Hamp Collett of Spur was nominated for mention in the Chuck Wagon Gossip Column as an outstanding wagon cook. According to the information furnished. Hamp Collett bagan cooking for the Old Spur Ranch wagon when the ranch consisted of 400,000 acres of land. When the ranch and the cattle were purchased by the Swenson Interest they were sold to W.J. Lewis and a big portion of the land was leased to him. Collett was sold along with the other property. He cooked for Lewis a while and then began work for himself.The late Frank Hastings was the manager of the Swenson Land and Cattle interest, he struck Collett in Spur one day and hired him to cook for the wagon, then run by the late Joe Ericson, who was affectionately knowsn as "Judge". Ericson and Collett had a perfect understanding, and Hastings insisted they always pick out the best beef in the herd when they went to kill one. However, he guessed it was alright, as he never found a tough piece of steak or roast at Collett's wagon. Steaks were his speciality, sizzling hot and brown, and when he yelled come and get it, his boys took him at his word. He was exceptionally good natured, and some of the boys nicknamed him Camp colic. He was the son of Lum Collett who lived in Crosby county in the early days.
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
Funeral services for James Hamilton "Hamp" Collett, 73, were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon in the First Methodist Church. Rev. Cal Wright officiated. Interment was in the Spur Cemetery with Robert's Funeral Home, Clovis, in charge.Mr. Collett died at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Memorial Hospital, Clovis. He lived for many years on the S.M. Swenson ranch in Dickens County and then for 13 years on the Bell Ranch north of Tucumcari, NM. He was born in Hamilton Co, TX August 6, 1883,
Survivors are three daughters, Edna Smith, Clovis; Mrs. Estelle Thomason and Nell Luker, Dallas; one son, Morris, Ft. Worth, five grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, three brothers: Gus, Lubbock; Fred, Hereford; Sidney, Hobbs and 4 sisters including Mrs. Cal Martin of Spur.
©The Texas Spur, August 1, 1957
From the records of Lillian Grace Nay, Spur Museum, transcribed by Becky Hodges, August 13, 2004
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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