Pet Profile 1: Sam

Sam strikes a pose in Kent, Connecticut.

Ray Sprague’s Gordon Setter

After they married in March of 1942, Ray and Rosemary Sprague rented a home in Kent, Connecticut (Rosemary dubbed it “the Pink Palace along the Rippling Rippowam” in one of her photo albums). This allowed them to be near to their respective parents, as Raymond Sprague I was living at Railsmuir in Greenwich at the time, and Clara Lockwood was in Stamford. During that time, Ray and Rosemary were joined by Ray’s Gordon Setter, Sam.

Although Ray had tried to join the army during the onset of war, he had been rejected due to his eyesight. By July, the military decided they needed him anyway and he was drafted. It’s likely that Sam went to live at Railsmuir during the remainder of the war; Ray and Rosemary headed off to Camp Wheeler in Georgia that August.

Ray Sprague and Sam at Railsmuir (newlywed

Rosemary captioned this image: “Old man and his dog”).

Rosemary and Sam at Railsmuir in Greenwich, CT.

Raymond Sprague I (Ray’s father) with Sam at Railsmuir.

Alan Alameny, the gardener and chauffeur at Railsmuir, hunts with Sam on the grounds in Kent, CT.

Another hunting picture with Alan Alameny and Sam.