Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-09-24
SUNDRY LETTERS,
@. j. M'ouRoY ON JUSTIN MORGAN, ETC

JOSEPH BATTELL, ESQ,
Dcdr All ! know about the Justin
Morgan is contained in my communica-
ton to the American Cultivator of Feb.
s, 1855, of which enclose copy.
If the dam of that horse was born at
or near Hartford at such time as might
have connected her with the Wildair
colt kept there according to my grand
fathers advertisement in the season of
l112, the imperial blood probably came
in through that colt If she was born at
place a little below Middletown. at
such time as might have connected her
with McCurdy colt, the strain NAV have
come in from that source. Mr.. Murray
may know, or the files of the Hartford
Courant may give some light on the sub
iect. Lyme is the next place below East
lladdam
am not surprised that the friends of
the Morgan horse should be anxious to
trace him to the Delaney Wildaire. as
he was the most remarkable horse that
had been imported in his day; and |
doubt whether his superior has ever been
brought over ut any time since. The BIZ
ographers of the Justin Morgan should
give us full an account as possible of the
Delaney Wildaire. Perhaps Wallace's
stud book may supply it q. II. Wallace,
No. PIP Broadway, y. "
When President Jefferson went to the
capitol to be inaugurated and threw the
bride reins oyer the post, he rode, as his
granddaughter says, "his magnificent
Wildaire. That name was taken from
the principal character in a play popu-
lar in London about the year 1850.
Col. Delaney was a very active 10y
alist, commanding regiment of that
character, and as such was especially OBJ
noXious to patriot Americans. He was
taken prisoner in III and confined in
the Hartford Jail. From his prison win
dow he might doubtless have seen in the
streets of that city specimens of his SUI
perb colts. Neither party then supposed
that he would ever be accounted as one
of the greatest of New England bene-
factors. He was of IA French family
now and always eminent in this coun-
try and abroad. \ nephew was an aide
of the Duke of Wellington and was killed
at Waterloo. Col. Delaney himself
died in exile, but he left behind him his
Incompatible stock. 1t might well be
said of him as was said of Homer's Do
mede. "he was lover of horses
Very respectfully yours.
CIIAs. j. MCCURDY.
The following is Mr.. McCurdy's com
munication to the Cultivator to which he
refers i'll the above letter:
Editor If the .lmericaH Cultirator:
send you the information which YOU re-
quest in relation to the original Morgan
horse. Some years ago learned that
my grandfather, John McCurdv. IA
wealthy and philosophical man. living
in the place which have inherited. own
ed and advertised for public use Il horse
of the famous Wildairc blood. and that
the notice of him was contained in
colonial newspaper. | inquired of my
father if he knew anything on the sub
icct He said that although he was Il
boy at the time, yet the horse himself. as
well aS his stock. was so remarkable that
he remembered much about him. and he
showed the freshness of his recollection
by relating curious and amusing anec-
dote. According to that story the horse
must have been kept here until the wear
l1I1: how much longer | do not know.
lie does not appear IN nv grandfathcr'S
ton, what became of the horse: nv
father said that he could tell nothing
except that he was sold to man living
in East Iaddam. Ct, and was kept there
for breeding purposes.
Sometime after this saw Mr.. W. II.
ii. Murray at Guilford q raised three
colts by his Morgan Abdallah). and in
speaking of the Justin Morgan he said
that the pedigree of his mother was I'M
certain beyond the fact that she had
Wildare blood, and that her origin was
in place a little below Middletown. CT.
| repeated to him what | had heard of the
and what my father had
told me. lie said to me with much ear
nestness, "Why, that may supply the
missing link" EAST liaddam is about ten
miles below Middletown), and he request
ed me if possible to tiud the advertise
ment. The next time was at Hartford |
went to the Watkinson Library and there
found it. sent copy to Mr.. Murray
nut he probably lost ii, as he afterwards
wrote to me for information. \ copy of
his letter and of one of my grandfatlIer's
| enclose to YOU, the
latter of which is as follows:
10 Corer this Season The bay horse, Young
W ildaire, the property of Mr., John McCurdy
OF Lyme, nj IS. IL leap and pos. for the season.
rms horse Is new broke, and, like all the old
Wildaire's colts, proves to be II horse of great
strength, speed ana activity, and rs likely to
alter our breed tor the better rs any horse
Hartford was sold last Fall tor 50, lawful
money, though but two years old, and il gone
out OF TINS government, and the sire of him
and Young Wildaire, which was the famed
W lldalrc belonging To james Delaney, ESD.
OF New York, Is gone back to England again,
where he has two brothers that cover mares
AT twenty five guincus and 50 greatly was
this horse esteemed in England, That he has
been purchased and sent to Enguad nj "A
prodtgiou~ pric" ana charge, thou IN nineteen
years "hl 50 that there il none OF tn breed
lcit H. tuls part of tn colony but Yong wild
are Therefore, those ti.u have good mares
VIII not miss otthis opportunity itthey choose
The best breed ever in America or England.
The owner purchased this horse for breed not
Tor proht, otherwise he should not gone To Il
mare under 50, at least. Those who choose
to leave their mares may depend ON it that
The servant that attends the horse will take
good care OF the mares, etc New London
Gazette, May :, l773.
y true copy. y. r. FLETCHER
Watkinson Library, Hartford, Ct
After all that has been published and
sworn to about the Justin Morgan there
seems to be nothing absolutely certain as
% the pedigree of his sire or dam, but
here is general tradition and belief that
me or both had IA Wildaire strain. Frank
Forester (W. Ii. HERBERT denies that
either of them had any blue blood from