Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-08-18

! OF Old clifford aud his descendants. Mr..
| Davis owned for 20 years the stallion
! Nat Clifford, son of the old horse, and
from him came many Of his.market stock.
some were good and many poor. Some
inherited the style of the original Morgan
and some had the CHARACTERISTIC unsound-
ness and ba.ky tendencies OF the preeo.
| Most OF them were raised in Barnard, as
old "Nar" was always kept at home. None
ever amounted to much for speed, but
were generally free drivers and sold quick.
| The writer OF this was standing beside
Mr.. Davis when Vermont horses were
| lined up and shown President Harrison
at the Breeders meeting at White River
Junction. Peters Morgan, small horse,
and was introduced by Mr.. Brownell he
seemed to open like peacock and looked
| for all the world like 1900 animal. l
turned to congratulate my companion and
| found him also so grown IN stature as 10
be almost unrecognizable. The Morgan In
both man and horse was much In evil
de ice.
Mr.. Davis also inherited from the Dan.
forths the practice Of keeping horses OF
his own raising until they seemed part of
he family and many an old mare with
ringbones, sprains, founder, string halt,
etc., would feed along the highway In
summer 1.-THE roads were utilized as pas
lures in early times), coming TO the barn
. 10 winter for their annual support.
/ laughabl incident occurred 40 years ago.
When a large Ienagerie was pasolng
through Barnard from Bethel to Wood
stock, the elephants, monsters In size ana
weight, to avoid the bridges on the Creek
road came over the hill early In the morn
ing, appearing suddenly above the ceme-
terv upon Mr.. Davis band OF superannu-
ated horses. CONSERVATION thrilled this
usually quiet neighborhcod and IN less
than two seconds this ringbone company
decided to leave. Up went their heads
and down the hill they came At star
Pointer clip with their tails among the
clouds. They rushed through the village
like wild horses, bringing women and
children to the doors and windows terri
bly, alarmed at the great runaway race.
No more ring bones, no more spralns In
terfered with the time made, which many
thought equalled the historic Eclipse OF a
mile In one minute. Soon the elephants
appeared, which well repaid the women
and children for this early alarm. Towards
night the horses came slowly limping
home, never fully understanding this
thunderbolt from a clear sky.
i. ID. Davis at one time owned 20 farms
In Barnard with almost countless hocks
OF sheep and herds OF cattle. His yearly
crop Of wool amounted to large sum. He
WAS not BuOu lccucf hua MS otoSn cftcA
wintered badly, but be made money and
left large estate when he died. His son,
VIM. F., succeeded in the care OF the
property and today has more than twice
the grand list OF any other man In town.
He is a better farmer and better feeder
than his father. Mr.. DAVIS, Sr., drove his
first race over the ice with black trotttng
mare, beating Sheriff Bowman's noted bay
PAGER, more than go years ago, and he
never lost his love of the sport.
He held all the offices within the gift OF
the town and was selectman more years
than anyone else. He represented Barn.
ard in the legislature In 1880, getting
larger majority than any man up to that
time, He died In 1892, 50 years OF age,
more than go of which be owned numbers
OF horses in Barnard many good and sol
poor ones. Fifty years ago horse hides
made into leather we're of considerable
value and 1t became an object for Amos
Jaqnes, noted tanner, to pay about $l.5O
apiece for old horses. In the fall OF the
year, with winter coming on and hay
high, mum bers were brought In to be
killed for their skins. Amos said that
Danforth Davis nearly destroyed this
branch OF his business. Be this SO or not,
many an old worn-out animal was res
cued from the tan yard and found friend
in Isaac Danforth Davis.