july-history

This story starts with a fellow by the name of Col. Myles G. Harris,born in Georgia in 1803.Col.Harris was on a trip to buy mules from a trader named Ben Robinson of Mt.Sterling,Kentucky.Since he was also an avid foxhunter he invited Col. Harris to a hunt.Mr. Robinson was running hound bred by Mr. Nimrod Gosnell of Maryland. Col. Harris was so impressed by the way the hounds could run a red fox, that he decided to travel onto maryland before returning home.Mr.Gosnell also invited him to a hunt to observe his hounds. Col.Harris was very impressed and tried to buy a pair of his hounds. After much debate,it was decided that he would give him a pair of pups when he made the next cross.
When the pups arrived at Col. Harris's home they were quite a sight.They were a pair of woolly-hair,cock-eared,tan-colored pups that got many laughs from the local hunters. Because they arrived in the month of July, the male pup was named July, the female was named Mary.The male pup had small thick ears which set rather high. His eyes were prominent and dark, with red toenails and round cat-like feet.His back was dark with a little sprinkle of gray with sides and flanks of a grayish color and bright tan inner legs.
Col. Harris, like most hunters did not take ridiclule about his hounds well. So he moved the pups several miles to one of his other farms. They were cared for by a man named warren,a slave, who did nothing but care for the Col's hounds.
The hounds developed and were taken on their first hunt in October, 1859. Col. Harris invited hunters from miles away to the hunt.They brought their choice hounds to hunt with July and Mary. A red fox was jumped and ran in the direction of the Oconee River, out of hearing. Making his circle,the fox returned with two hounds in close pursuit. July and Mary pressed hard while the pack scattered. It was written that many hounds became "leg weary" and slowed to a slow trail.Redicule of the "odd looking" pair of pups came to an end.
Mary came into season and was put in the gin loft. but the mistake of giving her too much leeway caused her to hang herself as she attempted to leap through the window.
The demand on July as a stud was very overtaxed as bitches were brought by hunters from far and near. When Col. Harris was sixty-five, his hearing and eyesight became severly inpaired. He sent July and six noted hounds to Putnam County, Georgia,with the following instructions.
"These hounds are sent to my Putnam County friends for their benefit, and to be owned in common by them for the purpose of making suitable and necessary crosses".
"Six are given in total, but it must be expressly understood that old July is simply loaaned out, and the title to him shall never pass from my hands."
Eventually, Col. Harris decided to give ownership to Col. Birdsong. And also gave Col. Birdsong breeding privileges to any hound that would enhance July's offspring.
Dr. Thomas Henery of Charlotte, Virginia moved to Quincy,Fl. in 1848. Among his possessions were ancestors of two Irish hounds, Mountain and Muse, who were brought to maryland by the Duke of Leeds, and presented to Bolton Jackson as gifts.
the breeding of these hounds were carried out in the kennls of Mr. Jackson, Col. Sterrett Ridgley, Governor Ogle, and Charles Carroll,Jr. Offspring from these hounds were bred by Nimrod Gosnell and Dr. James A. Buchanan. Dr. Henery obtained some of Dr. Buchannan's hounds and crossed them on the Sugar Loaf strain to produce his famous Henry hounds.
Col. Birdsong crossed the Henry hounds on July and other hounds of the July strain and produced wonderful running hounds.Records of these crossings were destroyed by a fire in George Garrett's home about 1929. In Georgia, Col. Birdsong was known as the father of the pedigree. For a time , his hounds were the standard of excellence for all foxhounds in America. Many hunters were of the opinion the July strain should have been recognized as the Birdsong strain.
His hounds had a characteristic curl of the hair on the shoulder which was contributed by the Henry hounds.