John Wesley Boyett, 66, died suddenly last Saturday at his home eight miles north of Winnfield. Funeral services were conducted Monday at the Welcome Home Church near Hudson with Rev. J. H. Cockerham and Rev. Rufus Kitchenham, Baptist ministers in charge. Interment was in the Welcome Home Cemetery.

Mr. Boyett was a lifelong resident of Winn Parish and for many years he was a civic and business leader in the parish. Near the turn of the century he was an active leader in the Farmers' Union movement and for several years he was the state secretary of the organization. Later he became engaged in the mercantile and other business enterprises. A few years ago his health failed him and he retired to his farm in the Hudson Community.

The deceased was a member of the Boyett-James family which is one of the oldest pioneer families of Winn Parish, whose annual reunion each year brings together more than 1,000 relatives. State Senator John James, Columbia, is a first cousin of Mr. Boyett.

Immediate surviving members of his family are one son, J. H. Boyett, Ferriday; one daughter, Miss Wanda Boyett, Winnfield; a brother, Horace L. Boyett, Winnfield; and three sisters, Mrs. Minerva McKaskle, Mrs. Crockett Sanders, Winnfield, and Mrs. D. F. Moore, Florida.

A very strange coincidence occurred in connection with the death of John Wesley Boyett of Winnfield. The Shreveport papers last Saturday announced the death of John Wesley Boyett of Shreveport. At first, friends thought that was the Winnfield John Wesley Boyett but upon investigation found that it was not. Sunday the friends of the Winnfield Wesley Boyett were shocked to learn that he had suddenly died also. It is indeed strange that these two men with identical names should die almost at the same time.

Published in The Winn Parish Enterprise, July 25, 1941