Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-11-04
JOSEPH BATTELL,
Middlebury, vt.
THE DAM OF GEORGE WILKES.
JOSEPH s. LEWIS ENDORSES GILBERT s


1t will be remembered that the theory
that Dolly Spanker, dam of George
Wilkes, was by Henry Clay, has always
rested solely upon the statement of JOS
eph S. Lewis to John II. Wallace to the
effect that his man Dey had discovered
that certain roam mare bred by Clark
Phillips was the identical Dolly Spank
ar. We have already demonstrated that
MIR. Lewis was mistaken in assuming
the identity of the roam mare bred by
Phillips with the brown mare Dolly
Spanker. 1t appears by the following
article by Dudley Miller in the Horse
World, with the appended letters, that
Mr.. Lewis himself now admits that his
information. which he gave to Mr.. Wal
lace, was erroneous. In fact, he had
been informed "some time in the six
ties" by James Gilbert, on special in
quiry to that end, of the true origin of
Dolly Spanker. This information seems
to have escaped the memory of Mr..
Lewis when he wrote his famous letter
to Mr.. Wallace, which lapse probably
occasions Mr.. Lewis very cOmmendable
hope, expressed in his appended letter,
that the memory of Gilbert and King
"will be little better" than his:
Dudley Miller in Horse World.l
While attending the fall meeting of
the Geneva Driving club, at Geneva, n.
Y, last month, | met Mr.. Smith Feek,
formerly with Henry c. Jewett IL Co.
Mr.. Feek interested me very much in
what he considered an outrage ON the
breeding world, viz, the breeding OF
George Wilkes dam, Dolly Spanker, as
given in the American Trottng register
l have since been spending IA little time
and trouble investigating the matter
endeavoring to get at the truth.
Knowing Captain Joseph 5. Lewis
of Geneva, who, it is known, sold Dolly
Spanker, | called on him September 10
1892, and questioned him as to what he
knew about the dam of Geo. Wilkes, and
the captain. whom | have known fol
years. said that in the sos John ). King
IA contractor on the Northern Ceutra
Il. r., bought Dolly Spanker, a brown
blocky-built mare, of James Gilbert OF
Phelps, y. \. NOW a malster of Buffalo
n. W About six months after King
bought the mare he completed his con
tract and employed him Uewis) to sci
her.
He sold her for $3.50 to William Del
AVIAN, a circus man. who took her tC
New York and sold her TO Harry Eel
ter, a liquor dealer, whose place was OF
Broadway, IA little below the Metropolis
tan hotel. Felter drove her on the roaC
year or two, when she got foot-sor,
from the hard streets, and he sent her tC
his father. Theron Felter, in Orange
county. y. Y. Theron Felter breC
Dolly Spanler to Hambletouian and she
died in foaing the colt that was after.
wards called George Wilkes, that was
brought up by hand.
Subsequently, at Felter's request
Capt. Lewis sent John Dey to man by
the name of Phillips, at Bristol, n. Y.
to ascertain Dolly Spanker's breeding
as it was supposed that he bred her
Dey returned fLom Bristol after seeing
Phillips, who said the mare was sired by
Henry Clay, black horse owned by
Mr.. James Wadsworth of Genes co.
After this, Capt. Lewis said, there
were rumors and doubts as to Dolly
Spanker being sired by Henry Clay and
sometime in the COS he called in But
falO on James Gilbert to ascertain the
mares breeding.
Mr.. Gilbert told him that he bought
her in northern Pennsylvania of a cattle
man, paying $50 for her, with saddle and
bride, that the cattleman knew nothing
of her breeding, nor did he know any
more.
Capt. Le,ctS says he Jelieres that the ped
igree gioen to John Deg is ,orong, and Ma
Mr.. GuJet'S is correct, that he kne,c Mr.
Gilbert lreU and belieces him TO be an hon
est man.
The captain advised me to correspond
with Mr.. Gilbert and also with Mr.. JOIN
>. King, of Orange, n. j., which | have
done.
Herewith is Mr.. Gilbert's reply and a
letter received from Capt. Lewis subse.
quent to our interview.
Yours truly,
DUDLEY MILLER.
BUFFALO, \. Y, Sept. 80, 1892.
Mr.. DUDLEY MILLER, Oswego, n. Y.
Dear Sir:-Your letter of the 9th
came duly to hand and, in reply, would
say | saw in the American Horse Breed
er of December II, 1891, purporting to be
from Mr.. Phillips, that | purchased the
mare of him in the town of Bristol, On
tariO county; that the mare was from
Old Henry Clay, owned by James Wads-
worth. Now, if Mr.. Phillips actually
made this statement as the paper said he
did, 1t is entirely false In every partcu-
lar, which am ready to prove if called
on.
Now for the answer to your questions
First, claim the honor of bringing Dol
1y Spanker to New York State. | was
in Northwestern Pennsylvania buying
horses. | had a man with me named
Holiday, who was brought up by Zeley,
the old runnlng-horse man in this State.