Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-10-03
rHe MORGAN CONTROVERSY.
Truth About the nay Colt That Founded
Famous Family.


Famous Family.
In 1858 Justin Morgan sold his little
place In West Springfield, Mass. and
removed TO Randolph. Vt. where he
died In March, 1893 In the autumn Of
1895 he visited wost Springfield again
Tor the purpose Of collecting somo money
that was still due him there. probably
some deferred payments Of his former
home, and as he was not able 10 get the
money he took two horses IN liou there
o. One was s.year-old golding and
the other was a 2.yoar.old bay colt en-
tire. He led the gelding beside the horse
he was riding, and the colt followed all
the way The evidence that fixes the
date Of his trip in the autumn of 1905
and the age 81 the colt that followed
scoms 10 me TO be completely bomhproof
This evidence not only embraces the rec
objections Of Justin Morgan ueighbors,
but when he died the colt, In 1893, was
sold by his administrators Us 5-year-
old. In all the changes Of ownership
that took place through his life and ut
his death, In 1921. he was represented
~ foalcd in 1898. He died from the II.
fects of u kick that was neglected, and
not from old age.
There are several incidents connected
with the life Of tho colt Of 1898 that
fixed his identity and ago upon the req
objections Of the neighbors and friends
Of Justin Morgan. Solomon steele, Ev-
ans. Rice and others who knew the colt
we'll all agree that the colt followed his
companion and playmate from West
Springfield TO Randolph In the autumn
Of 1875, and that ho was not then hal
ter broken. They all agree that Evans
hired him for fi5 u year 90 draw logs
In his clearing In the place Of yoke of
oxen. They all agree that Justin Nor
gan died In March. 1908. and that the
colt was then sold rs "a 6-yoar-old. The
death was an immoyablo date hxor
around which everything In connection
with these events must DO determined.
and when the horse died in 1891 nobody
had ever doubted that he was foaled
In 1898.
Justin Morgan. Jr., was In his tonth
year when tho colt was brought home,
and no was i2 years old when his fathor
died. In isI2 Justin Morgan, Jr.. in II
communication TO the Albany Cultiva-
tor. says; lone was 8.yoar- old gold
ing colt, which he led, and the other u
2.year-old stud colt, which followed all
the way FROM Springfield. Tho said =
year-old colt was the same that has
since been known all over New England
by tho name Of tho Morgan horse. |
know that my father always. while no
lived, called him Dutch horse. My "a
Their always spoke Of him rs of the best
blood.
Did Justin Morgan know what no was
saying when no said, always, while he
lived, called his horse "A Dutch horsof"
And did he understand the historical
meaning OF his words, "he always
sp0ko of him as OF Tho best blood" 10
answer these questions we must mako
como reference 20 history. The Dutch
horses were y breed wholly distinct
from the horses Of tho other colonies.
Tho colony Of New Netherlands Now
York; received It's supply from Utrecht,
in Holland, commencing IN 1924 and for
fow years following. In 30 years they
had 30 increased that the colony wus
well supplied, These horses were about
IA hands aud / inch high, which WINS
about one hand higher than tho horses
supplied TO tho English colonies. They
were not only higher but they had
more n--2o and muscle, and, l think,
more shapoly necks In every respect
they were better, except that they were
not so good for the saddle, for tho roa-
sun, as think, that they were not PAGERS,
The standard that determined thor
superiority was the higher prices ut
which they were bought and sold, over
the New England horses, Us shown by
the official reports Of tho colony
When the colony passed under British
rule, the FIRST governor Immediately rs
tnblishod u race course at HOMESTEAD
Plains, N, " and there, In 1865, tho
first organized race in this country took
place, This was long before the Eng
lish race horse had reached the charac-
ter Of n breed, aud round 100 years
before the first representative Of that
breed reached New York The horses
that ran NJ Heml.stesd Plains were w D..