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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in Lyon County, Iowa.
Lyon County is named in honor of Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, who served in the Mexican–American War and the Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri, on August 10, 1861, after which the county was named for him. The county's name was originally Buncombe County, but was changed by the state legislature on September 11, 1862.
The land that makes up Lyon County was ceded to the federal government by the Sioux through a treaty signed on July 23, 1851.
The first non-indigenous resident to live in Lyon County was Daniel McLaren, known as "Uncle Dan". He lived near the Sioux River for a short time, spending his time hunting and trapping. He moved out of the county early in its settlement to stake a claim further west. The second settler in the area was known as "Old Tom", a hunter and trapper who lived briefly near present-day Rock Rapids. While setting his traps, Old Tom was killed by the Sioux.
In 1862–1863, a group of men from the east coast spent time in the county on a hunting trip. They were: Roy McGregor, George Clark and Thomas Lockhart. During the winter, Lockhart and McGregor were hunting elk along the Little Rock creek and encountered a group of Sioux tribespeople. Lockhart was killed by an arrow, but McGregor was able to escape and rejoin Clark. The two continued to hunt and trap until March 1863. During a spring flood, Clark was drowned and McGregor decided to move back east.
Adjacent Counties
- Lincoln County, South Dakota
- Sioux County
- Minnehaha County, South Dakota
- Osceola County
- Nobles County, Minnesota
- Rock County, Minnesota
Cities, Townships & Communities
Allison | Alvord | Beloit | Centennial | Cleveland | Dale | Doon | Edna | Elgin | Garfield | George | Granite | Inwood | Klondike | Larchwood | Lester | Liberal | Little Rock | Logan | Lyon | Midland | Richland | Riverside | Rock | Rock Rapids (County Seat) | Sioux | Wheeler
Cemeteries
Links
Digital Archives of the Rock Rapids Public Library
