Stephenville Empire Tribune
February 6, 1948

 

Death Takes Two Erath Pioneers by Rufus F. Higgs

Two Erath county pioneers, both prominent in their respective fields of activities, died the past week. A. K. (Bud) Wylie was buried at Exray Wednesday of last week while services for Prof. Harry J. McIIhany were held here Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Wylie was a typical stock man and in that endeavor he was unwavering in the law of the Old West. what Bud Wylie promised he would do: he never sacrificed any principal and was at all times found on the side of the right. His holdings were located north of the present village of Huckabay, on Barton Creek, where he lived most of his life.
Prof. McIIhany was of a different type but just as strong in his character and belief in right living. For may years he had made his home in Marlin where he was associated with the public schools until his health failed a few years ago.

He died in that city, Thursday of last week.

 

----------

 

WYLIE FROM PIONEER FAMILY

Funeral services for Mr. Wylie were held at the Trewitt Chapel Wednesday afternoon of last week, following his death January 26 th. Rev. L. E. Barrett officiated. burial was at Exray cemetery that afternoon where brief graveside services were conducted.
Born at Thorp Spring in 1868, Mr. Wylie came to Erath county; when a small child. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. J. N. M. Wylie, large land owners in Hood; Erath, Taylor, Runnels, and other Texas counties. The Barton Creek ranch of Mr. Wylie was a part of the property that was at one time owned by Wylie Bros., his forbears. He never left that part of the county, living a quiet life on land that he loved. Exray was in the early days known as Wylieville where the family had an active part in all the affairs of that community.
In 1890, he married to Miss Louella Fulfer. They were the parents of thirteen children and ten of them survive. Mrs. Wylie died in 1944. The children are John, Dick, Pink, Victor and Cage, all of Stephenville; Buddie Cotton, Calif; Kelsey, Dallas; Henry, Hobbs, New Mexico; Mrs. Elizabeth Cates, Stephenville and Mrs. Jewell Miller, Ranger. There are also 19 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild and two sister, Mrs. Pearl Cage, Stephenville, and Mrs. Mollie Abernathy, Lubbock.
After news of Mr. Wylie's death was received on the streets of Stephenville the frequent remarks among his friends was that "no better man ever lived than Bud Wylie." That same feeling was expressed by friends and neighbors in the Exray country where he lived so long.