James Lyon

Birth: Aug. 31, 1755 Essex County New Jersey, USA Death: Sep. 20, 1841 Hamilton County Ohio, USA

Revolutionary War Veteran. He was a native of Essex County, New Jersey and served for the United States in the Revolutionary War. He emigrated west to Ohio and resided at the Duck Creek Farm in Hamilton County. He died from the effects of old age when he was 86 years old. He was initially buried at the Cincinnati Methodist Grounds and his grave was later removed to Spring Grove Cemetery on September 18, 1867. He was the husband of Elizabeth Williams Lyon (married April 21, 1782) and the son of Moses and Mary Harris Lyon.

314. V. 100. JAMES5 LYON [Moses4, Benjamin3, Benjamin Esq.2, Henry1] was born at Lyons Farms, N.J., Aug. 31, 1755; died at Woodburn, near Cincinnati, O., Sept. 20, 1841, "full of years." As New Jersey was the battle ground of the American revolution, and the Lyons were of democratic principles, James Lyon inevitably took up arms against King George.

A certificate of service shows that he "served as an artificer, Capt. Jeremiah Bruen's Company, Col. Jonathan Baldwin's artillery artificers Regiment, Continental army; enlisted July 7, 1777, for three years, age 23, residence Elizabeth, N.J.; discharged at Morristown, N.J., July 7, 1780; expiration of term of service —during the Revolutionary war."

James Lyon made an application for pension on Aug. 20, 1832, at which time he was 77 years of age and residing in Hamilton Co., Ohio. A pension was allowed "for three years' actual service as an artificer in the New Jersey State Troops. A part of the time he served under Captain Bruen and Colonel Baldwin" (Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.)

Two years after he left the army, James Lyon married, April 21, 1782, Elizabeth Williams of Elizabethtown, N.J. She was born May 18, 1759, a daughter of Jonathan Williams and Joanna Williams his wife.

Tradition says that Joanna Williams was a very beautiful woman, and a woman of autocratical disposition. They lived for a time in New York City, in Maiden Lane, and some of their children were born there. In 1791 James Lyon emigrated with his family to Hamilton County, Ohio and settled on Walnut Hills, in what is now a part of Cincinnati. Here he bought 1,000 acres of land of the Symmes' Purchase, at 37.5 cents an acre, and here he lived for the last fifty years of his life.

Elizabeth (Williams) Lyon died Sept. 10, 1800.

James Lyon married second, Nov. 30, 1801, Mrs. Mary Hamel, who died Nov. 4, 1813.

He then took for his third wife, Sept. 22, 1814, Mrs. Mary Williams, who was born June 22, 1763 and died Dec. 1834. She was the widow of Thomas Williams and a sister-in-law of the first wife of James Lyon. She had by her first marriage five children: Rezen, Columbus Samuel, Mary and Joanna.

James Lyon had no children by his second and third marriages.

Children of James and Elizabeth (Williams) Lyon:

• 626. I. Jonathan Williams; b. March 17, 1784 In New York City; d. Dec. 20, 1871.
• 627. II. James; b. Oct. 30, 1784; d. Jan. 6, 1865.
• 628. III. Oliver; b. Jan. 13, 1786, or 1787; d. Nov. 26, 1848.
• 629. IV. Joanna; b. Nov. 6. 1789; m. Elijah Norton; d. 1820.
• 630. V. Moses; b. Feb. 24, 1792; d. July 3, 1793.
• 631. VI. Moses; b. April 22, 1794; d. Oct. 22, 1841.
• 632. VII. Elizabeth Wllliams; b. June 14. 1797; m. Ist Lewis Huntington Lee; m. 2nd James Kelley; d. April 13, 1855.

Lyon Memorial, pp.128-131