Winthrop Messenger taken to Anson by Henry Stone 1832

This post highlights the horse Winthrop Messenger, a son of Imported Messenger. In 1888, John Wallace of the Wallace Monthly identified this horse as being the primary source of the best stock of horses that existed in Maine between 1816 and 1888. There always seems to be pieces missing to the stories of many of Maine's famous horses. In this instance, the detective task is to determine the location of the farm or business where Winthrop Messenger died. Clark Thompson, author of Maine Trotting Horse Heritage Trail, has been unsuccessful in his attempts to find this location. We do know from reading J.W. Thompson's Noted Maine Horses, Vol. I that Winthrop Messenger was purchased in New York in 1816 and brought to Winthrop, Maine. The horse became known as either Winthrop Messenger or Maine Messenger. The horse was sold to a man in Dixfield. Messenger was kept on an island. Here the horse jumped the fence and in doing so was injured. The original owner from Winthrop repurchased Messenger and in 1832 a man by the name of Henry Stone took the horse to Anson, Maine. In 1834, Messenger died. Did Henry Stone become Messenger's last owner? Or, was Stone merely a person hired to take the horse to Anson? If Stone was the owner, then we would assume that Stone delivered the horse to his own farm or business establishment. If Stone merely was a delivery person, then Stone probably lived in Winthrop. The following image will provide you with more detailed information about Winthrop Messenger. Recently, I read that Winthrop Messenger returned to Dixfield where he died. If you can help us with identifying the Anson location where Messenger died, contact us at lifework@gmail50.com