William Jones and Robert Strawbridge met at Market Harborough while Robert was buying a horse. William (Willum, to his friends) was such an amiable chap, and of such moral fiber that Robert invited him along on his return trip to America. Together, they participated in hunts, particularly the Radnor Hunt, William being very good around horses, and even better at pursuing fox or badgers.

Robert grew immensely fond of Willum, so much so that he commissioned the artist, George Ford Morris, to paint Willums’ portrait. This may have struck some people as odd, if not unseemly for its time, but Robert took no concern.

Wait, we did mention that Willum was a dog, right? Silly us. Willum was the first Norwich Terrier introduced to the United States in 1914. He’d been bought by Strawbridge while having a beer and looking at horses; Strawbridge was so taken with the dog that he even named him after William “Roughrider” Jones, who’d become noted for breeding and selling the terriers known in earlier times as “Jones Terriers.”

Norwich Terrier Print by Rachel Hames is available for purchase here.