46 Making the American Thoroughbred 



Paul Jones; Selima by imp Jolly Roger; imported 

 mare by Matchem. Paul Jones was by Specimen (son of 

 imp Fearnought), dam Filis by Gov. James Delaney's 

 imp Wildair (reshipped to England) by Cade. Speci- 

 men's dam (according to Erwin's advertisement) was 

 Gen. Thomas Nelson's imp Blossom; Bruce says she 

 was imp Jenny Dismal. 



Bred by Col. John L. Alexander, of Virginia; owned 

 in 1805-06 by Capt. Joseph Erwin (or Ervin) and adver- 

 tised by Corbin Lee, manager, to stand the season of 

 1806, beginning April 10, at Capt. Erwin's, Nashville; 

 service 100 weight clean, merchantable cotton; 200 weight 

 to insure. Following is an excerpt from this advertisement, 

 which appeared in the Impartial Review during February 

 and March and possibly in January 1806. 



"The prefent engagement with this horfe is such that he cannot 

 be put to mares any fooner than the above ftated time He is 

 now engaged in a match of 3,000 dollars, half forfeit, against Gen. 

 A. Jackfon's celebrated Truxton, to run on the 3d of April. In a 

 few days after the race he will be ready to receive mares, and be 

 properly attended to. This race being one of very confiderable 

 importance, will, no doubt, excite a very numerous concourfe of 

 fpectators, who will then, if not before, be able to decide whether or 

 not PLOUGHBOY merits the attention and preference of fportfmen 

 and gentlemen breeders Gentlemen who wifh to breed fine horfes 

 would do well not to put their mares to horfes until after the race, 

 as at that time it will be seen (barring accidents) whether or not he 

 be the true bred racer." 



In a match between Truxton and Ploughboy, set for 

 Clover Bottom in the fall of 1805, Capt. Erwin and 

 his son-in-law, Charles Dickinson, had settled forfeit in 

 a way satisfactory to Jackson. Statements credited to 

 Jackson regarding the terms of settlement, which state- 

 ments Erwin and his friends thought reflected upon Er- 

 win's honor, started a bitter controversy about January i. 



