Hon. James A. Lyons

LYONS, FOUTS, TAYLOR

Posted By: volunteer transcriber
Date: 3/3/2004 at 13:31:51

Hon. James A. Lyons, the member of the present house of representatives from Guthrie county, and one of the famous fifty-two who so nobly held their ground on the prohibitory bill, is a native of Morgan county, Ohio, and was born April 12, 1838. His parents, John and Amanda (Fouts) Lyons, were natives, he of Pennsylvania, and she of Ohio. In 1855 the family emigrated to Allamakee county, Iowa, where James
was engaged in farming until 1856. He then went to Leavenworth, Kansas, and was engaged as a government freighter on the plains from that city to New Mexico -- two trips. He then returned to Iowa and from there he went to the lumber regions of Wisconsin, here resideing until the war broke out, in April, 1861. In June of that year he returned to McGregor, Iowa, and enlisted in Company K, 1st Iowa cavalry. During a fight with Quantrell's Guerrillas at Montevallo, Missouri, April 14, 1862, he was wounded in the arm and shoulder, and after spending one month in the hospital at Osceola, Missouri, returned home and was soon
afterward discharged. he enlisted again in August, 1862, and in October, 1862, he was commissioned by Governor Kirkwood as second lieutenant of company A, 27th Iowa regiment, and served with that company until compelled to resign on account of his old wounds. In 1864 he located in Independence, Iowa, where he was in the photograph business one year. He then removed to La Harp, Illinois, where he was a merchant until 1868. In that year he came to Guthrie county and engaged in farming. In 1870 he engaged in the
dry goods business. He was united in marriage, August 17, 1862, to Miss Ellen A. Taylor, a native of Ohio. They have four children-- Harry H., Frank A., Jessie L., and Hibbard F. Mr. Lyons was mayor of Guthrie Center in 1882, and was elected a member of the general assembly in 1883. He is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery of Masonry and a a member of the V. A. S. and G. A. R. He and his good
wife are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. and Mrs. Lyons were so unfortunate as to lose their fourth child, Hibbard, on the 8th of August, 1884, by death.

- source: History of Guthrie and Adair Counties, Iowa; Springfield, Ill: Continental Hist. Co., 1884 - Guthrie
County Representatives
- transcribed by Bobbi Pohl