Kentuckian Edgar Rye arrived in the frontier town of Fort Griffin, Texas in 1876 at the age of 28. A man of many talents, Rye had previously gained some experience in the newspaper business up north. Settling into his new Texas home, he went to work for newspaper editor George W. Robson, who published the local Fort Griffin Echo. Robson was a strongly opinionated journalist himself, and their future rivalry had its roots in this early collaboration. In 1879 Rye broke out on his own and founded his own newspaper, called the Tomahawk.
In addition to all of his newspaper work, Rye also practiced law. He was actively involved in the community and served as a Justice of the Peace and later became County Attorney. Additionally, using his cartoon woodcuts Rye acted as a town booster and regularly advocated for the construction of a new limestone courthouse in Albany. Later, after construction began in 1883, Rye was asked to serve as building superintendent and then foreman of the project.
After leaving Albany, Rye continued to contribute articles and editorials for a variety of newspapers across the country. Eventually, some of those writings and memoirs were incorporated into his fictional novel The Quirt and the Spur, which was published in 1909. By 1917 he was in California, with hopes of breaking into the film industry by writing scripts for Westerns. Edgar Rye died on June 6, 1920, in Hollywood, California, and was buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Edgar Rye woodcut print, possible self portrait
Molly Sauder, Archivist/Librarian