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Cora
Ellen Lyon
 HENRY MARTYN LYON FAMILY
[edited from essay dated 24 Oct 1969 and probably written by Cyril Don Lyon]
The above names are the family of Henry Martyn Lyon, youngest son of Hervey Sr. and Elizabeth Jane Lyon. Henry married the second time. His first wife was Clara Wright who died at childbirth of their third child. They were married in Clinton Co., MI. A boy and two girls were born to the couple. The boy, George, and his sister, Clara, died in their infant years. Rose Alice Lyon was born 25 Feb 1885 and died at Homstead, FL, 11 Jul 1922. She was a graduate TB nurse of Michigan Howell Sanitarium. Hervey Lyon, Sr., and his wife, Elizabeth, were born in New Jersey in or near the town then called Elizabethtown. All of the children but Henry were born in New Jersey. Henry was born in Michigan, the family having migrated there in the early 1850's. In 1890 Henry married Cora Ellen Dimon of Maple Rapids. A better mother never lived. She was a devoted Christian woman. To this union were born one girl and four boys. The girl died about one year of age. In 1906, leaving their farm in Clinton Co., they moved to Stanton where they remained till the First World War. They moved to Homestead, FL, in 1919. Henry's father was a shoemaker all of his life. His mother learned the tailoring trade while real young. For years she made all of the famiy's clothing including all of the suits for her boys and husband. As Henry grew up he became interested in setting out a peach orchard which eventually covered almost the entire farm. The peach orchard flourished during the 1890's and barely into the 1900's when it was wiped out in about 1904, when for weeks the temperature dropped to way below zero with no snow for protection for the root systems of the trees. Not one tree bloomed the next spring. The hard work of years was gone. Upon arriving at Homestead, Nov. 20, 1919, the family soon erected a home on Longview Road. It was there Mr. Lyon continued his experiments in fruits, mostly trying to introduce fruit from the northern climate. After some years, about 1924, he developed a prolific blackberry by hand pollination. Often twelve berries equalled the length of a foot rule. The berries are still grown in South Dade Co., The four sons had already formed a quartet known as "Lyon Brothers Quartet." They continued to sing together for over 45 years. Besides appearing as professionals at fairs and celebrations in the northern states, they appeared all summer in Florida Hall at the Chicago World's Fair in 1934 as special entertainment representing the Redland Chamber of Commerce of South Dade Co. On Thanksgiving Day, 1952, Irving Lyon married Mrs. Nina Hazzard of Pen Yan, NY. She died 21 Aug 1965 in Hendersonville, NC, where they were spending the summer at their mountain home. They had no children. Irving retired several years ago after having served many years as chief building inspector for the city of Homstead, FL. On 19 Nov 1966 Irving married Mrs. Betty Kelley of Los Angeles, CA. She has five sons, each holding a job or position of high rank. On 12 Feb 1938, Virgil Lyon married Ella M. Ward of Williamsburg Co., SC. She graduated from Roper Hospital of Nursing in Charleston, SC. In a few years she completed a 2-year, post graduate course at Johns-Hopkins. In 1944, by a court order, they were given custody of Mrs. Lyon's sister's two children--a boy, Ronald, and a girl, Sara Elizabeth "Betty." Ronald was born 1 Aug 1944, and Betty was born 17 Nov 1940. Ronald served three years in the U.S. Army of which one year was spent in Korea. Upon completion of service, he joined the Lansing, MI, police force. He has served 2 1/2 years with that organization. On 9 Jan 1966 Ronald married Miss Adella Schoals, daughter of Miles and Dorothy Schoals of rural DeWitt, MI. Their son is Timothy Scott Lyon, born 13 Dec 1967. A daughter, Annette Marie, was born 13 Jun 1969. On 12 Feb 1959 Betty married Lawrence "Gene" Wight of Crystal, MI. He is a water and construction engineer for the Layne Northern Co. They have offices throughout the U.S. Betty and Gene have a girl, Brenda, and two boys, Michael and Stephen. Harold Lyon spent nearly fifty years as a watch repairman in Homestead. At the young age of fifteen he was out on the road as a professional musician, making his own living. As a hobby he took up amateur radio. When the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor 7 Dec 1941 he was tuned in on another ham operator at Pearl Harbor who was never identified. The operator paused when terrific explosions were heard coming over the radio. Upon his return to the microphone he excitedly exclaimed, "It's the real thing. The Japs are over our ships and bombing them right now." In exactly 45 minutes the official announcement from Washington D.C. was made over commercial radio stations. The Pearl Harbor operator was never heard on the air again. Harold never married. Cyril Don Lyon has always been known as "Don." He owns a men's and boys' wear store in Homestead. His hobby is magic. He has appeared many times as a professional. He is a member of IBM, International Brotherhood of Magicians. He is first tenor of the quartet and a member of the choir at the First Presbyterian Church of Homestead. Don never married. ****************************************
[Note from the Clinton Co. Archives...There is a Lyon Family file and many family photos in photo album L and scrapbook #87] **************************************** |
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