The New York herald., 1922-01-29
WASHINGTON'S IRISH
KINSMAN ON TURF
Daniel McCarty United Blood
That Produced Two Presi-
dents of the U. S.
HIS RACERS SUPREME
Defeated Both Selim and Nancy
Bywell at Annapolis in
Colonial Days.
HIS RACERS SUPREME
ny GuRNEY c. CUE.

One OF the noteworthy features of
racing in Virginia and Maryland in the
last years Of the Colonial period was
tho number of friends and relatives of
C;sorg Washington who became promi-
nently identified with the sport. Not the
least interesting and successful OF these
was Daniel McCarty. his neiShbor and
k,nsman. whose country seat At Cedar
Grove, on the south bank of the Poto-
mac about fourteen miles below Alex
andria, was not far from Washington
home at Mount Vernon.
Mr.. McCarty in 1859 owned the SIX
ycar-old bay horse Silverlegs. bred by
Jchn Tayloe OF Mount Airy and got by
Noreton's imported Traveller out of I'M
ported Jenny Cameron. by Quiet Cuddy.
In the autumn of that year he started
him for the subscription purse at the
Annapolis meeting and won it in three
heats from Mr.. Tsyloe's Nonpareil. a
grandson of Jenny Cameron, DR..
Thomas Hamilton's Ranger. who won
the second heat, and DR.. Shuttleworth S
Trial. On the same course the next
year Silverlegs won a race which put
him pretty close to the top among four
miiers Of that day. 1t was the Jockey
Club Plate of 100 guineas, and the
great mare Nancy Bywell. by Matchem
Col. Joseph Sims Wildair. winner of
the first heat: Gov. Horatio Sharpe S
Britannia, Mr.. Masters Blacklegs and
Gov. Robert Eden's Cook Aglin. In III
Silverlegs won again at Upper Marl-
b1ro. Nd. but the names Of his COM
pctitors on this occasion are unknown.
Mr.. McCarty evidently sold him soon
after the race. as he ran In the name Of
William Fitzhugh at Annapolis in 1872.
Volunteer Defeats SeIfm.
The chestnut gelding Volunteer, that
wor for Mr.. Fitzhugh at Fredericksburg
in 1774, the last race on record before
the Revolution. seems to have been
brought out by Mr. McCarty. At An
napoiis in 1853 he won a great race in
this turfrnan's colors. defeating Samuel
Calloway's champion Selim, Gov.
Sharpe's Britannia, winner Of the first
heat: Theodorick Bland's Brunswick.
Patrick McGilTs NonpareiI, John Tay-
Ices Juniper and Daniel Dulaney's
Psoli. At this meeting a horse called
Little Driver ran for Mr.. McCarty in
the race for the Ladies Purse. but was
unplaced.
Excepting a race at Annapolis in the
autumn of 1772, in which the Virginia
turfman's Achilles. a bay colt" whose
breeding is nowhere to be found in any
of the stud books, won a heat at three
miles from Blacklegs. Bashaw and other
noted performers. these are the only
instances In which Mr. McCarty's name
appears as owner in the meager records
of Colonial racing. But there Is reason
to believe he continued to own and breed
racehorses as long as he lived. for Nc
Cary's Cub. a very popular stock horse
OF later years. was bred by him and got
bysTayioe's Yorick out of daughter OF
SIlverlegs.
Though Mr.. McCarty held no public
office of note he seems 10 have been a
man OF prominence in his neighborhood.
and his family was probably more close
ly allied with the equestrian aristocracy
than any other Irish family in Virginia.
Their place among the ''F. r. VS." was
indisputable. Dennis McCarty. or Mac
cartee. as tho name was sometimes
spelled in earlier days. arrived in the COL
ony about the year 1875. bringing with
him a collection of family silver en-
blazoned with the crest and shield OF
his house. which Is still associated with
the name in books about social life In
the Old Dominion. II embraced twelve
fankards. some OF which apparently were
racing or sporting trophies. bearing
dates as early as 1920.
"Thc will OF Capt. Daniel McCarty. n
son of the immigrant who died in 1924.
mentioned his cousin Col. John Tay-
loe'' and his 'aunt Barbara Tayloe."
showing connection at that early date
with one of the leading families Of the
colony. This will contained p clause
worth repeating. as indicating the ster-
ling character of the testator. II di-
rccted that his sons ''be educated as
their inclination leads 'enl, but rather to
the axe and the hoe than suffered in
idlness and extravagancy." 1t Is also
of interest 10 note that Capt. Daniels
second wife was Ann Lee Fitzhugh. the
mother of Henry Fitzhugh of Eagles
Nest. whose son William was the owner
Of Rcgulus. Silerlegs and other noted
racehorses.
Major Dennis McCarty. son Of the
Captain. was vestrvman in the Pohict
parish church of the washingtons. AMI
married Sarah Ball. q direct descendant
OF Col. William Ball. whose son. Col
Joseph Ball, was the father OF MARY.
the Mother OF Washington" as the IN
scription reads ON the monument abovs
her grave at Fredericksburg. Angus
tine Washington. "ths Father of WASH
church at the same time, and Major
McCarty made him The executor OF his
Will He died In 1913.
Col. Daniel McCarty. son of the Major
and father OF the turfman. was like
wise vestryTan Of Pohick. as was his
son. whom he seems to have outlived
Col McCarty died in 1921. His wife
Sinah Ball, the mother OF the turfman.
was the daughter of Major James Bal,
OF Bewdley. whose father. Capt VIII
lam Ball. was the grandfather OF Sarah
Ball and the brother of Col Joseph
Ball. According TO Hayden's Virginia
Geneaiogies Francis Conway. the half
brother OF Shah Balls mother Mary
Conway. was the father OF Nelly Cor
way. mother OF James Madison. so thai
the turfman whose horses defeated the
great Selim and Nancy Byweli. unite
me blood that produced two Presidents
OF the United states.
Married George Msson's Daughter.
Near 20 Cedar Grove the homo OF the
turfmsn, was Gunston Hall, the country
seat OF George Mason, where Washing
ton was constant visitor in the trou-
blous times preceding the Revolution.
AS the author OF n powerful tract
against the claim OF the British Parlia-
mcnt TO tax the colonies without their
consent, and as an eloquent advocate of
the non-intercourse policy. Mason was
"a bigger man than Washington" before
the war, and he took a leading part In
shaping the whole course OF national
events for twenty years after He was
sinong the signcrs OF the Declaration
of Independence, but among the ''bitter
enders" In opposition TO the adoption of
The constitution OF the United states.
~ ~ tn1 IL.