"Large, Strong, and One of the Finest Moving Horses I Have ever Seen"- 1833

 

 FORTY-FOUR—One of the most beautiful bay horses in Virginia, thorough bred and nearly 16 hands 1 high, great bone and muscle, will stand a second season in Charles City and New Kent, where he served to the satisfaction of every one, ninety-seven mares, and being greatly improved, will be again ready to do so by the — of March, at fifteen dollars the season, to he discharged by ten dollars cash, or a note for the same, on demand, by the first day of June—thirty dollars insurance, to be paid when the mare is ascertained to be in foal, or parted with-60 cents cash to the groom in every instance. Forty-Four was got by the celebrated Arab, his dam Lady Hamilton by Sir Arthur, he by Sir Archy, out of Green’s old Celar mare, the dam of the famous Little Billy, and other racers of celebrity. Lady Hamilton was the first of the distinguished progeny of my old mare Bet Bounce. Persons having young mares, will be afforded a fine and cheap opportunity to test their breeding powers, and to those who breed for dealt or the saddle, so great an opportunity has never been offered, he being large, strong, and one of the finest moving horses I have ever seen. Forty-Four was trained twice, and proving lame in the shoulder each time, was withdrawn from the turf. His colts are now appealing, having seen one of them, which, like the sire, is a beautiful large bay, without white, and highly valued by its owner at H. Ladd’s Store*, 15 miles from Richmond, within 1-4 of a mile from Turkey Island Bridge, lie will stand 3 days in every 9—at New Kent Court House, and at New Hope, near Charles City Court House. Mares to be left with the horse, will he fed at 25cts. per day—pasturage gratis in the neighborhood of each place. JNO. MINGE, Jr. 

P.S.—The season will expire the last day of June, yet the horse will be sent to Charles City and New Kent on their respective court days in July and August, and at any time within the year a mare may he put at Wyanoke. 

March 19                                                      103-w2w

 - Richmond Enquirer, 19 March 1833

* I believe now Adkin's Store

The "Jno. Minge Jr." in question was Dr. John Minge Jr of Weyanoke and Kittewan Creek-North Bend, (10 Sept 1796-23 Jan 1871).

Love in War-1779

LEONIDAS, a beautiful blood bay, full 15 hands and a half high, with a remarkable stout and elegant form, will stand the ensuing season at my estate in New Kent, and cover mares at 18£ 6s the season, and 6£ the single leap; the money to be paid when the mares is first covered. Pasturage will be furnished gratis, but I will not be answerable for escapes. Leonidas is in very perfect order for covering, 5 years old next grass, and has never received the smallest injury; it is therefore probable he will be very successful in his endeavours to propagate his species. He was got by Col. Loyd's Traveller(of Maryland) who was got by Morton's Traveller, his dam Col. Tayloe's mare Jenny Cameron, Leonidas's dam was got by Morton's Traveller, his grandam Col. Tasker's Selima, by the Godolphin Arabian.

                                                                                 JOHN P. CUSTIS

-Virginia Gazette,  March 5, 1779

John P. Custis(1754-1781) was the stepson of George Washington, Martha Washington's son by her first husband Daniel Parke Custis(1711– 1757). He was the owner of White House in New Kent, the largest plantation in the county at the time.

An interesting sidebar is the date. While John Parke Custis was negotiating stud fees, George Washington and the Continental Army were struggling by in winter quarters in Middlebrook, New Jersey.

As to the prices being demanded, the advertisement list a charge of "18£. 6s the season, and 6£ the single leap," or 18 pounds, 6 shillings or 366 shillings. Now what does that mean? The salary of a British soldier of the time(Continental Army salary being a difficult comparison due to an uncertain exchange rate and rampant inflation) was 8 pence a day. At 240 pence a pound that comes to roughly a pound a month. 

So, 6 months salary or a "single leap."

Postscript: After the death of John P. Custis in November of 1781 some of his assets were auctioned off . . .

" . .. on Thursday last Custis’s Horses were offerd for Sale, one half of the purchase money to be pd down the other half in six months there were at the Sale about 20 gentlemen—Leonidas was set up, no one makeg a bid—I bid for him £200 after findg no one woud bid for him."  - to George Washington from Lund Washington, 12 March 1783

Done in by a fkittefh horfe

-from the Williamsburg Virginia Gazette of December 15, 1768


I believe this might be a prime example of "swilling the planters with bumbo"


 . . . as for "fkittifh" there is thif