Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

Horses

Painting of an English gentleman in a wide-brimmed dark hat, light gray frock coat, blue stockings, and brown shoes hold the reins of brown thoroughbred racing horse while a jockey in matching red and white striped cap and shirt, white pants, and low boots stands to the side.
Page from Jefferson's Farm Book showing the lineage of his horse Caractacus.
Page from Jefferson's Farm Book showing the lineage of his horse Caractacus; courtesy Massachusetts Historical Society

Below is a list of the names and foaling or purchase dates (if known) of Thomas Jefferson's riding horses.

Horse NameFoaledDescriptionSold, Given Away, or Died 
Allycroker11758None knownunknown; last reference June 2, 17782 
Gustavus31763; purchased from Francis Willis ca. 17734None knowngiven away (date unknown) 
Cucullin51764None knownunknown 
The General1769; purchased from Alexander Spotswood in 1775None known  
Crab1771None known  
Everallynpurchased 1774Sorrel  
Alfred1774None known  
Caractacus1775None knownunknown; last reference 17906 
Ethelinda1776Sorrel  
Silvertail1773Likely gray  
Orra Moor1778"chesnut sorrel filly"  
Peggy Waffington1778Bay  
Zanga1778"a horse colt. iron grey."  
Odin1778"a horse colt. sorrel."  
Polly Peachum1778"a roan filly"  
Silveret1780"a grey horse colt"  
Sprightly1779"A light chesnut sorrel, narrow blaze bending off over the right nostril, about 4.f. 11 I. high. Has a little white on his hind feet."7  
Assaragoa1779"His marks, a small star in the forehead, a snip on the nose, 2 hind feet white, branded on left shoulder B."8  
Raleigh1777"He is 6. years old, [blank] high, a chesnut sorrel, star in his forehead."9  
Tarquinpurchased 1790None known  
Brimmerpurchased 1790"a pretty horse with two white feet"  
Remus & Romulus (carriage horses)unknown   
Matchlesspurchased 1791   
Fitzpartnerpurchased 1799   
Wildairpurchased 1801Bay  
Castorunknown   
DiomedeunknownBay  
Bremospring 1806; purchased by Jefferson 1814"a bay, but a shade darker than any of the others"  
Wellingtonpurchased 1815bay  
Tecumsehpurchased 1815"bright bay, without any white except a few white hairs in the forehead where there is usually a star."  
Peacemakerpurchased 1819"chesnut sorrel"  
The Eaglepurchased 1820"a fine bay, abt. 16. hands high, 6 y. old last spring, a star in his forehead, 2 hind feet white, a scar below his left eye."  
 

- Compiled by Gaye Wilson, 2/99; revised and expanded by Anna Berkes, 7/20/26

 

Painting of an English gentleman in a wide-brimmed dark hat, light gray frock coat, blue stockings, and brown shoes hold the reins of brown thoroughbred racing horse while a jockey in matching red and white striped cap and shirt, white pants, and low boots stands to the side.

After George Stubbs, "Diomed," 19th century, mezzotint on paper. Clark Art Institute, 1955.1993

Tending Jefferson's Horses

Until his death in 1800, chief hostler and coachman Jupiter Evans managed the horses and stables at Monticello. Later, Wormley Hughes assumed responsibility for the stables on Mulberry Row. He managed the care of the horses including feeding, providing water, mucking out the stalls, exercising, grooming, and putting them out to pasture. Hostlers, or stable hands, were also responsible for cleaning and polishing the tack including saddles, harnesses, reins, bits, and stirrups. Maintenance of wheeled vehicles often came under the supervision of the hostlers, and may have included carts, wagons, and Jefferson’s carriages and their equipage.

Further Sources

Footnotes

  1. "Ally Croker" was a famous eighteenth-century Irish folk song.
  2. MB, 1:465. Transcription available at Founders Online.
  3. Most likely not named by Jefferson.
  4. MB, 1:333. Transcription available at Founders Online.
  5. Cú Chulainn was a hero from Irish mythology, probably familiar to Jefferson from James Macpherson's Works of Ossian (1765).
  6. Jefferson to Charles Lilburne Lewis, February 22, 1790, in PTJ, 16:192. Transcription available at Founders Online.
  7. MB, 7 May 1783.
  8. MB, 4 October 1782.
  9. MB, 30 September 1783.