Chittenden Lyon

Chittenden Lyon (February 22, 1787 – November 23, 1842) was an American businessman and politician from Kentucky. He was most notable for his service as a United States representative from 1827 to 1833.

Chittenden Lyon
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835
Preceded byHenry Daniel
Succeeded byLinn Boyd
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 12th district
In office
March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1833
Preceded byJohn F. Henry
Succeeded byThomas A. Marshall
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Caldwell County
In office
1822–1825
Preceded byEnoch Prince
Succeeded byEnoch Prince
Personal details
Born(1787-02-22)February 22, 1787
Fair Haven, Vermont, U.S.
DiedNovember 23, 1842(1842-11-23) (aged 55)
Eddyville, Kentucky
Resting placeEddyville Cemetery, Eddyville, Kentucky
Political partyJacksonian
Spouse(s)Nancy Vaughn (m. 1817-1828, her death)
Frances (Baker) Jones (m. 1829-1842, his death)
RelationsMatthew Lyon (father)
Thomas Chittenden (grandfather)
Martin Chittenden (uncle)
Children8
OccupationMerchant
Farmer
Sign in front of the McCracken, Kentucky Courthouse (in Paducah, Kentucky) commemorating early members of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Jackson Purchase (U.S. historical region). The "First District" in the title actually changed over time. It refers to the Jackson Purchase, which was in the 5th district from 1819 to 1823, the 12th district until 1833, and then the 1st district until the end of the sign's lineage in 1855.

Biography

Chittenden Lyon was born in Fair Haven, Vermont on February 22, 1787, the son of Matthew Lyon and Beulah (Chittenden) Lyon.[1] Beulah Lyon was the daughter of Governor Thomas Chittenden and the sister of Governor Martin Chittenden. Chittenden Lyon attended the common schools of Fair Haven before the Lyon family moved to Kentucky in 1801.[1] The Lyons settled in Caldwell County, Kentucky, and after completing his education, Lyon became a successful merchant and farmer in Eddyville. He owned slaves.[2] According to descriptions by his contemporaries, Lyon was a "giant," well over six feet tall and nearly 350 pounds.[3]

As a Democratic-Republican, Lyon was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1822 to 1825.[4] In 1826, Lyon was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Jacksonian.[1] He was reelected three times, and served from March 4, 1827 to March 3, 1835.[1] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1834, and returned to his business and farming interests. Lyon died in Eddyville, on November 23, 1842 and was buried in Eddyville Cemetery.[1] In 1842, he had been elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, but he died before the start of the term and never took his seat.[5]

Family

In 1817, Lyon married Nancy Vaughn (1796–1828).[6][7] In 1829, he married Frances (Baker) Jones (1802–1866). With her first husband, Frances Lyon was the mother of Edmund W. Jones (1822–1853).

With his first wife, Lyon was the father of:

  • Mary Ann (1818–1873)
  • Margaret Aurelia (b. 1820)
  • Matthew Skinner (1823–1891)
  • Giles James Nelson (b. 1825)
  • Chittenden Patton (1827–1863)

With Frances Baker, Lyon was the father of:

  • Helen Minerva (1830–1880)
  • Loraine Elvira (1831–1840)
  • Thompson Archer (1833–1899)

Margaret Lyon was the first wife of U.S. Senator Willis Benson Machen.

Legacy

Lyon County, Kentucky which was separated from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854, was named in his honor.[8][9]

References
  1. Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. p. 587. ISBN 978-0-8131-5901-0 – via Google Books.
  2. "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, 2022-01-13, retrieved 2022-07-07
  3. Linehan, John C. (1900). "Irish Pioneers and Builders of Kentucky". The Journal of the American-Irish Historical Society. Vol. III. Boston, MA: American-Irish Historical Society. p. 82 – via Google Books.
  4. Collins, Lewis (1924). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky. Vol. II. Louisville, KY: John P. Morton Incorporated. p. 773 – via Google Books.
  5. Kentucky House of Representatives (1843). Journal of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Frankfort, KY: A. G. Hodges. p. 75 – via Google Books.
  6. "Caldwell County, Kentucky Marriage Index, 1809-1828, Entry for Chittenden Lyon and Nancy Vaughn". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com LLC. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  7. "Death Notice, Mrs. Nancy Lyon". United States Telegraph. Washington, DC. February 28, 1828. p. 1 – via GenealogyBank.com.
  8. The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp. 36.
  9. Collins, Lewis (1877). History of Kentucky. Library Reprints, Incorporated. p. 489. ISBN 9780722249208.
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