VERMONT 100-MILE RIDE SON ELDON 8737 by Ulendon 7831 out of Ethanelda 04967
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( he OCTOBER 1955 35 iv MORGAN HORSE VERMONT 100-MILE RIDE SON ELDON 8737 by Ulendon 7831 out of Ethanelda 04967 This gelding, owned by Jane Clark of Amesbury, Massachusetts, won the Lightweight Division of the Vermont 100-mile trail ride in 1953 and 1954, retiring the trophy. At the 1955 National Morgan Show, of the five classes in which he was shown by his owner, he won the Versatility Class, the English Pleasure Horse Class, the Justin Mor- gan Performance Class, and placed second in the Trail Horse Class and the Grand Champion Pleasure Horse Stake. was later appointed state inspector of MAN OVERSHADOWED BY A HORSE finance. The Horse, "Figure" Justin Morgan, Composer and Teacher In 1795 Justin Morgan, Sr. made a trip to his old home town in Massa- chusetts to collect a debt owed him By LOUISE E. Komit by Abner Beane. His debtor could not pay him in cash but gave him two horses—one a sturdy gelding, the other This article appeared in the July, 1955 issue of "News and Notes," an undersized two-year-old colt. It published by the Vermont Historical Society, Montpelier, Vermont. was the latter, which Justin Morgan named "Figure" and which he always A memorable interlude at our spring of thoroughbred horses, and because referred to as the "Dutch horse," banquet was the playing of Thomas he had such a good hand with them, which later became famous as "Justin Canning's haunting "Fantasy on a some of the finest horses of his day Morgan." This is the only part of Hymn by Justin Morgan" as recorded were placed in his care and advertised Justin Morgan's personal history that by the Eastman Rochester Symphony at stud by him in the Massachusetts is generally known or remembered. Orchestra. It was also a surprise for newspapers. According to an account in the Mor- most of us because few Vermonters When he was about thirty, he mar- gan Horse Register, "Figure" was realize that the Justin Morgan we have ried Martha Day, also of West Spring- sired by "Beautiful Bay," a famous known only as the man for whom a field, and with his small boatman's Arabian stallion captured by a Yankee famous horse was named was also a tavern on the Connecticut River, his private from a British officer, a Col. musician. It was even more surprising horses, and his schoolteaching and pen- DeLancey, in 1780 while Delancey was to discover that a work of his had so manship classes, eked out a modest in command of the refugee troops at impressed a modern composer that living. Long Island. DeLancey was noted after hearing it, he wanted nothing The Justin Morgans had a daughter as possessing some of the finest horses more than to write his Fantasy in a Emily, and a son, Justin, Jr. born in Europe and "Beautiful Bay" com- way that might catch the wishful and while they were still living in West manded a fancy price from his vari- poignant beauty he found in Justin Springfield. Then in the summer of ous purchasers. In 1785 he was placed Morgan's hymn. 1788 they moved to Randolph Center, in Justin Morgan's stable in West Springfield and advertised at stud by On the evening of the banquet as Vt.—perhaps with the thought that Morgan in the Hampshire, Mass. the gentle spirit of the music permeated the Green Mountain air might help Herald of May 3, 1785. the room, an unknown Vermonter his "lung fever." In September of that emerged for a few moments from the same year, a second daughter, Nancy The Singing-Master gigantic shadow of the horse who bore came along. It was on the back of "Beautiful his name. Even after the last waves In Randolph Bay's" colt "Figure" that Morgan, of melody had died into silence, the By 1789 Justin Morgan was suffi- racked with consumption, made his echo of Justin Morgan's voice still ciently well thought of by his fellow rounds as singing-master in mid Ver- seemed to linger in the air. We could townsmen to he elected a lister and mont in the winters of 1796 and 1798. not get that echo out of our minds and in 1790 he was chosen town clerk—an The dashing young horse and his frail wanted to know more of this school- office he held for the next three years. rider became familiar figures along the master—composer who has been re- If you care to look, you will find 80 primitive roads in the area, and Mah- membered now for over a century pages of his beautiful penmanship in lon Cottrel, owner of a line of stages simply as the man who once owned the the town records of Randolph. between Royalton and Montpelier and sire of the Morgan breed. Although In the spring of 1791, disaster of the Pavilion Hotel, often recalled Vermonters still have much to learn struck the Morgan household. On meeting him on the highway as he about Justin Morgan, the man, here March 10 a third daughter, Polly was rode from town to town. is the little we have been able to trace born, and ten days later Martha Mor- Justin Morgan was an important so far of his story. gan died. In the spring of 1793, when member of many communities in those His Youth Justin found he could not keep up the days when people considered it as home alone, his friend and neighbor necessary for their children to learn He was born in 1747 in West Spring- Daniel Carpenter took over the care singing as to master arithmetic. Some field, Mass, of poor parents who could of Justin, Jr., and young Emily, and towns considered a first-class singing- give him only a common school edu- Polly and Nancy were cared for by master such a vital need that a town cation. But he was a boy who liked other friends. committee would raise a fund to pay books and music and soon became a Justin Morgan, Jr. stayed with the a good singing-master to come to their fine penmaster and self-taught musi- Carpenters until he was twenty-one area and a signed petition along with cian. His build is described as tall, years old, when he went into store- this tender would be brought to the slim and slight. keeping at Stockbridge Common, Ver- man whose services they wanted. The As a child he contracted tubercu- mont. Justin Jr.'s son, Henry D. Mor- excellent history of Woodstock con- losis and by the time he was twenty gan, carried on his father's business, tains an instance of this practice as the disease had reached the point while another son Charles, became one well as a whole chapter devoted to where he was unable to perform any of the leading businessmen of the early singing schools and singing- strenuous manual labor. Instead he town of Rochester, served in both masters. turned to schoolteaching and keeping branches of the State Legislature and (Continued on Page 31) OCTOBER 1955 3 *1 Table of Conients fettetc tO SPECIAL FEATURES Man Overshadowed By A Horse 3 Morgan Winner in Vermont Hundred Mile Ride 7 A Stallion Says . Take A Lett-:r 8 V/ I J. G.... and Her Education 10 the Eitoks Illinois State Fair 16 Eastern States Exposition 23 Horse Show Results 23-30 Northwest Morgan Members Mourn Loss of Member 24 New Convert REGULAR FEATURES Dear Sir. Letters to the Editor 4 This, my first year with Morgans The Editor's Comments 5 has been a memorable one. First, as Names in Pedigrees 12 a subscriber to your "The Morgan New England News 14 Jeff y's Journal 15 Horse," I wish to congratulate you Pictorial Section 17-22 and your staff for a fine job and thank Justin Morgan Horse Association 25 you for the many pleasant hours of Northwest Morgans 27 North Central News 28 reading it has given us. Illinois-Missouri News 28 It seems really unfair that I stop New York State News 29 here, for Mrs. Moore and my two boys, Maine Morgan News 30 Barry and Ronald, and myself wish Badger State News 31 to convey through you our deepest Horse Tails 39 appreciation and thanks to the many Morgan owners and Morgan lovers Officers of the Morgan Horse Club that have been so helpful and friendly President FREDERICK O. DAVIS toward us. A special thank must be Windsor, Vermont given to Mrs. B. H. Dickson of Weston, Vice-President GERALD F. TAFT Mass. who we will give everlasting Northville, Michigan thanks for her fine advice and atten- tion. How proud and happy we were Treasurer WHITNEY STONE 90 Broad St., New York 4, N. Y. along with hundreds of others to see her ride at the National Morgan Horse Secretary FRANK B. HILLS Show. Again, I should not leave 90 Broad St., New York 4, N. Y. out Mr. Richard Nelson and Mr. Gold- thwaite from the University of Massa- The Morgan Horse Magazine chusetts who were so willing and free with their good help and advice. RV October 1955 No. 9 Needless to say, we are thrilled with A Monthly our Bay State Tuppence and her new The Official Publication of colt Moorings Shilling, and the many THE MORGAN HORSE CLUB, Incorporated new friends in the Morgan family. 90 Broad Street, New York 4, N. Y. Sincerely yours, Publication Office Mr. & Mrs Lawrence Moore Leominster, Mass. Masters Barry and Ronald Publisher Otho F.