John Wesley Isaacs (1:08)

John Wesley Isaacs, an Alvin resident, raised longhorn cattle, was an active member of the Texas Longhorn Cattle Association and responsible for improving the breed.

The vast open spaces were ideal for raising cattle, especially when the railroad made it convenient for shipping.  On Mr. Isaac’s ninetieth birthday, the Texas Longhorn Cattle Association gave him this saddle in recognition of his contributions to that organization.  He was hoisted up to sit on the saddle, had a picture taken, and never sat on it again.

The overhead panels show cattle brands from the area. The panels were on display in the Community Room at the Alvin State Bank until the bank closed in late 1990s.  The chart at the right shows the owners of the brands and the local areas where their ranches were located.

Devil’s Rope is the name given by ranchers to barbed wire. The area was free range so residents used decorative barbed wire to keep livestock from getting in their yards.

Mr. Isaacs donated the set of horns (six feet across) from one of his longhorns.