In the closing years of the 19th Century, Edith Wharton, the novelist, and Mrs. Peter Cooper Hewitt owned Papillons.  These are the first Papillon owners in America of which we have knowledge, although slightly earlier the younger James Gordon Bennett owned several during his residence in Paris.    The American history of the breed really begins, however, in 1907, when Mrs. William Storr Wells of Newport returned from Paris with a pair of Papillons, which, a year later, she gave to Mrs. de Forest Danielson of Medfield, Massachusetts. In 1911  Mrs. Danielson took the male, Gighi, to France and succeeded in buying two more females from the same dealer.  From one of these Gighi produced Joujou, who became the first American-bred champion in 1915.  Mrs. Danielson continued to import. During the twenties she brought over a number of beautiful Papillons from England, where the breed was prospering as a result of recognition by the English Kennel Club in 1923.

  
In 1927 a Miss Joseph sold to Mrs. W. H. ( Kathryn ) Reagle a bred female which she had previously imported from

England as a companion for a little male she owned. The following year Mrs. Reagle began showing her puppies and

found, as she tells the story now, that no one knew what they were and that the dog shows had no classes for them.

From this start Mrs. Reagle imported several dogs and began actively breeding and showing them.
 
By 1930 a number of other fanciers were breeding and showing, and this little group decided to form a club to promote

the breed. They met at Mrs. Reagle's home in Springfield, New Jersey with Mrs. Danielson coming all the way from

Boston. The first officers, elected at that meeting, were Mrs. Danielson and Mrs. Reagle, president and vice-president;

Mrs. Ruth von Hoegen, secretary; and Mrs. Ellie Buckley, treasurer. Mr. Herman Fleitmann became Delegate to 

the American Kennel Club, a post he held until 1952.
 
These pioneers, some of whom had valuable prior experience with another breed, gave unstintingly of their time 

and money to promote the delightful little Papillon. Looking back now on this period, Mrs. Reagle speaks of "the very

difficult struggle it was to get the breed recognized and given classes: "No one who wasn't there could realize the

opposition we had to face."
 
Recognition by the American Kennel Club came in 1935, followed by the establishment of classes for Papillons at the

shows. Morris & Essex had classes for Papillons in 1934, when there was an entry of twenty-three. It was not long

before other breeders joined the ranks, a good market was developed, and there were a fair number of fine specimens

being shown.
 
Some of the early kennel names were Mrs. Buckley's "Stonecroft," Mrs. von Hoegen's "Elfenwald," Mrs. Vanderbeek's

"Vandertoy," and Mrs. Reagle's "Reaglestoy," the only one still active. Many of the Papillons now running in the ring 

are either "of Reaglestoy" or have this suffix in their immediate pedigrees. Mrs. Danielson's "Medfield" suffix was

seldom used because she rarely bred from her dogs.
 
In 1931 Mrs. DanieIson acquired from England the lovely Belgian-bred Offley Coquette. An undefeated English

champion, Coquette soon acquired the American title, the first of her breed to gain this international honor. Coquette's

picture is familiar to every dog lover because it still represents the breed in the AKC's official "Complete Dog Book" 

and other publications.
 
In all there were four dual champions at Medfield, three of them Group winners. These four comprised the famous

winning team, and at another time Mrs. Danielson showed a team of four black and white champion females. 

The activities of this breath-taking collection of Papillons reached a climax when English and American Ch. Offley 

Black Diamond went Best in Show at the Bridgewater Kennel Club, September 7, 1936, under Judge Frank T. Eskrigge.

  
With this firm foundation the Papillon might rapidly have achieved its deserved place among our toy breeds but for 

World War II. Shows and breeding were necessarily curtailed. Importations ceased, although Mrs. E. W. Kemmerer, 

who had started before the War with Ch. Lotus of Reaglestoy and the imported Ch. Djimy of Offley, successfully 

brought across four beautiful refugees from England. By the end of the War the original Club was no longer functioning,

but fortunately a few devoted fanciers had kept the old bloodlines going as far as they were able.

 
At the Westminster show in 1948 the Club was reactivated with Mrs. Kemmerer as president and Miss Sallie M.

Pinckney as secretary-treasurer. In the spring of 1950 Mrs. Kemmerer and Miss Estelle Bertine made a Papillon

pilgrimage to England and the Continent, bringing back some beautiful dogs to swell the growing number of post-war

imports. (In 1946 Mrs. Kemmerer had brought over Ch. Quillison of Harleymeads and, a little later, Ch. Flash, 

and Miss Bertine owned Ch. Jasmine of Harleymeads.) This trip resulted in the Papillon Club of America being invited 

to affiliate with Unicleppa, the European international Papillon organization.
 
In September 1954 the Club held its first post-war specialty in conjunction with the Westchester K.C. show. Forty-three

dogs were present in competition, including nine champions. Representation was largely Eastern, but there were entries

from Canada, Illinois and California. It is interesting that the Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex were

American-bred champions, while the two point-winners were Belgian imports. Madame de Meulenaere, 

a Belgian breeder of some forty years experience and Secretary of Unicleppa, was present as guest of honor.

 
At the Westchester show in 1956 the Club held its second specialty with twenty-nine dogs in competition, but with 

the added event of a puppy sweepstakes judged by Madame Nizet de Leemans of Belgium, well known in Europe 

as a judge of many breeds. Six additional Papillons were entered for Exhibition Only. The Gretchen Rupe Memorial

Trophy, given to the Club by Mrs. Rex Cromwell of Dallas in memory of her mother, was placed in competition for 

the first time.
 
The purpose of the Papillon Club is to unite all lovers of this exquisite breed in order that they may work in mutual

helpfulness to breed and exhibit ever-better specimens. While there is no desire to cheapen the breed or make it

common, the Club is eager to assist sincere newcomers to find suitable stock. The Club is the trustee of the purity 

of the breed according to its written Standard. By joining the Club, a member supports the welfare of the breed

financially through nominal dues, takes part in the formulation of policies, and benefits from the friendship and advice 

of experienced breeders. Membership, open to anyone who owns a Papillon, is a necessity for the active breeder and 

a privilege for the loving owner of a single pet.
  
From the paintings of Titian to the era of television, the Papillon has come nearly half a millennium. The fanciers in

every generation are only the custodians of this priceless heritage. If they retain the stamina and sweet temperament 

of the little Papillons in their efforts to breed increasingly beautiful show specimens, then the plumes may still be 

waving gaily five hundred years from now.
 
Note Thanks are due to Mrs. Reagle for the material on the organization of the Club and to Mrs. Kemmerer for the late

Mrs. Danielson's own account of the first Papillons in this country.