Happy Friday! Here is your First Friday Flashback, provided by historian Betsy Curler:
Billy Root 9
For the majority of Morgan horses, the primary source of Sherman Morgan breeding is via Hill’s Vermont Black Hawk 20. However, for the Lippitt family of Morgan horses, the primary source of Sherman Morgan breeding is through his son Billy Root 9.
Billy Root was bred by Hezekiah Martin of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, located in Caledonia County. Martin sold him as a young horse to Eldad Root of nearby Lyndon, Vermont, ca. 1831-1832. Root owned him for several years, standing him at stud in the Lyndon, Vermont area and around Batavia, New York. Beginning ca. 1838 Billy Root was at stud in Franklin County, Vermont and the neighboring towns of Quebec.
As happened with his sire, Billy Root was not often patronized as a sire when he was young. However, as his few early offspring proved themselves, his popularity increased substantially. His stock became known for their spirit, strength, activity, endurance and durability, although they were small. They became “highly esteemed” and many of his sons were taken West.
About 1841, Eldad Root sold Billy and for the next few years he changed hands, on average, about once a year. He went from Vermont to New Hampshire, then back to Vermont, thence to Massachusetts and Connecticut. In April 1847, he was back in Lyndon, Vermont, there to stay till he passed away in 1852. He was said to have spent a breeding season in Highgate, Vermont, ca. 1851. During these years he was bred to six hundred mares, of which 75% settled.
His get continued to gain fame after his demise. A pair of Billy Root mares shown at the 1857 Vermont State Fair received a premium. However, when they were shown at the 1857 Caledonia County Fair a short time later by their owner, John Young of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, the Judging Committee declined to award them a premium. After all, the pair “could afford to be merely noticed by us in this manner,” although the Committee “much admired” the pair. In other words, because they had been awarded a premium at the state fair, they did not need to won one at their county fair!
A son of Billy Root, known as the Bemis Horse, was also at the same Caledonia County Fair. Although he was not entered for a premium, but was on exhibit, his presence was considered noteworthy by the same Committee. They felt that they could “do no less than offer their congratulations to the owner that he has such a horse.”
When A.F. Phillips was searching out the Morgans he wished to include in his breeding program, Billy Root was his ideal Morgan. The horse possessed “perfect symmetry of form and poetry of motion,” In addition, he was noted for his soundness, endurance and fearlessness, all qualities important to Phillips in his choice of breeding stock.
Photo: Happy Friday! Here is your First Friday Flashback, provided by historian Betsy Curler: Billy Root 9 For the majority of Morgan horses, the primary source of Sherman Morgan breeding is via Hill’s Vermont Black Hawk 20. However, for the Lippitt family of Morgan horses, the primary source of Sherman Morgan breeding is through his son Billy Root 9. Billy Root was bred by Hezekiah Martin of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, located in Caledonia County. Martin sold him as a young horse to Eldad Root of nearby Lyndon, Vermont, ca. 1831-1832. Root owned him for several years, standing him at stud in the Lyndon, Vermont area and around Batavia, New York. Beginning ca. 1838 Billy Root was at stud in Franklin County, Vermont and the neighboring towns of Quebec. As happened with his sire, Billy Root was not often patronized as a sire when he was young. However, as his few early offspring proved themselves, his popularity increased substantially. HIs stock became known for their spirit, strength, activity, endurance and durability, although they were small. They became “highly esteemed” and many of his sons were taken West. About 1841, Eldad Root sold Billy and for the next few years he changed hands, on average, about once a year. He went from Vermont to New Hampshire, then back to Vermont, thence to Massachusetts and Connecticut. In April 1847, he was back in Lyndon, Vermont, there to stay till he passed away in 1852. He was said to have spent a breeding season in Highgate, Vermont, ca. 1851. During these years he was bred to six hundred mares, of which 75% settled. His get continued to gain fame after his demise. A pair of Billy Root mares shown at the 1857 Vermont State Fair received a premium. However, when they were shown at the 1857 Caledonia County Fair a short time later by their owner, John Young of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, the Judging Committee declined to award them a premium. After all, the pair “could afford to be merely noticed by us in this manner,” although the Committee “much admired” the pair. In other words, because they had been awarded a premium at the state fair, they did not need to won one at their county fair! A son of Billy Root, known as the Bemis Horse, was also at the same Caledonia County Fair. Although he was not entered for a premium, but was on exhibit, his presence was considered noteworthy by the same Committee. They felt that they could “do no less than offer their congratulations to the owner that he has such a horse.” When A.F. Phillips was searching out the Morgans he wished to include in his breeding program, Billy Root was his ideal Morgan. The horse possessed “perfect symmetry of form and poetry of motion,” In addition, he was noted for his soundness, endurance and fearlessness, all qualities important to Phillips in his choice of breeding stock.
