WYLIE
THE CITY OF WYLIE
McKinney Gazette, December 25, 1897
A Promising South Collin
Town.
Situated
eighteen miles southeast of McKinney is the little town of Wylie - one of
the largest and best of the county towns. The population is about 800. The
business portion of the place is in the hands of a progressive set of men
and no town of its size can boast of more genuine enterprise than Wylie.
The Gulf,
Colorado and Santa Fe and Cotton Belt railroads run through the place and
each have commodious depots, with all the necessary equipment in the way of
switches, etc., to handle the large business they get.
Located in a
rich farming section, large quantities of produce is marketed there, and in
return the merchants sell a great deal of goods to the producers.
Wylie was
incorporated in 1897, with a population of about 350. The following
gentlemen composed the first set of officers for the municipality: Howard
Pickett, mayor; W. O. Phillips, marshal; T. P. Williams, H. H. Calloway, J.
H. Burns, W. T. Brown and J. B. Hill aldermen.
Wylie has four
churches - Methodist, Missionary Baptist, Primitive Baptist and Christian.
The different denominations occupy separate church buildings of modern
architecture.
The St. Paul
Catholic church is located two and one-half miles from Wylie.
Wylie has a
commodious and well arranged public school building, where one of the best
schools in the county is conducted. The school is under the able management
of Supt. Moulton, assisted by Prof. Hutchins and Miss Smythe Janes.
Wylie has three
well equipped cotton gins with corn mill attachments.
The K. of P., K
of H. and Masonic orders have strong lodges at Wylie. A lodge of the Ancient
Order of Hiberians has been organized at St. Paul.
In 1891 the
present editor of THE GAZETTE landed in Wylie with a none too heavily laden
purse. His mission was to feel the pulse of the people on the subject of a
newspaper for the town. The people received him cordially, and as a result
the Wylie Rustler was launched upon the journalistic sea. She has tided the
storms and to-day stands out in bold relief, a standing advertisement of a
thrifty and enterprising people. Yes, it was in Wylie that we "made our
start" and this place and her people will always occupy a warm corner in our
heart of hearts. In 1897 Mr. Charles W. Ridout purchased controlling
interest in the Rustler, an dis ably assisted in its management by Mr. R. M.
Yelvington, who has entire charge of the mechanical department.
Among Wylie's
most enterprising business men is A. G. McAdams. He is a dealer in lumber,
shingles, sashes, doors, blinds, paints, oils, builders' hardware, grain,
corn, cotton seed, etc. He is a native Texan, having been born in the old
town of Pilot Point in 1867; here he was reared and received his education.
Mr. McAdams took to railroading and worked for the "Katy" and Santa Fe five
years each. He was agent for the Santa Fe at Wylie for two years, and made a
most efficient agent, giving entire satisfaction to both the company and the
patrons of the road. Entering business for himself, he succeeded well, and
now enjoys a large and growing trade. He has served the city as alderman,
and made an efficient and painstaking officer. In 1887 Mr. McAdams was
united in marriage to Miss Mary Chiles of Pottsboro, Texas.
He has been
identified with the growth of Wylie, taking an active part in every move
calculated to redound to the city's good. His success in business is simply
characteristic of the man. Possessed of good judgement, ample means and
honest to a fault, energetic and liberal, he has made many friends. May he
live long and continue to prosper.
One of the
landmarks in Wylie is Dr. John F. Butler, an ex-Confederate soldier, learned
physician and a life-long democrat .Dr. Butler was born in Roane county,
Tenn., and educated at Ewing and Jefferson colleges and Clinton Seminary. At
the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in company F., No. 26, Tennessee,
under Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson. He also fought under Gens. Bragg, Hood and
Joe Johnson. By his bravery, he advanced from the ranks to a position as
colonel. He was in the battle of Fort Donelson, two at Murfreesboro,
Chicamauga, Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge. He also participated in many
others.
Dr. Butler came
to Texas in 1870 and located i Wylie in 1871. He graduated at the New
Orleans Medical college in 1871 and has practiced medicine continuously
since. He has been very successful in the practice of medicine. Dr. Butler
also conducts a drug store, at which may be found one of the largest and
best selected drug stocks in the county.
He is also very
prominent in the affairs of the community, and for ten years served the
people of Wylie as postmaster. He is a genial, whole-souled gentleman, and
THE GAZETTE is proud to number him among its friends.
Hon. John H.
Pickett of Wylie is one among her best and most influential citizens. He
served as mayor of the town, and made a most efficient officer. Mr.
Pickett's friends say, at the proper time, he will be a candidate for county
clerk of Collin county, subject, of course, to the action of the democratic
party. He is competent and reliable. If he makes the race he will have a
strong following.
Gallagher &
Neilon conduct one of the largest drug stores in the county. They carry
everything in the drug and druggists' line, and at satisfactory low prices.
There elegant stock of jewelry and fine and cheap X-mas presents can't be
beat anywhere. Give them your patronage.
When it comes to
enterprise, get-up-and-get, there is not a firm or house in Collin county
that can equal the large establishment of Housewright Co., at Wylie. They
occupy the large two-story brick - 50X125 feet on east side Main street -
and it is crowded from cellar to garrett with staple and fancy groceries,
hardware, farming implements, buggies, carriages, wagons, furniture, harness
and saddlery goods; in fact, everything generally kept in a first-class
general mercantile store, and their business amounts up in the year to
thousands upon thousands of dollars. The men who compose the firm are old
and substantial citizens - men of means, and have the confidence of the
people.
Mr. F. M. Brooks
is manager of the firm, and a better business man and citizen cannot be
found in Texas. This firm enjoys a large and increasing trade.
ON THE WING
WYLIE
Weekly Democrat Gazette, January 30,
1913
contd from Faulkner
While
here we visited the home of Joe F. Wallis, whose wife was Miss Zula Henderson.
They have two bright-faced boys both of whom are attending school. Of course the
Democrat-Gazette goes to this home as their parents before have been reading it
ever since it was first published.
Marion McDonald,
cashier of the First State Bank, parts company with two round wheels with "E
Pluribus Unum" stamped thereon for one hundred and four copies of the
Democrat-Gazette. Bankers know a good paper.
Among the early
settlers of this community is A. W. McDonald, "Uncle Mac" as he is familiarly
called by those who know him best, who came here in 1852. Has raised six boys
and one girl, the latter being the wife of H. M. Minnis. One son, Marion, is
cashier of the First State Bank of this ambitious little city on the south; A.
f. and J. W. are both prominent educators; Tom is a mechanic and blacksmith and
Leslie, the youngest, is a promising railroad man of Houston. One of the first
subscribers to the Democrat-Gazette and still reads it.
Uncle Frank Hughes
is another old-timer who settled here in December, 1869. He, too, is the proud
father of a large family of children and has been an eye witness to the
development of Collin county and of Wylie in particular. A warm personal friend
of Senator Perkins, it is quite natural that he would read the Democrat-Gazette
which has been going to him home for many years.
Dr. J. F. Butler was
the last of this trio of pioneers to locate here, setting up his wigwam in May,
1871. Boon in East Tennessee near the city of Knoxville, but just after the
close of hostilities between the North and South, he hiked to Georgia because
the Yanks of Tennessee made it mighty hot for men who hollered for Jeff Davis.
Enjoyed a large practice for many years and especially long before the town of
Wylie was ever dreamed of. Owing to advanced age and a crippled foot resulting
from an accident several years ago, his practice at this time is limited to his
office and the families of long and intimate friends. He has traveled over these
prairies when the coyotes howled and the rattlesnakes hissed; through the
bottoms of East Fork while the whippor-will sane his evening lay and the
night-owl hooted. A straight democrat, which means that all frills and furbelows
belong to women; a prohibitionist long before it was popular and supposed to be
advocated only by women and fanatics. His faith is that of a Primitive Baptist
and ordained to be that way; he couldn't help it if he tried. It was also
ordained that the doctor should be a good citizen and one of the "land marks" of
Wylie. he grows wiser each week by reading the Democrat-Gazette and we thank him
for a dollar on renewal.
Ed Neilon, one of
the city's stand bys, is a warm personal friend of Senator Perkins, and for over
twenty years has read his paper and supported him in eery campaign for office.
These old war horses are an honor to any town or community, and none are truer
in friendship or more loyal in support than Mr. Neilon. He dropped two heavy
dollar into our pocket which enabled us to pay Buckskin's board at the Staple's
hostelry and the Democrat-Gazette's freight is paid to make one hundred and four
calls. Thanks, Mr. Neilon.
Owing to rain and
bad condition of the roads our work was confined to the town, and on Wednesday
and Friday we saw very few people. In addition to those mentioned above, we add
the following names for one year each on the honor roll of our big and growing
list at Wylie: J. T. Hutchens, J. F. Askins, G. M. Wells, W. H. Rucker, W. T.
Corbitt, J. C. Ballew, H. R. Winn, John Drake, O. F. Duncan, W. H. Moore, Virgil
Christopher.
The catastrophe of
last Thursday evening was phoned into Wylie within a few minutes after the sad
occurrence. The streets were thronged with people gay with open air exercise,
laughing merrily as they greeted each other in passing. In a moment sorrow was
depicted on every face, and gloom, like a pall, had settled over the city. Men
who back in the early sixties, were inured to carnage and witnessed the ruthless
slaughter of their comrades without a tremor, bowed their heads in grief while
women wept, and tears of genuine sorrow rolled down their blanched cheeks. May
the God of mercy comfort the bereaved ones as He alone can.
D. W. Leigh
Kreymer Cemetery
New Wylie Cemetery
Wylie Cemetery
Wylie Methodist Church
Communities
Index
- Recommended citation:
"Wylie- Collin County
Communities," Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by
Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].
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