| Morgans trace back to one foundation sire | | | | to Colonel John Goss. Goss collected the |
| named Figure. The stallion was born in West | | | | horse as part of the debt, and used him to |
| Springfield, Massachusetts in 1789. The | | | | review troops and also entered him in a |
| small, dark colt is now believed to have been | | | | pulling bee, which the little horse won. He |
| sired by the English Thoroughbred "True | | | | later traded Figure for a mare owned by his |
| Briton", also known as "Beautiful Bay" and | | | | brother, David Goss, in 1805. |
| "Traveller," who was foaled in 1768. His dam | | | | |
| was of Wild-air breeding, sired by Diamond, | | | | David Goss owned Figure from 1805-1811, where |
| foaled in 1784 in West Springfield, | | | | he worked on the farm for 10 months, and was |
| Massachusetts. The bay mare was, in fact, | | | | used for breeding for two months each year. |
| bred by Justin Morgan, for whom the breed is | | | | He was sold in 1811 to Philip Goss for the |
| named. Figure is thought to have stood about | | | | breeding season. Philip Goss then sold Figure |
| 14 hh (1.42 m), and to have weighed about 950 | | | | to Jacob Sanderson, who sold him to Jacob |
| lb (430 kg). | | | | Langmeade. Langmeade used the horse to haul |
| | | | freight, and is thought to have abused the |
| In 1792, Figure was advertised for stud | | | | aging stallion. |
| before he was given as a payment for a debt | | | | |
| to Justin Morgan (1747-1798), a singing | | | | Langmeade sold Figure to Joel Goss and Joseph |
| teacher and one-time Randolph, Vermont Town | | | | Rogers at the end of 1811. Figure stood at |
| Clerk. Justin Morgan owned Figure from | | | | stud for several years, before he was sold to |
| 1792-1795, advertising him for stud in | | | | Samuel Stone in 1817. Stone exhibited the |
| Lebanon, New Hampshire and Randolph, Vermont | | | | stallion in the Randolph fair. Figure was |
| (1793), Randolph and Royalton, Vermont | | | | used as a parade mount by President James |
| (1794), and Williston and Hinesburg, VT | | | | Monroe later that year. |
| (1795). Figure was then lent out to Robert | | | | |
| Evans in the fall of 1795 to clear land for a | | | | In 1819, Figure was sold to his final owner, |
| Mr. Fisk at a rate of $15.00 a year. | | | | Levi Bean of Chelsea, Vermont. Toward the end |
| | | | of his life, Figure was put out to pasture |
| Justin Morgan later traded the horse for land | | | | without shelter to fend for himself. He died |
| in Moretown, Vermont, to a Samuel Allen, who | | | | in 1821 from an injury to the flank, caused |
| then sold the stallion later that year to | | | | by a kick, at the age of 32. Figure is now |
| William Rice of Woodstock, VT. | | | | buried in Tunbridge, Vermont. |
| | | | |
| In 1796, Figure raced in a Sweepstakes in | | | | The popular children's book, Justin Morgan |
| Brookfield, VT, beating New York horses to | | | | Had A Horse by Marguerite Henry, has |
| win $50. That year, he was advertised at stud | | | | unfortunately tended to perpetuate some |
| by Johnathan Shepard of Montpelier, Vermont, | | | | misconceptions about the breeding of Figure |
| who also raced him in several match races in | | | | (in the book called "Little Bub") and his |
| which he did well. Figure became known as the | | | | early life. There is far less mystery about |
| "Justin Morgan horse." | | | | Figure's ancestry than is popularly supposed. |
| | | | This has, however, been widely researched by |
| Figure was traded again in 1797, along with a | | | | celebrated artist and author, Jeanne Mellin, |
| blacksmith shop, to James Hawkins. It is not | | | | in her work entitled The Complete Morgan |
| known what became of him until 1801, when he | | | | Horse. |
| was in the possession of Robert Evans of | | | | |
| Randolph, Vermont. Evans owned the horse | | | | Figure was also known for his prepotency, |
| until 1804, using the stallion for logging, | | | | passing on his good looks, conformation, |
| racing, and breeding, until he fell into debt | | | | temperament, and athleticism. |