The Comanche Chief and Pioneer Exponent, Comanche, Texas, 19 July 1918

"Uncle" Joe Neely Buried Here Monday

Uncle Joe NEELY, for fifty years a resident of Comanche county, and who passed away at his home at Hamlin, Texas, Sunday, July 14th, was buried here Monday at 5 p.m., Rev. Holland conducting the services.

Joseph Mercer NEELY was the son of Fletcher H. and Mrs. Sarah E. NEELY, and was born January 14, 1856, near Newburg, in this county. Growing to manhood under typical pioneer conditions he was married to Mary CUNNINGHAM, daughter of Capt. And Mrs. CUNNINGHAM on March 30, 1875, and for thirty-one they resided in Comanche county, moving to Texico in 1906, later moving to Hamlin where Mr. NEELY passed away after an illness of many months.

He is the second of the four children of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. NEELY to pass away, his brother, R.V. NEELY, having passed away and two sisters, Mrs. J.B. BURTON and Mrs. A.L. MILLS surviving him. Of his children who grew to man and womanhood, all are living save Mrs. Donia DUDLEY. Those living are: Mrs. Una LAKE of Mercers Gap, Mary STEVENS of Dallas, Jewell GREGG of Mineral Wells, Judge PRATER of Hamlin, Lena Belle BAKER of Ballinger, Elizabeth NEELY of Hamlin, Joe NEELY, Jr., of El Paso, and Tom NEELY of Waco.

Mr. NEELY united with the Baptist Church at Newburg in 1874 and lived a consistent member until his death.

Few more useful men have ever lived in Comanche county than Mr. NEELY. As a young man he put forth the efforts of his life to developing the country from a wilderness infested with lawless characters to an inhabitable land of plenty and as the head of a family he devoted his life to the rearing of a generation of men and women such as reflect credit upon their parents, their maker and their country.

If the supreme reward is promised for him who serves best his Creator by living a life of extreme usefulness there can be no doubt but that to that reward Mr. NEELY has gone. For his life was one filled with unselfish usefulness in the development of his country, the spreadings of the teachings of the Master by precept, and unselfish devotion to those for whom he was responsible.

On his life too much good could never be said and in his passing out our country loses one of those men who have been so essentially necessary to the welfare of mankind.

We join the great host of friends in expressing to the sorrowing relatives and dear ones our sincere sympathy.

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