For 50-plus years a special Western-style “bolo tie” went through the hands of several owners — and each time it was returned, it came back to Franklin “Buddy” Wyker of Urbanna, who told this story.
During the 1960s, Rosegill Farm at Urbanna was owned by Sidney Shannon Sr., who along with a World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker, co-founded Eastern Airlines. His son founded Shannon Airport in Fredericksburg in 1950 and in the 1970s created the Shannon Air Museum, housing rare aircraft from the golden age of flight.
Shannon
Mr. Shannon Sr. often wore a distinctive bolo tie. Its clasp had an elaborate design resembling the letter “S” that were his initials. (See photo.)
Ben Hurley, owner of Southside Marine Service on Urbanna Creek, had always admired Shannon’s “shoestring” necktie. Knowing this, Mrs. Shannon generously passed this necktie to Ben Hurley at the time of her husband’s death in 1970.
Hurley
Ben proudly wore this Shannon bolo tie with his wool shirts at the marina. He was not concerned by the large “S” engraved on the clasp to signify Sidney or Shannon. When Ben died his widow Mildred presented this special bolo tie to Buddy Wyker, a boater and customer at Hurley’s marina.
Wyker
Buddy occasionally wore the tie and had it on one day when he went into Marshall’s Drug Store. It just so happened that Sam Bray who had been the general manager of Rosegill Dairy Farm during Mr. Shannon’s ownership was in the drug store. He immediately noticed the bolo tie and inquired about it. Sam was surprised that it was in Buddy’s possession, since Mr. Shannon had promised it to him.
Bray
Buddy promptly removed the tie and gave it to Sam, with no strings attached. Buddy didn’t ask that if Sam should pass away before Buddy that the bolo tie be returned. However in time, the bolo tie once again came back to Buddy for the second time.
Wyker
One day, Buddy was polishing the tie’s center silver clasp when Urbanna businessman Bill Hight entered Buddy’s Fix-It Shop. Bill was immediately drawn to the shiny bolo tie. Buddy, who was about 90 years old at the time, gave it to Bill, who was about 10 years younger.
Hight
However, on Aug. 9, 2024, Bill Hight passed away. He had been injured in a tractor accident and did not recover. Bill’s family returned the bolo tie to Buddy.
Having learned of the story behind the bolo tie, Southside Sentinel reporter Tom Chillemi suggested to Buddy that Jerry Bray would be someone to consider giving it to. Jerry was a nephew of Sam Bray and had another connection to Rosegill when Shannon Sr. owned it. Jerry’s father Harry was a farmer and farmed Rosegill’s land for Mr. Shannon. In fact, Harry and his wife Phyllis lived in a smaller house on Rosegill Farm when they were first married. Jerry’s sister Sharon was born at their home at Rosegill Farm.
Bray
In the summer of 2025, Buddy, then 92 years old, handed Sidney Shannon’s bolo tie to Jerry Bray, Sam Bray’s nephew. Jerry, the sixth bolo owner, wore it to a wedding last summer where he got comments on the unusual bolo tie.
Who knows where this piece of local memorabilia will end up. Without its story, the Shannon bolo is just another accessory, most likely forgotten in a box. But with the story, it became priceless.
