Iowa
Old Press
The Evening Courier and Reporter
Waterloo, Black Hawk co. Iowa
Saturday, April 8, 1922
Lyon Family of Fourteen Children All Taught School in
Early Day
One of the remarkable families that settled in Black Hawk county
in an early day was that of Mr. and Mrs. E.B Lyon. They located
on a farm near La Porte City in 1858. One of the 10 sons, Edwin
H. Lyon, visited his family here at 637 Third avenue west a few
days ago. He is C.W. Lyon, who lives on a farm a few miles north
of Cedar Falls.
Harriet Sisson and E.B. Lyon were married at Prairie du Chien,
Wis., in 1842. They settled among the Indians and wild animals
near Guttenberg, in Clayton county, Ia., in 1843.
Here are some of the outstanding features of the family: Of the
14 children, 10 boys and four girls, all grew to adult life but
one, and all taught school. In the early days the parents hired a
teacher for two years to conduct classes in the home. The
enrollment was 14 and the attendance was 15 - a 100 per cent
record. The teacher in this home had a larger average attendance,
representing all grades, than most teachers had in the crude
rural school houses. It was less inconvenient to bring the
teacher to the children than to send the pupils to the teacher.
At one time four of the sons taught school at the same time in
Cedar township, in this county. They were located two miles
apart, and residents of the district called in "Lyon
Square."
President Roosevelt, hearing of the family and rejoicing over the
fact that all had been generously educated, wrote a letter of
congratulation to Mrs. Lyon. He declared she had performed a
great service for her country and for mankind. This letter was
treasured more highly by Mrs. Lyon than any other possession
outside of her "jewels" - her children.
Leslie M. Shaw, who served as secretary of the treasury in
President Rosevelt's administration, while working his way thru
Cornell college at Mt. Vernon, spent a week at the Lyon home in
this county. He was selling nursery stock. When sales lagged he
went into the harvest field and helped to bind wheat and oats. It
was he who many years later called Col. Roosevelt's attention to
the family and its achievements.
Mrs. Lyon was the last survivor of the 30 families in Will
county, Ill., who, on the outbreak of the Black Hawk war, sought
protection within the stockade of Fort Dearborn, original site of
Chicago. She died here a few years ago.
The youngest son, Rev. Milford H. Lyon, is a famous evangelist
who lives next door to Billy Sunday at Winona Lake, Ind. He was
brilliant as a boy, graduating from La Porte City high school at
age 13 years of age. Later he completed a course in the State
University of Iowa. For two years he was president of Ellsworth
college, at Iowa Falls. He became pastor of a Congregational
church at Harvey, Ill., but for many years past he has devoted
all his time to evangelistic work, visiting the larger cities
from coast to coast. Harold C. Clase, evangelistic singer and
song leader, was with him several seasons.
Charles W. Lyon, now living near Cedar Falls, was president of
Ellsworth college for 12 years.
Mrs. Lyon's father was Capt. Holden Sisson, who fought in the war
of 1812. He was one of the first commissioners of Chicago. In the
'30's he grappled with the problems of the wild frontier in
Illinios. He knew Indians and wild game like a book.
All the 14 children of this remarkable couple were born in Iowa.
Edwin H., the eldest living, is in his seventy-fifth year. There
were two sets of twins - one set girls and one set boys. The
children were:
Clara, wife of Albert Dickinson; William Penn Lyon; Edwin H. and
Edmund, the latter dead; Andrew J. Lyon, in the real estate
business at Independence, Ia.; Charles W., on a farm near Cedar
Falls; George M., a lawyer at Marshalltown; Lucy Bravender,
Marshall, Minn.; Frank Lyon, in the real estate business at Los
Angeles, Cal.; Lewis, who died at Humboldt, Ia.; Dr. Wallace
Lyon, a dentist in Chicago; Harriet and May, twins; Rev. Milford
H. Lyon. Harriet married Dr. Burke, Iowa Falls. She is dead. May,
a teacher and lecturer, died at Humboldt, Ia.
Records in the office of H.C. Moeller, county superintendent -
records that have grown dim with age - throw some interesting
rays of light upon the children of Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Lyon. It was
there that the children came into public prominence as teachers.
The pages are strewn with the name "Lyon." The first
record is that of E.C. Lyon, who was granted a first grade
certificate Nov. 14, 1870. Edwin H. Lyon obtained his first grade
certificate Nov. 8, 1871; George M. Lyon obtained his on March
22, 1873; Lucy Lyon obtained hers March 28, 1874; A.J. Lyon
obtained his April 29, 1876; F.W. Lyon obtained his April 6,
1877, and Lewis L. Lyon obtained his Oct. 30, 1880.
It is a matter worthy of record that nearly all the brothers and
sisters taught on first grade certificates.
Miss Bonnelle Lyon, a daughter of E.H. and a granddaughter of
E.B. Lyon, is a teacher in the public schools here. She and her
sister, Mrs. Burgess, live with their mother in the J.H. Goodrich
residence on Third avenue west. Mr. Lyon visits here every few
days, but his health os better when he is in the open country, on
a farm. Mrs. Lyon recently moved here to be with her daughters.
In the E.H. Lyon family are five children. Besides the two
daughters named in the foregoing paragraph there are three sons:
Clifton, who recently was assigned to Waterloo as manager of
Jewel Tea company; William B., manager for the same company at
Madison, Wis., and Curtis, living at Oelwein, Ia.
[transcribed by S.F., August 2009]