THOMAS H. LYON, a well-known citizen of North Strabane township, and one of her many prosperous agriculturists, was born September 4, 1819, in Greene county, Penn., a son of William and Elizabeth (Hathaway) Lyon, the latter of whom was a resident of Greene county. Benjamin Lyon, our subject's paternal grandfather, was a native of New Jersey, in which State the family had resided many years. He married Miss Wilcox, a lady of English descent, and seven children came to bless their union, viz.: Noah, Elizabeth, Peter, Joanna, Sarah, William and Matthias. Benjamin Lyon and his wife came to Washington county, and were among the earliest settlers, making their first home in Nottingham township, owing to the hostile incursions of the Indians. Here, surrounded by such dangers, and experiencing the many hardships incident to pioneer life, did the family clear up their primitive home, the father, in addition to clearing the land and farming, following his trade of carpenter and builder. Many of the dwellings and barns in his vicinity were of his building, and some of them are still standing. After his family had grown up Mr. Lyon moved to Greene county, where he erected a fulling- mill, which he conducted for some years, and here he and his wife died and were buried. They were members of the Baptist Church, of which he was one of the organizers in his section, and in which he held various offices. A Democrat "to the back-bone," he was a recognized leader in the party. During the Revolutionary war, he served several years under Washington, and experienced many hardships. William Lyon, father of subject, was born in Nottingham township, Washington Co., Penn., his education, which was somewhat meager, being received at the subscription schools of the locality of his birth. He was married to Elizabeth Hathaway, and the children born to them were as follows: Morgan, Thomas H., Harrison, Jackson and Louisa (wife of David Horner), Perren, William S. After some years' residence in Greene county, William Lyon moved to Washington county, where he owned Lindley's Mill and 160 acres of land. He was the chief instrument in having Lindley's Mills postoffice established. He moved to Indiana, where he remained two years, and then, on account of sickness, returned to Pennsylvania, where he and his wife passed their last days, dying at the residence of our subject, who with true filial devotion cared for them, and comforted them in their declining years. Mr. Lyon died in 1844, aged forty-nine years, his wife at the age of sixty-two years. They were members of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Lyon was an old-school Democrat. Thomas H. Lyon was reared and educated in Greene county, Penn., until twelve years old, when he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he commenced to work at regularly at the age of eighteen years, following the same until middle life, when he laid away the chisel and the plane for the plow and the harrow. He was a most industrious man, many times working half the night and all day, even occasionaly, when things were pressing, spending an entire night at his bench. He is well known in his section as a man of the strictest integrity, and unquestionable veracity. He has always been a firm Democrat, and has rendered efficient service to his party without being an office-seeker, but was township election judge and township clerk twenty years. In 1862 he was appointed postmaster at Beck's Mills, which office he held over thirty years, and which he resigned in 1891. He is an attendant of the Presbyterian Church, and has been a trustee of the same several years. He is a strict Prohibitionist, believing intemperance the greatest of curses. On March 7, 1844, Mr. Lyon was united in marriage with Jane, daughter of John McMillan, of North Strabane township, and their children were as follows: William, an extensive lumber dealer at Burlington, Iowa, and John, who died in childhood. Mrs. Lyon died September 24, 1850, and on February 26, 1852, Mr. Lyon married Lydia, daughter of John Cheeseman, one of the farmers of Peters township, and the children born to them were: George, Frank, Mary B., Lizzie and Warren. After the death of his second wife, April 5, 1868, our subject married, on February 28, 1871, Martha, daughter of Joseph Horner, of North Strabane township. She died November 25, 1872, and Mr. Lyon on May 24, 1877, married Margaret, daughter of Colbert Manes. Of the last two marriages no children were born. Mr. Lyon ranks among the leading citizens of his county.

Text taken from page 646 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by Marion L. Smith of San Diego, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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