Post Boy vs. John Bascombe 165 



of naming a contestant at the post. As of one voice the 

 North, at the close of the season in November, 1835, 

 named Post Boy as their champion and awaited impa- 

 tiently the time when his prowess would win for him the 

 championship of the entire Union. 



To be caught hors de combat was very trying on Southern 

 spirit and sportsmanship; but what hurt still more was 

 the feeling of confidence at the North, and the knowledge 

 that this confidence was well based. Then it was, when 

 the South was sore depressed, that a new star came 

 into the racing firmament where least expected and 

 pointed the way to a creditable contest, if not to victory. 



And what of this new star? 



In the first place his dam was foaled in Williamson 

 County, Tennessee. Col. James Gray Jones, of Wil- 

 liamson, owned a Kentucky bred mare by imp Buzzard 

 a grandson, through Woodpecker, of King Herod and the 

 great-grandsire of Glencoe. This mare Col. Jones bred 

 to Pacolet when that historic horse stood at J. W. 

 Clay's, in what is now South Nashville. Grey Goose, the 

 produce, after being run by Col. Jones in Tennessee, 

 was sold to John Connolly, of near Huntsville, Ala., who, 

 in 1830, bred her to Bertrand, the produce being a colt. 



Soon after this colt was foaled a Methodist Camp 

 Meeting was held on Connolly's plantation. The chief 

 orator of the meeting as his name was spelled by 

 Connolly was Rev. John Bascom-be. Connolly at- 

 tended the services, formed a warm admiration for the 

 preacher and entertained him in his home. By way of 

 expressing his esteem, Connolly asked permission to name 

 one of his colts John Bascombe, and this pleasure was 

 not denied him. 



Of all his colts of that year John Bascombe was Con- 

 nolly's favorite. 



