McGlynn was also known to Cues readers for his humorous contributions in
"Society Lady at the Dog show" and "The Other End of the Leash." Ken Martin
recalled, "For a man of his years, to display such wit and observation is remarkable
indeed. Many's the time I've regarded him and his accomplishments and prayed,
with some envy that I could be as alert and useful; display such courage and determination
when my years number his".
James A. McGlynn was like a human dynamo; he packed numerous accomplishments into the five short
years he was associated with Collies.
The late Carole Kujala's article on "Collies in the Northwest" gives us some information on McGlynn. His
kennel name was Collalba, (Registered) - "Coll" for Collie and "Alba", Latin for white. She mentions that
before the end of 1946, Mr. McGlynn owned three white Collies. In 1947, only a year after he purchased his
first Collie, Mickey was elected and served as President of the Overlake Collie Club - quite an
accomplishment for anyone. McGlynn, however, had more challenging goals in mind. His major goal was to
produce or help produce "super white Collies". He confided in Bonnie Randall about five weeks before his
untimely death that he was determined to have some time left to see this goal to its fulfillment.
In his own words, he stated "Dad &Mom lived to almost ninety years and dammit I don't want to mar the
family record! Evidently his plan to achieve his dream was through efforts in two areas. First, his own
unique breeding program and second through the collective effort of a national white Collie club. As best as I
can determine, his breeding program centered around the use of an old Kentucky thoroughbred breeding
formula. As Carole Kujala related, he owned a bitch that went back 19 times in nine generations to the same
stud...Appparently the base stud was the great producer Lodestone Landmark himself!
The second part of his breeding program was based on leasing extensively, a wise means of building is
available gene pool. Louise Batsch indicated that when she and McGlynn should kid back and forth, as a
result of their references in breeding methods, he would explain "that his extensive leasing was the only means
he could use to gain his end - in his lifetime." McGlynn was working with Olympic, Bandoliera, Ardwick, and
Parader stock. He wrote to Bonnie Randall, a few weeks before his death, that he was at that point putting
more emphasis on Parader stock for coat and disposition.
McGlynn set his mind to his accomplishment and didn't let his health or safety get in the way. In his letter to
Mrs. Randall, he explained that he had acquired ptomaine poisoning at Thanksgiving, and at the time of his
letter had the flu and fighting pneumonia. Still, he delighted in making plans for a Christmas trip to California,
by way of Portland. About three weeks before his death, Mickey, true to his word, did make one of his
"circuit" visits, and as Ken Martin recalled, McGlynn was "brimming with new ideas to improve the welfare
of the Collie - eager to spur them into being. Though suffering from broken ribs and a near-case of
pneumonia, at the time, his enthusiasm for exchanging ideas with us would not let him postpone or cancel his
scheduled trip."
Grace Clark Seaman mentioned Mickey and his trip, soon after his death. "It has cast a gloom over this
household which will last for some time. I don't know when I have seen Jess (Seaman) so affected by the
death of one of our friends. The fact that we had so recently had such a good visit with him, which served
anew to impress upon us the personality of this remarkable man, only intensifies our feelings. I cannot recall
when I have known anyone as innately considerate of the feelings of others. This was something that was a
part of him and not a cultivated nicety of manners."
Apparently, McGlynn achieved the success he was hoping for and had meticulously planned for in his
breeding program before he died! It was this third generation white litter for which he had been striving so
long, that he gave his life trying save. Louise (Messenger) Johnson had the opportunity to see these beautiful
white puppies before McGlynn's death and has remarked about the super quality of the litter.
As Mrs. G.R.Dempsay accounted to Grace Clark Seaman, about the night of the fire, "He had gone out from
the Seminary last Friday night, as was his custom, lit the oil stove, and gone across the street to Mrs. Stone's
for a cup of coffee. He started to worry about the stove, so went back across to find the oil stove in flames.
He started to try to get the seven white puppies out and when he realized that the flames were making too
much headway, he tried to get the extra oil tank out before it exploded. His clothes caught fire and he ran to
the snow to try to extinguish them.
The cabin burned to the ground, including the seven white pups. He was rushed to the Kirkland Hospital,
where my husband was called. When he was what the condition he was in, he rushed him into Seattle. He
had 40% burns on his body, but Saturday afternoon, he rallied and my husband hoped he would make a
quick recovery. However, he was in poor condition and hadn't been feeling well for some time.
He died early Sunday morning." I believe it was partially from a broken heart. As Louise Batsch mentions of
McGlynn, before he was taken to the hospital, "It is said that he stood with tears coursing his cheeks,
lamenting the fate of his poor puppies,saying: "There goes all I have worked for." She mentions "not many
would have the courage or interest to offer their life in this way." Ken Martin mentions, "Literally speaking,
he live for - and died for - his Collies. I know that if he had to go, Mickey McGlynn would have had it no
other way."
I believe we are fortunate that McGlynn did not limit his efforts on behalf of the
white Collie to breeding only. In 1949, McGlynn served as a consultant in the
re-writing of the Collie Standard, which gave the White Collie official recognition
for the first time. Next, McGlynn wrote an excellent article on the White collie for
the 1950 CCA Yearbook. Mickey's efforts on behalf of the white Collie were
numerous as Vivian Ivey points out in her article on the "White Collie Breeders
Association" (part of The Collie Record, White Collie Issue, editor Claudia P.
Schroder), that the first edition of the White Collie Club Bulletin was published in
November 1948, and the club itself was officially organized the following year under the
leadership of its founder, J.A. McGlynn. The Association, "for the purpose of
popularizing, publicising and promoting improvement in the quality of the color.
McGlynn served as secretary and editor of the White Collie Bulletin until his
untimely death. I have recently read one of Mickey's excellent promotional articles
on behalf of the white Collie and White Collie Club from the January 1951
Collie Review Magazine and can testify that he was also the club's official
(or unofficial) ramrod and spokesman. As Grace Clark Seaman, the club's
president, recalled of McGlynn, "His dynamic energy and drive kept the
White Collie Club going..." In Vivian Ivey's article, December 1971, she speaks
of the accomplishments of McGlynn and the first two White Collie Clubs. The
eighteen white Collies which have finished, and those which have accumulated a
number of points toward their championship titles since 1948 as against the three
who finished before that time, are a true reward for the effort of J.A.McGlynn
and these two organizations.
I believe the high ideals and lofty goals of James A. (Mickey) McGlynn
are still being carried on - promoted and worked for by the present
White Collie Club.
I would like to close by passing on a request that was recorded by Ken Martin -
"The finest tribute to Mr. McGlynn would, in the words of the President of the
White Collie Club, Grace Clark Seaman, be to keep the Club alive as a memorial
to the Champion of the White Collie - and all Collies."
Special Thanks to the Overlake Collie Club for use of their pictures of
Mickey McGlynn, to Mrs. Bonnie Randall for letters and information she
located on Mr. McGlynn, also Carole Kujala's husband, Earl, and the Collie Review
for Carole's article"Collies of the Northwest", and lastly Vivian Ivey and Claudia
Schroder for the article on the "White Collie Breeders Association". It has been
a labor of love and respect to put together this information on Mr. McGlynn.
To those of you who knew Mickey, I hope and pray I done justice to his memory.
David C. Marvel
Marvale Collies
Tacoma, Washington
"Society Lady at the Dog show" and "The Other End of the Leash." Ken Martin
recalled, "For a man of his years, to display such wit and observation is remarkable
indeed. Many's the time I've regarded him and his accomplishments and prayed,
with some envy that I could be as alert and useful; display such courage and determination
when my years number his".
James A. McGlynn was like a human dynamo; he packed numerous accomplishments into the five short
years he was associated with Collies.
The late Carole Kujala's article on "Collies in the Northwest" gives us some information on McGlynn. His
kennel name was Collalba, (Registered) - "Coll" for Collie and "Alba", Latin for white. She mentions that
before the end of 1946, Mr. McGlynn owned three white Collies. In 1947, only a year after he purchased his
first Collie, Mickey was elected and served as President of the Overlake Collie Club - quite an
accomplishment for anyone. McGlynn, however, had more challenging goals in mind. His major goal was to
produce or help produce "super white Collies". He confided in Bonnie Randall about five weeks before his
untimely death that he was determined to have some time left to see this goal to its fulfillment.
In his own words, he stated "Dad &Mom lived to almost ninety years and dammit I don't want to mar the
family record! Evidently his plan to achieve his dream was through efforts in two areas. First, his own
unique breeding program and second through the collective effort of a national white Collie club. As best as I
can determine, his breeding program centered around the use of an old Kentucky thoroughbred breeding
formula. As Carole Kujala related, he owned a bitch that went back 19 times in nine generations to the same
stud...Appparently the base stud was the great producer Lodestone Landmark himself!
The second part of his breeding program was based on leasing extensively, a wise means of building is
available gene pool. Louise Batsch indicated that when she and McGlynn should kid back and forth, as a
result of their references in breeding methods, he would explain "that his extensive leasing was the only means
he could use to gain his end - in his lifetime." McGlynn was working with Olympic, Bandoliera, Ardwick, and
Parader stock. He wrote to Bonnie Randall, a few weeks before his death, that he was at that point putting
more emphasis on Parader stock for coat and disposition.
McGlynn set his mind to his accomplishment and didn't let his health or safety get in the way. In his letter to
Mrs. Randall, he explained that he had acquired ptomaine poisoning at Thanksgiving, and at the time of his
letter had the flu and fighting pneumonia. Still, he delighted in making plans for a Christmas trip to California,
by way of Portland. About three weeks before his death, Mickey, true to his word, did make one of his
"circuit" visits, and as Ken Martin recalled, McGlynn was "brimming with new ideas to improve the welfare
of the Collie - eager to spur them into being. Though suffering from broken ribs and a near-case of
pneumonia, at the time, his enthusiasm for exchanging ideas with us would not let him postpone or cancel his
scheduled trip."
Grace Clark Seaman mentioned Mickey and his trip, soon after his death. "It has cast a gloom over this
household which will last for some time. I don't know when I have seen Jess (Seaman) so affected by the
death of one of our friends. The fact that we had so recently had such a good visit with him, which served
anew to impress upon us the personality of this remarkable man, only intensifies our feelings. I cannot recall
when I have known anyone as innately considerate of the feelings of others. This was something that was a
part of him and not a cultivated nicety of manners."
Apparently, McGlynn achieved the success he was hoping for and had meticulously planned for in his
breeding program before he died! It was this third generation white litter for which he had been striving so
long, that he gave his life trying save. Louise (Messenger) Johnson had the opportunity to see these beautiful
white puppies before McGlynn's death and has remarked about the super quality of the litter.
As Mrs. G.R.Dempsay accounted to Grace Clark Seaman, about the night of the fire, "He had gone out from
the Seminary last Friday night, as was his custom, lit the oil stove, and gone across the street to Mrs. Stone's
for a cup of coffee. He started to worry about the stove, so went back across to find the oil stove in flames.
He started to try to get the seven white puppies out and when he realized that the flames were making too
much headway, he tried to get the extra oil tank out before it exploded. His clothes caught fire and he ran to
the snow to try to extinguish them.
The cabin burned to the ground, including the seven white pups. He was rushed to the Kirkland Hospital,
where my husband was called. When he was what the condition he was in, he rushed him into Seattle. He
had 40% burns on his body, but Saturday afternoon, he rallied and my husband hoped he would make a
quick recovery. However, he was in poor condition and hadn't been feeling well for some time.
He died early Sunday morning." I believe it was partially from a broken heart. As Louise Batsch mentions of
McGlynn, before he was taken to the hospital, "It is said that he stood with tears coursing his cheeks,
lamenting the fate of his poor puppies,saying: "There goes all I have worked for." She mentions "not many
would have the courage or interest to offer their life in this way." Ken Martin mentions, "Literally speaking,
he live for - and died for - his Collies. I know that if he had to go, Mickey McGlynn would have had it no
other way."
I believe we are fortunate that McGlynn did not limit his efforts on behalf of the
white Collie to breeding only. In 1949, McGlynn served as a consultant in the
re-writing of the Collie Standard, which gave the White Collie official recognition
for the first time. Next, McGlynn wrote an excellent article on the White collie for
the 1950 CCA Yearbook. Mickey's efforts on behalf of the white Collie were
numerous as Vivian Ivey points out in her article on the "White Collie Breeders
Association" (part of The Collie Record, White Collie Issue, editor Claudia P.
Schroder), that the first edition of the White Collie Club Bulletin was published in
November 1948, and the club itself was officially organized the following year under the
leadership of its founder, J.A. McGlynn. The Association, "for the purpose of
popularizing, publicising and promoting improvement in the quality of the color.
McGlynn served as secretary and editor of the White Collie Bulletin until his
untimely death. I have recently read one of Mickey's excellent promotional articles
on behalf of the white Collie and White Collie Club from the January 1951
Collie Review Magazine and can testify that he was also the club's official
(or unofficial) ramrod and spokesman. As Grace Clark Seaman, the club's
president, recalled of McGlynn, "His dynamic energy and drive kept the
White Collie Club going..." In Vivian Ivey's article, December 1971, she speaks
of the accomplishments of McGlynn and the first two White Collie Clubs. The
eighteen white Collies which have finished, and those which have accumulated a
number of points toward their championship titles since 1948 as against the three
who finished before that time, are a true reward for the effort of J.A.McGlynn
and these two organizations.
I believe the high ideals and lofty goals of James A. (Mickey) McGlynn
are still being carried on - promoted and worked for by the present
White Collie Club.
I would like to close by passing on a request that was recorded by Ken Martin -
"The finest tribute to Mr. McGlynn would, in the words of the President of the
White Collie Club, Grace Clark Seaman, be to keep the Club alive as a memorial
to the Champion of the White Collie - and all Collies."
Special Thanks to the Overlake Collie Club for use of their pictures of
Mickey McGlynn, to Mrs. Bonnie Randall for letters and information she
located on Mr. McGlynn, also Carole Kujala's husband, Earl, and the Collie Review
for Carole's article"Collies of the Northwest", and lastly Vivian Ivey and Claudia
Schroder for the article on the "White Collie Breeders Association". It has been
a labor of love and respect to put together this information on Mr. McGlynn.
To those of you who knew Mickey, I hope and pray I done justice to his memory.
David C. Marvel
Marvale Collies
Tacoma, Washington
- I wanted to tell you of a bigger than life story about a fascinating old gentleman.
- The story begins in 1946; it was that year that James A. (Mickey) McGlynn, at
the young age of sixty-six purchased his first purebred Collie. At this stage in life
most of us are ready to sit back, relax and enjoy a well deserved rest and
retirement. However, McGlynn was different; he was a special type of person,
a unique individual of insight and purpose. He probably best personified (more
than anyone I have known) the one combination of traits that would most likely
be successful in breeding quality white Collies.
Even at his age, he was a leader, not a follower, and didn't shy away from a
challenge. He had the will power, drive and energy of a man just starting out on
the challenges of life. As Ken Martin, author of Collie Review Carousel (later
became Collie Cues Carousel) related, "Westerners knew and admired him as a
man of dynamic ideas and action, tolerant to a fault, keen-eyed and
perceptive....."
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This article from
The White Collie Chronicle
December 2006
also
Collie Cues
Issue 2, 1981
The White Collie Chronicle
December 2006
also
Collie Cues
Issue 2, 1981
| Four issues of our great newsletter with your $15 membership! (click here to order) |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| " Champion of the White Collie " |
| by David Marvel, Marvale Collies, USA |
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It is a heart-warming story that needs to be
told - about his courage, amazing
accomplishments, and the positive impact he
has had on the white Collie, in the last thirty
years. However, it must also touch on the
heartbreaking story about his tragic death and
what might have been.
told - about his courage, amazing
accomplishments, and the positive impact he
has had on the white Collie, in the last thirty
years. However, it must also touch on the
heartbreaking story about his tragic death and
what might have been.
| "Mr. McGlynn & Ardwick Lone Ranger" |
| Mickey McGlynn and his kennel building. |
| Mississippi Sue of Ardwick April 4, 1944 |
| .. |
