The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-08-15
HONE OF MoReANs.
Randolph Puts in a Plea for Thar
Honor.


recent editorial note in an excharo,
claims that the original Morgan horse n
Vermont came from Lyndon, thus deny.
inc 10 Randolph its proud claim 10 IL
considered as the place from which this
famous breed Of roadsters sprahg.
The story Of the Morgan begins with
True Briton, whose ancestry extended
hack to the finest thoroughbreds Of Eng.
land ana some of the Arabians and Bar6s
imported at great expense by gentlemen
81 Great Britain in the early part 81
the eighteenth century True Briton
was the property Of Col james Delaney
an officer of the English army, from
whom he was stolen at Fishkill. n. VI
in 1850 by Lieut.. Wright Carpenter in
retaliation for the loss Of some cattle
plundered by COW boys, to whose ras.
cality Col. Delaney, when Lieut.. Car.
penter applied to him for redress, proved
Indifferent. Carpenter took the horse
to Hartford, Conn, and sold him to
merchant, who finally disposed Of him
to Selah Norton,
In the course Of time Mr.. Norton
with True Briton, happened at a small
tavern on the banks Of the Connecticut
river kept by Justin Morgan, who was
born in West Springfield, Mass, in l747
In 17Ss, Mr. Morgan removed from
Springfield to Randolph, bringing with
him a colt named Figure, the SON Of
True Briton and the original Morgan
horse
NJ Aforo,n ,pbo ,,.as am sr
man Of feeble health, was a singer. a
composer Of church music written II
the fugue style, teacher OF singing
schools and penmanship and Of tie con-.
mon district schools. a man Of urbane
manners he became welll liked BY TIE
townspeople and was chosen lister and
town clerk, serving in the latter "a.
pacity three years from 1890. he took
mp his residence near the Brn0kheld lire
north Of the village Of Randolph Center
and there IL may be said the type Of
Morgan horses began
In the fall Of 1895, Alr Morgan III.
tended to apply bis valuable animal
on the payment Of a note. but was
not able 70 secure what lie regarded as
a reasonable price for him, and, instead.
let him 60 a man named Robert Evans
for a year for SIS. Mr.. Evans under.
took 10 clear fifteen acres 81 heavily
timbered land and completed the work
an seven months with ne other assist.
anee than that Of Fi9ae The next
spring the horse was taken for debt from
either Evans on Morgan BY William
Rice, also Of this town, who went to
Woodstock with him and sold him "a
Jonathan Shepard Of Montpelier. After
this the founder Of a noted equine FAM
lily passed through many hands, being
owned ID St. lohnsbury, Montpelier,
again in Randolph, Claremont. n. III.
and Chelsea.
Figure, whose name was changed to
that "a his FIRST owner. Justin Morgan.
Jed no idle existence. He was kept hard
at work hauling logs and clearing land,
and for a while was part 81 4 six. horse
team drawing freight from Windsor Ia
chelsea. Flo was able, however. wherey.
er he abored, it is b0asted. 10 out.trot.
out,rin out-draw Or ont-walk any horse
put against him, and his style was the
pilde o. the community He was also
kind and gentle aad considered perfectly
sale tor 4 lady 10 drive. Finally broken
down ey hard work, he came into the
possession d Levi Bean Of Chelsea. who
retained him until the lamented Figure
died IN 1921 at the age al a2 wears.
The original Morgan was not over
Y hands high, weighed about $50 pounds
and vas q dark bay in color. accentuated
Dy black legs, name and tail. His feet
We're small and well-shaBed ana he was
y every respect perfectly sound and
without a blemish ne il said "a have
peen a very fast walker, and IA trottiug
70 nave had g low, smooth gait. with
short and nervous step.
Figure first master, Justin Morgan,
died n Randolph, March ~ Tres. h
I'M 9lst year Of his age. III the first
nook q probate records. his estate, 81
winch Ezra Edgerton was administrator,
u appraised at S374.90, ana ii the long
inventory Of personal property. covering
even coats and vests, household Goods
ana even halters and blankets. there az.
pears no item Of horse. Morgan 81
any otler kind showing that ne had
pafted forever with the handsome beast
gu winch be proudly rode Ia singing
sehoots z hundred years 400. Randolph
Herald and NasVs