Allen's Royal Beagles

Almost everyone has a hobby of some sort. Raising beagles and participating in field trials was my dad’s hobby.

His dogs were registered with the American Kennel Club under Allen’s Royal Beagles. He was a member of several beagle clubs in Ohio, including the Clark County Beagle Club and the Miami County Beagle Club.

 

 

                                 Allen Campbell and 2 beagle pups, 1956¹

Dad’s dogs were boarded at a friend’s farm in Beavercreek, Greene County, Ohio, which was about 30 miles from our house in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. He occasionally kept a couple of them in our backyard. I developed my love for animals from him. I was able to name every single beagle, and the dogs knew me.

 

                      Allen Campbell with daughter Yolanda Campbell, 1961²

I attended many field trial events with Dad as a young child. My sister and I even had our own corduroy jackets with Allen’s Royal Beagles embroidered on the back.

 

Allen Campbell on left, date unknown³

Allen Campbell, right, date unknown⁴

I have fond memories of attending field trials on Saturdays. Some of the members would bring their children. We would be left to hang out at the clubhouse and play outside all day. If we got hungry or thirsty, we were able to get food and drinks from the cooks, and they would put the bill on our dads’ accounts.

 

        Allen Campbell, first row, 4^th from left, date unknown⁵

The club, located in Clark County, had a stream running through it. One day, one of the boys found a box turtle. I wanted to find one also, so I set off hunting for a turtle. It was not too long before I realized I was lost. I saw a house nearby and went to it. A family was eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on their deck and they took me back to the clubhouse. I do not remember if my parents had a discussion about me wandering off through the woods, but I am sure there was one.

Another time we were playing in an old barn in Lima, Allen County, Ohio. I stepped on a board with a nail, which went into my foot. That adventure led to a doctor’s visit to get a tetanus shot. I am sure there was another discussion between my parents.

Another club was located in Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio. It had a large pond on the property. We were told there was quicksand around it. I think that was said to keep us away from the water as I did not know how to swim. I did not check to see if it was quicksand.

The Miami Valley Beagle Club bordered John Bryan State Park. We occasionally wandered in the woods. I am surprised I did not get lost there, but there were wide trails to follow.

Occasionally the whole family would attend an award ceremony.

 

         

Allen Campbell, front row, 4th on right, and  Yolanda's mom Dorothy, 2nd row, 2nd from left6

We had a cabinet in our family room near the ceiling where his many trophies were displayed. The larger trophies were placed on top of our upright piano as well as the top of the television cabinet. I have a few of the trophies displayed in my house.

 

⁷

Dad encouraged two of my uncles who lived in Georgia to become involved in beagle clubs, and he joined the Middle Georgia Beagle Club with them.

 

Larry O’Rear, Allen Campbell, Hugh Waller⁸

After his death in July 1969, a couple of his friends helped my mom sell his dogs. There were 28 dogs listed for sale.

ad in Hounds and Hunting⁹

In 2001, I contacted the American Kennel Club to see if I would be able to obtain copies of my dad’s records. I was told I would have to visit their library in New York City to do so, even though I was able to provide them with a copy of my dad’s death certificate.

In October 2021, I rechecked the AKC’s website and was able to locate registration information for 10 of my dad’s dogs. There was just a registration number and the name of the dog listed. No data about the sex, whelp date, or DNA. Listed were Allen’s Royal Bit O’ Blue, Allen’s Royal Black Satin, Allen’s Royal Blue Queen, Allen’s Royal Blue Serenade, Allen’s Royal Countess, Allen’s Royal Diamond, Allen’s Royal Joey, Allen’s Royal Linebacker, Allen’s Royal Queen, and Allen’s Royal Spellbinder.¹⁰

Joey and Linebacker were brothers. They stayed at our house once while they were being treated for distemper. I gave Spellbinder the nickname of Icee.

In case you are wondering, I do have a file in RootsMagic^© named Allen’s Royal Beagles.

 

Dad and one of his many beagles¹¹

Sources

1. Allen Campbell photograph, 1956; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

2. Allen and Yolanda Campbell photograph, 1961; digital image 2002, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

3. Allen Campbell photograph, date unknown; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

4. Allen Campbell photograph, date unknown; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

5. Allen Campbell photograph, date unknown; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

6. Allen and Dorothy (O’Rear) Campbell photograph, date unknown; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

7. Allen Campbell’s trophies photograph, 2022; digital image, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

8. Larry O’Rear, Allen Campbell, and Hugh Waller photograph, date unknown; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022. 

9. “For Sale—Allen’s Royal Complete Kennels,” Hounds and Hunting, September 1969, 107.

10. “Dog Lookup,” database, American Kennel Club (https://www.apps.akc.org/apps/store/search/dog_lookup.cfm?returnpage=undefined&_=2770 : accessed 31 October 2021), entry for Allen’s Royal Beagles.

11. Allen Campbell photograph, date unknown; digital image 2022, privately held by Yolanda Campbell Lifter, Malabar, Florida, 2022.