Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-08-10
The Randolph Morgan.

1
A recent editorial note in an exchange
claims that the original Morgan horse ia
| Vermont came from Lyndon, thus deny
ing TO Randolph its proud claim TO b
considered as the place from which thi.
famous breed of rOadsters sprang.
The story Of the Morgan begins with
I True Briton. whose ancestry extended
back TO the finest thoroughbreds OF Eng
land and some OF the Arabians and Barbs
imported at great expense by gentlemen
/ Of Great Britain in the early part Of the
eighteenth century. True BritOn was the
property OF Col. james Delaney, an Off
Ger Of the British army, from whom he
was stolen at Fishkill, y. Y, In 1850 by
\ Lieut.. Wright Carpenter, in retaliation for
the loss Of some cattle plundered by COW
/ boys, TO whose rascality Col Delaney.
when Lieut.. Carpenter applied 10 him for
I redress. proved indifferent. Carpenter
/ took the horse to Hartford, Conn. and
sold him TO a merchant. who finally dis
posed Of him TO Selah Norton.
In the course Of time Mr.. Norton, with
/ True Briton, happened al a small tavern
on the banks OF the Connecticut river
I kept By Justin Morgan, who was born in
| West Springfield, Mass, in 1747. 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.
Mr.. Morgan, who was a tall, slim man
of feeble health, was singer, a composer
OF church music written in the fugue
style, teacher OF singing schools and
penmanship and OF the common district
schools. A man OF urbane manners. he
became well-llked by the townspeople and
was chosen lister and town clerk, serving
in the latter capacity three years from
1870. He took up his residence near the
Brookfield line north of the village OF Ran
dolph Center, and there il may be said the
type of Morgan horses began.
In the fall Of 1895, Mr.. Morgan intended
to apply his valuable animal on the pay
ment of note, but was not able 10 secure
what be regarded as a reasonable price for
him and, instead, let him TO man named
Robert Evans for q year for sl5 Mr..
Evans undertook 10 clear fifteen acres of
heavily timbered land and completed the
work in seven months with no other as
sistance than that Of Figure. The next
spring the horse was taken for debt from
either Evans or Morgan by William Rice,
also OF this town, who went to Woodstock
with him and sold him to Jonathan Shep-
ard OF Montpelier. After this the founder
OF noted equine family passed through
many hands, being owned In st. Johns
bury, Montpelier, again in Randolph,
Claremont, y. H., and Chelsea.
Figure, whose name was changed to
tudA OIL MS UFhl OMUtfs JuEilu AlDfBdns leu
no idle existence. He was kept hard at
work hauling logs and clearing land, and
for while was part OF a six-horse team
drawing freight from Windsor TO Chelsea.
He was able, however, wherever he la
bored, 1t is boosted, TO out-trot, out-run,
out-draw or out-walk any horse put
against him, and bis style was the pride of
the community. He was also kind and
gentle and considered perfectly safe for
lady to drive. Finally broken down by
hard work, he came into the possession of
Levi Bean OF Chelsea, who retained him
until the lamented Figure died in 1921 at
the age OF 81 years.
The original Morgan was not over IA
hands high, weighed about $50 pounds
and was a dark bay in color, aecentuated
by black legs, name and taIl His feet
were small and well-shaped and he was in
every respect perfectly sound and without
blemish. He is said TO have been very
fast walker, and In trotting to have had
low, smooth gait, with short and nerv-
Gus step.
figures first master, Justin Morgan,
died in Randolph, March p, l79S, in the
5lst year of his age. In the first book OF
probate records, his estate, OF which Ezra
Edgerton was admin strator, is appraised
at s37i.90 and in the long inventory of
personal property, covering coats and |
vests, household goods and even halters
and blankets, there appears no item OF a
horse, Morgan or any other kind, showing
that he had parted forever with the hand |
some beast on which he proudly rode to 4
singing schools hundred years ago.