The Man Behind the Collection

West Texan James Jackson Wheat (1916-1989) grew up in the era when oil made legends of ordinary men. His father had wildcatted several productive wells North of Pecos, Texas, in the 1920s, leaving his heirs very wealthy. J.J. drove a series of Rolls Royce and Mercedes cars to move cattle across his rugged property in Loving County.

Over a span of 10 years, Wheat acquired scores of Texas Style spurs, including the largest-known group of rare Swede Strong spurs known to exist. He shopped at collectors' shows of Western gear, also relying on a couple of knowledgeable dealers in Texas and Oklahoma to locate early bits and spurs for sale. J.J. paid them for their finds with wads of cash pulled from his pockets.

Toward the end of his life, Wheat asked Carl Jennings, a trusted friend and one of his buyers, what to do with the extensive collection. Since his family did not share J.J.'s interest in spurs, Jennings recommended that he donate them to the National Ranching Heritage Association. In November 1985, Wheat gave the museum 920 spur pairs and singles and more than 100 bits. This special exhibition shows many of the best pieces from that collection.

Accompanying the exhibit and available in Cogdell's Store is a hard-cover photo book about the Wheat spurs, authored by dealer/appraiser Bruce Bartlett of San Antonio and published by the National Ranching Heritage Center. The book was funded by a grant from the Diamond M Foundation.