THE JEN-JACK

By: Earl Sunderman, Villisca, Iowa

Courtesy of MULES and MORE, Inc. and Earl Sunderman

The invention of the tractor and it's introduction into agriculture nearly brought about the end of the Mammoth Jack. At a time in history when the value of the work horse and the jacks that produced the draft mule had hit rock bottom, few breeders were left to keep these breeds alive. I think the only reason any survived at all was due to the stubbornness of the old time breeders, and their love and working relationship with these animals. A few of these dedicated men maintained small herds of what was left of large numbers of mule producing jackstock. Men such as Kenny Nelson of Lewisburg, Tenn., who used a jack named Will as his herd sire. Will was a direct descendant of Nelson's Red Chief 35217.

The Wingfields of Colorado kept a herd of jackstock that were descendants of the great Peerless. This jack was said to be more than 16 hands tall and to be the tallest jack in the United States at that time. Peerless was the sire of Jackie Gleason, another large jack, as well as the maternal grandsire of Preacher.

The well known Jack Siemon of Kenton, Ohio stood the famous jack, Siemon's Glen. Black Bart, a son of Siemon's Glen appears in a great many pedigrees on the west coast.

Another great west coast jack was Scott's Jack, owned by Chet Scott of Lancaster, Calif. This jack was believed to be a direct descendant of pure Catalonian stock from Old Mexico.

The late Frank C. Mills, and later Willis Grumbein, both from Kansas, used jacks that were from the blood of the great show jack, Kansas Chief 9194, and Major Bill, from the General Logan line.

Thomas Berry and J. H. Arrington of Stillwater, Okla. kept a herd that at times numbered as many as 300 head, headed by Kaki, an imported Poitou jack.

These are just a few of the more prominent breeders, but the jacks that they used continue to influence the stock being bred today.

If you have an interest in the bloodlines of modern day jackstock, and you find yourself in a discussion of these bloodlines, it is more than likely the name Jen-Jack will often be mentioned. Very few jacks have had as much influence on the breeding of modern stock. Credit for the wide distribution of this particular line must be given to William Everett Segelke of Hillrose, Colo. In the 1970's when a renewed interest in mules brought about a new market for this stock, Segelke was ready with jacks to supply the demand, as well as a well managed advertising program. When the Berry herd was dispersed in 1977, Segelke was there to purchase Jen-Jack. The following is the story of how Jen-Jack got his name and made his mark in jackstock history.

The background of Jen-Jack is far from clear. Over the years I have heard several versions of his entry into jackstock fame. The most logical and best supported version was told to me by Albert Boyle of Stillwater, Okla. I had visited the Francis Hunt farm near Stillwater. Mr. Hunt is the owner of the also famous jack, Preacher. This jack is sired by Bully Boy by Jen-Jack, and out of a jennet by the Wingfield jack, Peerless. Mr. Hunt told me Boyle had been a long time employee of the late Thomas Berry, and he would be a wonderful source of information on the pedigrees of that line of jackstock.

I telephoned Mr. Boyle February 3, 1988 and he related the following story: In 1971, Mr. Berry was in the market for some good black jennets to add to his herd. For this reason Mr. Berry traveled to the Willis Grumbein farm at Dodge City, Kans. Grumbein was a large breeder and exporter of jackstock and mules. It was Berry's belief that some of Grumbein's stock carried the blood of the Poitou jack, Kaki.

Kaki S.J.J.R.33877 was imported from France in 1939 by Mr. Berry. Kaki was a pure Poitou jack recorded in the French stud book at #10F6. Berry believed he would be able to detect the Poitou influence in the jennets that he would select. Upon his arrival at the Grumbein farm, Berry selected several jennets with jennet foals at side. Jennets with jennet foals at side were priced at $100 per pair cheaper than jennets with jack foals at side. An agreement was reached as to price and delivery and Berry returned to Stillwater to await their arrival. Later when the truck from Grumbein arrived, the jennets and foals were unloaded into holding pens for Berry's inspection. After examination of the stock, Berry concluded the jennets delivered were not the ones he had chosen in Kansas. Mr. Boyle told me Berry's eyesight had become quite poor due to his age, and that he, Boyle, believed they were in fact the same jennets. Berry could not be convinced, and was much upset. It was his intent to send the jennets back.

While a decision was being made there were visitors to the Berry farm. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Henderson of Stillwater had come to see the new arrivals. While looking over the jennets and foals, Mrs. Henderson spotted something hanging from the belly of one of the jenny foals. She mentioned it to the men present and after catching it for a closer examination, it became apparent this baby jenny had become a baby jack. From jen to jack. Jen-Jack. Those present made quite a joke of it. Berry must have been favorably impressed by the baby jack, as he elected to keep him and his dam, and send the rest back to Kansas.

These events were said to cause hard feelings to develop between buyer and seller. This would account for the fact that to this day Grumbein has not been willing to confirm or deny the pedigree of Jen-Jack, or for that matter his origin. I received a letter from Ms. Brigitte Lange that also makes mention of this.

While in service for Thomas Berry, Jen-Jack would sire possibly his most famous son, the big jack known as Bully Boy. Bully Boy sold in the Berry dispersal sale and was purchased by Brigitte Lange. Ms. Lange was at that time secretary of the S.J.J.R. and lived in Elk Horn, KY. Lange and Bully Boy did a great deal to promote the blood of Jen-Jack.

In regard to some questions I had concerning Jen-Jack, I received a letter from Ms. Lange dated October 9, 1987. In this letter she explained what she knew concerning Jen-Jack. I have copied this letter as I received it.

"Jen-Jack 37992 RBM SJJR. The jack Jen-Jack is presumed to have been bred by Willis Grumbein, Dodge City, Kansas. I say presumed, as Mr. Grumbein did not sell the jack to his (then) new owner Thomas E. Berry with registration documents. The jack was registered by measurements by Everett Segelke, Colorado, who purchased the Jen-Jack at the dispersal sale of the late Thomas E. Berry in 1977. It is however presumed that the jack did come from Mr. Grumbein's farm, and traces back to the General Bill and Black Spanish 16 line on the top of the pedigree and on the bottom to the imported Kaki 33877 SJJR jack, a pure Poitou jack imported by the late Thomas E. Berry in 1939.

This information is strictly hearsay as Mr. Berry died in 1977 and he did not leave proven or written documentation on the jack. Jen-Jack did in fact come from Kansas, but if Mr. Grumbein was the breeder or just the seller cannot be documented. Mr. Grumbein to this day, is unwilling to document the jack Jen-Jack's pedigree. For whatever reason we do not know. Mr. Thomas E. Berry told me (Ms. Lange) that he purchased Jen-Jack because he had imported Kaki's breeding on the dam's side. I have this information in a letter from Mr. Berry."

Ms. Lange went on to give what she believed might be a pedigree for the sire of Jen-Jack. She believed him to be sired by General Bill, or possibly a son of General Bill. There is no fact to support this pedigree.

I started to write something about Jen-Jack in 1988. At that time I contacted his present owner, Tex Taylor of Bryan, Texas. Since several years have passed, and I wasn't even sure the jack was still among the living, I decided to call Mr. Taylor again and freshen up my information. I spoke to him by phone November 4, 1995. Jen-Jack is at this point in time, alive and well. He is not being bred heavily because nearly all of Taylors black jennets are his daughters or granddaughters.

Taylor came to own Jen-Jack by being in attendance at the Segelke dispersal sale in October 1984. In his 1988 letter to me, Taylor told me he had no intentions of buying a jack when he attended the sale. It was his plan to select a few top jennets for his herd. At that time the price of $1,900 for a proven jack seemed too good to pass up. He also states, his first impression of the jack was not a good one. To start with the jack was only about 59", which was less than what Taylor had expected. He said Jen-Jack also did not have distinct white markings, but tended to be more of a gray. Taylor calls him heavy boned, large headed and a little coarse, but with a good chest, straight legs and good overall balance. He has an excellent disposition and manages to pass this on to all of his get. Taylor indicated his offspring are definitely draft in type. In the years Taylor has used the jack, he has made the observation the jack seems to sire two types of jackstock; some are very large and if so, they tend to be more coarse. His small offspring, those in the 14 hand range, tend to have more refinement. Taylor also believes Jen-Jack sires better females than males on the average. At this time Taylor is using Walter, Zel Talbert's jack on Jen-Jack daughters. Walter is said to be Catalonian breeding. This cross is producing a lot more refinement for Taylor, while maintaining the size, Taylor told me he felt the best place for Jen-Jack in a pedigree might be as the maternal grandsire.

While I asked Taylor to name the cream of Jen-Jack's get, he mentioned Bully Boy was his favorite. He also made mention of Cliff Rich's jack, Amarillo Slim. He said Peggy Reed from Arizona has a son, Finally Friday, that is said to be siring some excellent pack-type mules in that area. Don Dusart of California at one time owned Too Tall Jones, a son of Jen-Jack. He sired a number of good offspring, including the many times Bishop Champion, Rooster. The Taylors own a daughter of Jen-Jack, Bramoth Ebony that has been shown extensively in Texas, and has never been beaten in class. She has a stock trailer as well as three trophy saddles to her credit.

As I finish this story of Jen-Jack, other jacks come to mind that have had a profound influence in their area, but I am not able to think of, or recall, one that has made such an impact over the entire United States. Mr. Taylor tells me many of his sales since obtaining Jen-Jack have been to central and South America, which will only broaden his scope of influence.

After finishing the story of Jen-Jack, I received from Tex Taylor a video featuring many of his jennets and young stock, as well as his herd jacks. I enjoyed these, but I was most impressed by the footage of the jennet, Bramoth Ebony. Those of you who had already seen her, knew how good she is, I didn't. I have always felt we have some really top trail class mules here in Iowa, but I'll have to admit they are not in her league. I have never seen a donkey ride like her; her trainer is to be commended.

Mr. Taylor, I discovered, is my kindred spirit. Our basic interests are far different, in that he strives for extreme size along with quality, while my goal is to produce the best saddle-type jack. The reason I feel such a kinship for Taylor is in the fact that he has established a goal and intends to see it through. As a breed, the American Mammoth Jack is in debt to this man. He truly is combining quality with size, and even though he has some way to go, he is certainly on the right track. Tex Taylor has my admiration and respect.