Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-02-05
FACTS CONCERNING VERMONT
BLACK HAWK.
From the Spirit of the Times. J

ling article headed "Origin of Vermont
Black Hawk" in which the author threat
ems 'sto take the wind out of the sails of
a certain eastern paper. which has
brought to light facts concerning the ear
" history of Black Hawk, that place his
origin beyond the shadow of Il doubt.
The early history of VT. Black Hawk,
briefly stated, is as follows: In 1892,
Benjamin Kelley, who at that time kept
hotel at Durham, \. H., bred fine black
mare to Sherman Morgan, which was then
owned by John Bellows of Lancaster, n.
H., who stood him at Kelly's stable dur
ing the season above named. The origi-
nal entry for service fee in Bellows book,
which is still in existence, bears date of
May IA, 1892, and beneath the entry, at a
later date, is a note in Mr.. Bellows hand
writing, stating that from this SERVICE
resulted Vermont Black Hawk. Not long
after breeding the mare Mr.. Kelley trad
ed her with Ezekiel Twombly, then of
Durham, for another mare, Mr.. Twombly
agreeing to give Mr.. Kelley quantity
of hay in case the black mare produced a
foal.
Ezekiel Twombly had a grandson
named Shadra Seavey, who lived with
him from small child until the death of
the former, which occurred in 1887. At
the time Mr.. Twombly traded for the
mare this grandson was sixteen years
old. He is now an intelligent. respected,
well-to-do farmer, living in Greenland,
n. H., and from his lips | learned the
early history of Black Hawk about seven
weeks ago.
Sometime about the middle of April,
1888. this black mare dropped "A small.
notwithstanding colt. which afterwards
became famous as the founder of the
noted Vermont Black Hawk family of
trotters. Shadrack Seavey was intrusted
by his grandfather, who anticipated the
event, to watch the mare. and was by
her side within twenty minutes of the
time the colt was dropped. The young
ster was so unpromising at the time that
Mr.. Twombly proposed killing it, as he
was ashamed to have such a looking OBJ
ject following his mare. He finally gave
the colt to his grandson, Shadrack Sea-
vey, who raised it and broke it at the
usual age. and was soon afterward able
to pass the fastest trotterS in his part of
the country. Mr.. Seavey finally traded
the colt, when coming five years old, to
Mr.. Albert Mather, now living in SIAM
ford, Conn, getting another animal and
fifty dollars in cash. Mr.. Mather, who
was an expert horseman, kept the colt Il
few months, during which his speed inn
proved rapidly, but finally sold him to
Messrs. Brown and Thurston, at Haver
hill, Mass, for 5000 cash. Mr.. Benjamin
Thurston soon bought out Browns in
terest, and kept Black Hawk several
years, winning a number Of races with
him. In 1912, he trotted five miles in
sixteen minutes over the old Cambridge
course, in this city, winning a purse of
81 900. In 1874. Mr.. David Hill of Bird
port. VT, and his son, Mr.. Noble Hill of
this city. lately deceased, then young
man living in Boston. bought Black
Hawk from Mr.. Thurston for $500, and
he was taken to Bridport. VT, where he
remained until his death.
About two years ago some inventive
genius started the woodward story. In
the summer of 1884, called npon Mr..
Noble Hill in the club rooms in Beacon
street, this city, and called his attention
to the statement concerning the Cana
dian origin of Black Hawk. Mr.. Hill de
MED the statement in the most emphatic
manner, characterizng it a. one of the
most stupid of falSchoodS. a. Black
Hawks origin had been proved. as was
well known to all intelligent horsemen.
He then stated that, although it had new
er been made public and was known to
no one outside his family, he had bought
the horse in company with his father,
David Hill of Bridport, VT, and owned
an interest in the stallion till his death.
He also informed me that the papers
showing this fact, together with the orig
inal bill Of sale from ThurstOn, were in
his safe at the First National bank in
this city, of which he was then director,
and he invited me to call and examine
them. These papers showed that Black
Hawk was bought from Thurston as a
son of Sherman Morgan, and that the
price paid was $500. Yet your Vermont
correspondent, whose every sentence
shows that he knows nothing whatever
about the subject, states that the report
of Black Hawks being a son of Sherman
Morgan originated in Addison county,
Vermont.
Mr.. Spencer claims that Mr.. y. Hill
admitted to him that Black Hawk was of