History of Doms

From Ultimatefowl

Gee Doms

Dr. James T. Gee, who originated this noble strain of game fighting fowl, was born at South Hampton, Va. , March 8, 1821 and died at Burnsville, Alabama, February 19, 1891. For forty years Dr. Gee stood the undisputed champion cocker of the south. The Gee Doms are also known as the Georgia Doms. The first Dom was the result of a cross of a Black Sumatra cock on a White Pyle hen, the results of this cross which came in light and dark blues were then crossed on a strain called the heatherwoods--a cross of the Earl Derby and a Red Pyle hen imported by Ed Heatherwood. This cross ws in color a dirty white similar to the Dusty Millers. This cross was then bred back on the original cross and produced a beautiful fowl of light and dark blue color with typical Dom markings, which were known as the Blue Champions of the South. Dr. Gee and "Dad" Gleezen fought them together. "Dad" Gleezen then suggested a cross of the Doms with one of his best Whitehackles which turned out to be a wonderful success. The Dr. Gee Dominiques are the oldest strain of Dominiques in the country today, as they had been going strong for more than 20 years when Dr. J.W. Cooper described them in his Standard Edition of "Game Fowls" published in 1869. They run in weight from 4:08 to 6:08 in condition. In color they come all shades of the Dominique, guinea, red or orange dom and quite frequently one comes pure white. Have very red eyes and yellow legs, extra fine feathers and stong tail and wings, and aside from their pit qualities, are a very handsome fowl. The Dr. Gee dominiques have qualified in both long and short heels, and competent cockers say they fail to see where they do any better in long heels than in short ones, for they seem to be at home in either style. As long as the sport of cocking lasts, the name of Dr. Gee will be heard, and so long , also will the birds be bred that the Doctor originated, for they are too grand a strain to ever fall into decay. Mr. J.E. McLaurin, of Salida, Colorado, is perhaps the foremost breeder of this strain, he having bred them pure for more than forty years at the present time.

O'Neal Doms

Tom O'Neal of Louisville, KY., said that he gave an old Irishman $40 for a trio of dominique chickens many years ago, and they are what were later, and are today, known as the O'Neal Doms. They have been very successful strain. The come light and dark doms and some are almost white. Have yellow or white legs and usually red eyes. Run in weight from 4:08 to 6:00 and are said to be good cutters in any style heels.

Giant White Doms

This is a large strain that was originated by George Hathaway, of Independence, Iowa in 1920. To Dom hens he bred a buff colored cock that was 5-8 Dom and 3-8 Jap, and weighed 8:08. The cocks come white with a few dom feathers throughout the body. Have yellow legs and red eyes and both straight and peacomb. They come about 80 % shakes, and are said to be very fast for large birds.

Harveys Shuffling Doms

This strain was originated by W.L. Harvey, of South Carolina, about twenty years ago, and are well favorably known all over the Southern states. They contain the bloods of G. Perk Huddleston Doms, an old strain of Cuban Doms, Thompson Whites, Pea Soup Pyle, Arkansas Traveller and dom blood from O'Neal, Dr. Frymire and H.B. Spencer. Theyare medium to high station; mostly straight combs with yellow legs and come in all shades of dominiquer color. Cocks are very aggressive and good finishers.

Cassidy Doms

This strain of Doms, was originated by R. Cassidy, of Sioux City, Iowa, in 1913, by blending the bloods of the Minton, Chappell and Harvey doms. They come all colors of the dom family, and run in weight 4:12 to 7:00. Have mostly yellow and white legs and red eyes. They are good in any length heels, and are considered extra good finishers on a down cock. Absolutely game, fast scorers and good cutters. Mr. Cassidy is one of the formest of present-day breeders, backed by many years experience.

Sure Shot Doms

This strain was originated by the late Quinn E. Robb, of Springfield, Mo.We have been informed by parties who were closely associated with Mr. Robb that he used the old Minton Dom, White Tails and Grist Champion in their making. They come all shades of dom, with yellow and white legs, red eyes, straight and peacomb, and run in weight 4:06 to 6:00. A classy pit fowl, being good cutters and great shufflers.

Kentucky Doms

The Kentucky Doms were originated by Dr. J.B. Frymire, and H.E. Frymire, by using O'Neal Dom. Mugwump and Norwood Dom. Within the next fifteen years three more Norwood Dom cocks were bred over Kentucky Dom hens. About 1901 some Dom blood from D.H. Pierce was used; then Norwood Grey blood. The next Dom used was bred by Judge Dan Gordon, and sent by Col. Grist. Have used Grist Grady blood in these fowls every eight or ten years, also one cross of Smoke Ball in 1918. The Kentucky Doms breed all shades of dom, and some nearly white. They have white or yellow legs, long straight comb and weigh 4:12 to 7:00. Are terrific fighters and game to the last. (J.L. Cassey's version) In 1854 Dr. Van Meter brought back some Silver Grey English Derbys, which were crossed by Dr. Cooper on Nic Arrington's Irish Reds. Tom O'Neal bred a cock from this cross in 1860 on an imported Irish hen frm Waddell. In 1817 he bred a Dom cock from Charley Bryant of Louisville, KY. over his fowl and in 1874 named them Kentucky Doms. Later Dr. Frymire combined this blood with several others and called them Kentucky Doms also.

Pittsburgh Dominiques

These were originated around 1800 in York County, Pa., by breeding a 7 pound Pittsburgh cock over a Virginia hen. Along hten a dominique colored cock was considered a rank dunghill and often he was given weight and odds bet against him, sometimes as much as 2 to 1. Many raised them especially for this purpose. Their fame soon spread over Pa. , Md, and W.VA, and were still fought in their purity around 1850. About the same time Gad of Fayette, Pa., was getting odds the same way with his Muff fowl as they too were considered dunghills at that time.

School House Doms

Osa Lentz and Lewis A. Lentz of Kentucky originated these about 50 years ago by breeding an Irish cock raised at an old school house in Browns Lane near Barbourville, Ky., over Dom hens from Tom O'Neal of Louisville, Kentucky. Lewis was still fighting and selling these in 1951 when a tornado and thieves wiped his stock out twice in succession.

Chappell Doms

The Chappells of S.C. crossed a black strain and a white strain to produce their Doms. While many showed true dominique color, some had a tendency to come speckled and even white. Merrill H. Smith closely inbred some of them and about 30 % came slate-legged, low stationed, pea combed black fowl with broad, flat-iron bodies. About 30 % came yellow legged, high stationed, round bodied white fowl with large tassels. The other 40% came all shades from speckled to dominique. The Chappell Doms It is a great honor that I be given the privilege of presenting to the public for the first time, a written history of a Grand old strain of game fowl affectionately known as the "The Chappell Doms." The Chappell Doms were born of an importation of a single pair from England by one W. R. Smith of Lawrence, S.C. near Cross Hill. In the year 1855 all of Mr. W.R. Smith's Doms were acquired by J.W. Chappell who bred them in their purity along with his brothers Henry and Jim. The brothers Chappell, with J.W. leading the way built quite a reputation for breeding and fighting cocks of exceptional quality by taking on all comers near or far and fighting every year for 50 Years in and around Columbia, S.C. The Chappells and their Doms migrated to Alabama and settled in the town of Falkville just north of present day Cullman. The Chappells along with their strain of Doms have remained on the same farm for numerous generations while maintaining the Doms as a strain with minimal outside influence. There are 4 documented infusions of outside blood used to maintain this family. A Spanish Cock called Santa Ana used by J.W. Chappell, an Arlington cock used by J.W. Chappell, a Mingus Dom cock in the 1970's used by Jerry Chappell and turning them over to his son Kris, the 6th generation to carry on the family has added the blood of the Sureshot Dom from Mr. Scott Gay in 1991. Kris has maintained them as is from that time to present day. It is of interest to note that Mr. F.D Mingus used the Chappell Dom blood in maintaining his famous strain of Doms as well. After Nearly 150 years this Grand old strain of fowl still maintain the winning traditions of their originator. J.W. Chappell of South Carolina. In 1998 Kris won a prominent 5 cock gaff derby showing pure Dom nest brothers. In the year 2000 he won another prominent 6 cock knife derby. In 2001 Kris partnered with Brian Corkren and won the Jerry Ellard Tribute at Hickory along with several other derbies which culminated with winning the Cocker of the Year Award at Hickory fighting Chappell Doms and Corkren Sweaters respectively. 2002 was a repeat success for the Chappell/Corkren team winning Cocker of the Year for the second consecutive year at Hickory. Kris has recently returned from the Philippines where he and his partner scored a 3-1 record with the Doms in the Cavite Int. Long Knife Derby. Mr. J.B. Chappell compiled a record of the Chappell Doms to be submitted to Grit and Steel for publication yet it was never submitted. I have included a complete transcription of his original history and have forwarded a copy for of the original to Grit and Steel for filing and hopefully publishing. I have also transcribed several letters from customers and friends of the Chappell family which will give some insight into the family and fowl. There will be highlighted links throughout the history that will allow viewing of the original documents as written in Mr. J.B. Chappell's hand and I will do the same for the letters that I have included. I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to associate with the Chappell family and find them to be of unquestionable character and true lovers of game fowl just as their ancestors were. They have protected the sanctity of this family for generations and feel it is time to honor the one that started it all. Kris, I am truly grateful. You’re Friend Brent R. Scott (tnerb)

The Chappell Doms

Grit and Steel: As I have been called on several times to write the history of my Chappell Doms, I will endeavor to tell you all I know about them. In 1855 my honored old father J.W. Chappell (1st) got them from W.R. Smith of Lawrence, S.C. near Cross Hill S.C. W.R. Smith was an old bachelor and very rich; also a true lover of a game cock. This W.R. Smith went to England to a horse race and cocking main. There he saw those Doms fight and was so impressed with their fighting and true gameness he paid a fancy price for one cock and one hen. He brought them home with him and found they were exceedingly fast and dead game. J.W. Chappell, my father, bought every Dom chicken W.R. Smith had; and Smith never fighting anymore. Two years after my father got these chickens he fought them and almost every one won their fights. Later on J.W. Chappell and his brothers Henry and Jim Chappell fought a fifteen cock main with one Rob Franklin of Columbia, S.C. whipping Franklin every fight in the main. Mr. Franklin saw that they were the best fighters he ever went up against and he insisted on my father fighting a main with one Mr. Liverman, of Augusta, Ga. My father fought the main with Liverman and won for a big amount. I don't recall how much, anyway, they matched eighteen cocks, the Chappells winning every fight also the main. Afterwards, father fought a Mr. Ben Brazzle near Columbia, S.C. and made a clean sweep of the Sandy Hill Boys. The Chappells of South Carolina fought those Doms every year for fifty years in Columbia, S. C. The hardest fighting J.W. Chappell ever did was against Nickerton of North Carolina; Mr. Phil Joiner of Columbia, S.C. made a main with Arlington of N.C. showing eighteen Chappell Dom cocks and Nickerton cocks were the hardest cocks to whip the writer ever saw. Now as to the color of the old pure Chappell Doms. At first they were white almost. They are known all over the South as the Chappell Doms. The old white Doms all have Tassells or Top Knots. As to the Rosecomb cross in them, this came from a Spanish cock that J.W. Chappell got from a Mexican and he called this cock after a Mexican General Santa Ana. This rose comb cock was a dangerous cock winning eleven battles in J.W. Chappells hands. J.W. Chappell bred one of those Arlington cocks over some of his Dom hens and that cross proved to be the best cross that we Chappells ever made. The Arlington cock killed a Chappell Dom lying on his back, Mr. Pom? Floyd of Newberry, S.C. paid $50.00 for this Arlington cock and gave him to me and I bred him over five of my fathers Chappell Dom hens; and some of our Doms have some of that blood in their veins now. J.W. Chappell was the first Chappell that brought those Doms to the front. J.W. Chappell had those Doms before the Civil War between the north and the South. Just before my father went to the war he left his Dom chickens with Mr. Ben Wells, in Lawrence, S.C. Ben Wells was a true lover of a game cock, and kept my fathers Doms in their purity. Mr. Wells was a fine gentleman. In 1891 at Atlanta, Ga. Fought Tennessee a main; eleven matched. Chappell of Alabama furnished Tennessee the cocks to fight in this main. Tennessee whipped Atlanta ten out of eleven fights with J.B. Chappell Doms and crosses. J.W. Chappell, my father, died about twenty one years ago. Signed J. B. Chappell Falkville, Ala. J.W. Chappell the founder of the strain in S. C. J.B. Chappell son of J.W. migrated to Ala. O.B. Chappell son of J.B. Falkville, Ala. J.W. Chappell son of O.B. Falkville, Ala. Jerry Chappell son of J.W. Falkville, Ala. Kris Chappell son of Jerry Falkville, Ala. Six generations of pure Chappell Doms.