View of Show Ground at Saratoga, 1847

Description:

A color print of two horses ridden by fashionably dressed men on a track. The center is enclosed by a high wooden fence and contains two large tents and grandstands. Visitors promenade on the turf. Saratoga Race Course is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, a neighbor to the area’s famous mineral springs. It is the oldest racetrack left in the United States and considered possibly the oldest sporting venue in the country. Beginning in 1847 it hosted Standardbred trotting races before reopening across the street. The first Thoroughbred race took place on August 3, 1863, a day after the Battle of Gettysburg. It was organized by boxer and future Congressman John “Old Smoke” Morrissey drawing thousands of locals and tourists wanting to see Lizzie W. defeat Captain Moore in the best-of-three series of races. New York’s prohibition on gambling put a stop to the races in 1911 and 1912, but very few other exceptions have historically stopped the races, which have been held almost every year since opening. The first betting machines were installed there in 1940. The population of Saratoga Springs still triples to 75,000 when the racing season begins in the summer and the opening meet has been extended from four days to forty.

Pease was born in February of 1813. He was noted as a lithographer and wood engraver. He was the younger brother of Joseph Ives Pease who was an engraver and watercolor/crayon artist. Richard received his training in engraving in Connecticut, and worked in Albany in 1834 and then for a short time in Philadelphia. He married in Philadelphia in 1835 to Mary E Dawes. He returned to Albany, and lived there until 1862. His son Harry Pease worked with him in the late 1850’s. Pease is noted to have made engravings for New York State publications, and also for publishing children’s books under the name of “Grandpapa Pease Works”.

In Albany Pease also worked with agricultural equipment. In the fall of 1853, agricultural equipment maker and retailer Emery & Co. failed and the stock on hand was sold at auction. Richard H. Pease was one of the principal purchasers, and after the auction the Emery brothers made a business arrangement with Pease to continue the business at the same location. Pease and the Emerys continued manufacturing and selling, with Pease making payments for the building, machinery, patents, and patent rights. The dealer concluded in February 1855 with Pease in sole ownership of the works. He operated the works under his own name ("RICH'D H. PEASE") and renamed the works from the Albany Agricultural Works to the Excelsior Agricultural Equipment Works. In the fall of 1858, Pease partnered with William W. Eggleston to create Pease & Eggleston. Sometime in 1860 the partnership ended and Charles E. Pease, Richard’s son, assumed control of the business, operating it under his own name.