Maple Creek Cattle Company

Following Michael Oxarat’s death, his ranch was purchased by a syndicate organized by Joe Wylie. With the assistance of his brother and friends in England, he organized the Maple Creek Cattle Company. Before taking control of the Oxarat Ranch, Wylie had worked on a number of area ranches and farms. In 1888 he began working on the Kincorth Farm ten miles west of Maple Creek where he served as manager. It was one of a series of farms established by Sir John Lester Kaye. With the failure of the Kaye farms, Wylie worked on the ranch of Henry Fauquier, also located in the Maple Creek area. Following his acquisition of the Oxarat Ranch, Joe Wylie began building a herd of horses which eventually increased to 1,700 and the existing herd of cattle was increased to 1,500. The Maple Creek Cattle Company also continued to use Oxarat Creek as its water supply receiving License One on that stream on January 28, 1905. In 1916 Wylie purchased the shares of his business associates and renamed the ranch the Lazy Double D. He was also involved in a number of community activities in addition to his role as an area rancher. One of his many community activities was serving as a member of the Saskatchewan Legislature from 1905 to 1917.