Happy Friday! Here is your “First Friday Flashback,” researched and written by historian Betsy Curler. We want to note especial appreciation this month, as Betsy had some significant computer difficulties, yet still found ways to get this to us this month. Thank you, Betsy!
“Streeter Horse 674”
One of the “best example[s] of Morgan blood” was the son of Billy Root 9 known variously as Morgan Lion, the Greeley Horse, or the Streeter Horse. Registered as the Streeter Horse 674, he became the progenitor of an influential family through his sons Streeter Horse, Jr. and Billy Folsom, plus a number of daughters. He was generally known as ‘Lion.’
Lion was bred by James Greeley (1795-1859) of Lyndon, Vermont and foaled in 1844. He was a chestnut with a white stripe in the face and one white hind foot. His recorded dam was a bright bay mare bred by William Gorham of Kirby, Vermont and sired by the Batchelder Horse 17. The Streeter Horse is a classic example of linebreeding, he being by a son of Sherman Morgan and out of a granddaughter of Sherman Morgan. His second dam was a brown mare bred by Henry Graves of Kirby and sired by a Morgan horse whose name was forgotten. His third dam was a bay mare bred by Levi Wilder of Lyndon, but whose breeding is not recorded.
From Greeley, the horse passed to Asashel Naton [of whom nothing has been found]. It was stated that the horse spent most of his life at East Burke, so presumably Naton was a resident of the area for a limited time. From Naton, he passed into the hands of William R. Streeter of East Burke, Vermont. Streeter was a blacksmith and advertised Lion at stud in 1865 and 1866.
Although Lion was not a large horse (14.0 hands, 875 pounds), his offspring were noted for their enduring roadster qualities. Lion was also known for his style and disposition. His daughters were noted for producing stylish and enduring roadsters.
Lion and Green Mountain 493 were the root of a bitter rivalry between William R. Streeter and C.T.A. Humphrey, both lifelong residents of Burke, Vermont. Each had his own clique of dedicated followers and one side would not mix with the other. Indeed, Humphrey, as a storekeeper, man of affairs, and a political leader, made it particularly difficult for anyone who patronized Streeter, not only to breed to his horse, but also for blacksmith work. The crossing of the two families of horses was said not to have occurred until done so by A.F. Phillips, who crossed them “both ways.”
In the news report of the 1871 Caledonia County Fair it was noted that the horses were shown poorly, but “there were a good many valuable ones on the ground.” About thirty stock horses were present and among them was W.R. Streeter’s “old Morgan … with five of his colts.” Two years later it was reported that Streeter had sold his “Sherman Morgan horse” to Amos P. Bean of Glover, Vermont. Lion passed away in 1875 while owned by Bean.
