsefiesh
that ever saw. Just for a little exercise
she'd often jump a six-rail fen e, gallop
up and down the big meadow and make A
clean circuit Of the whole farm. jumping
every fence as she went without a bit OF
trouble aud finally get back with the rest
Of the horses. She was terribly Wild IN
harness. and never drove her, single or
double. to light wagon in the four years
I owned her, though one Of nv work
men ploughed corn with her once
for half day" The dam Of the
Maid coniinue1 the old farmer. twas an
.AbdaIlah' mare, and an awful good one
at that She was a half sister to ''Old
Hambletonian. and could trot her 10
To an old-fashioned road wagon without
any apparent effort. bought her of an
old hat peddIer named Vernue. from
PIainfeld, y. j.. who always kept good
horses and was forever trading. The sire
Of ssGoldsmith Maid" was HambIetonian
stallion owned by See,ey Edsall. Of Co.
shen Orange county, n. Y. He was after
wards sold to i man named Alexander. in
Kentucky, where he was kept solely for
stock purposes. The MAID was foaled
during the last week Of June. 1857, and
was always as wild as hawk. ] never
considered her fast until one day ! went
out in the field with a measure full of
salt to feed the horses. The Maid
would not come near me to get any salt
and got mad and set the dog on her.
The wav she trotted around that field then
convinced me there was speed in her |
enjoyed seeing her trot so much that
| frequently repeated the experiment.
She was an awfully fast running mare. too.
On moonlight nights the workmen used to
steal out and catch the horses and race
across the meadow flats. never knew
of this till long afterwards. but the men
said that the ..Maid'' invariably disianced
the fifteen OF twenty fine blooded horses
then had on the farm. That was running,
understand and not trottins.
John II. Decker, n butcher. from New
burg, and Tom Bingham Of the same city
came to take dinner with me. and wanted
to see some of my horses. We started
for the field with some salt and the dog.
and set the dog on the Maid the first
thing. She went of like the wind. and
they were so struck with her gait they
offered me $500 cash for her. refused,
but they said they were bound to have
the horse. and told me to name my price.
Finally I said I'd take $3.50. and they
handed me the money. ! hated TO sell
the mare. and yet concluded to let her go
because she was so ugly. They caught
her and tied her behind the wagon and
started home. When they arrived at Den
ton, VIM. Denton, known then "a Jersey
BILL" who kept hotel there, tried to
buy her. but they would not sell her. \
short time aiterward they found she was
so ugly that they sold her to Jersey Bit
for $500. The next spring "Bill'' sold
her TO Alden Goldsmith for $500 and n
wagon. Goldsmith named her Gold
smith Maid" and hired Bill Bodine. the
great horseman. of Middletown, n. Y, to
handle her. Then she was awful wild,
and came near killing Bodine several
times. Ii used TO take four men to hitch
her mp and she'd bite and kick quicker
than lightning. This made Goldsmith
very sick of his bargain. and for month
or two. she could have been bought very
cheap. Finally Bodine conquered her
and she soon became very popular. II
was not long. as you know. before she
was known all over the country. Gold
smith told me he sold her to man named
Jackman. OF Philadelphia. and Budd
Doblc for $1,000 cash. After she had
made her best time. Doble and Jackman
sold her to Henry Smith. a New York
broker. who still owns her. for an even
100000 which was almost one hundred
times the figure | sold her for. She is
now. believe. on the Fashion Stud Fa m.
near Trenton. which Is owned by Smith
'Ies.' said the old man. mournfullv.
81 did let fortune slip through NV fin.
gers when | sold the Maid. but think
let bigger one go when | sent her half
sister. one of the finest and swiftest mares
| ever came across, to General Fitzpatrick
while he was in Chill. She was hand
some black. fully as fast as the Maid. and
Just the reverse of the latter in disposition
and temper. In those DAYS there were
no railroads in this section. and when we
used to carry our produce and do our trad
ing At Newburg forty miles away. we used
10 do some tall driving. I've frequently
driven eighteen miles to Newton in an
hour and quarter; took tea. fed the
horse aud then drove 6hto Middletown.
forty mine miles further. the same evening,
| always had fifteen to twenty blooded
horses and never allowed man to pass
me on the road. One day my father was
taken sick. and at r. NJ. left home.
drove to Newburg and back. eighty miles.
in six he~rs and n half. actual driving
time. 1hev may do it. but somehow
never hear oil such drives nowadays. and
vet they claim blooded horses now have
greaAer endurance than they used to have.
But for NIL that must confess they've got
mile heats down fine Of late. Well. gen
tlemen. I'm obliged 10 you tor your pa
tience. and il you'll step inside I'll give
you;A drop of sppleiack made forty years
agGund with this remark ended the
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