Legislator Details
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married twice. First marriage on 8/11/1878 to Mary L. Demarest in Quincy. She died in December 1881; married Emma Fink of Ionia, 8/5/1885; children: 1, Vivian Elsie, born in 1887. [she became a college professor at Hillsdale College, historian, genealogist, and author.]
Number of Children: 1
Background
Education:
educated in country schools of Quincy and Butler townships until 18 years of age, when he attended the Quincy and Coldwater high schools and graduated from the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, IN.
Biographical Sketch:
Son of Newton T. and Caroline (Smith) Lyon, who moved to Michigan in 1856. The family settled on a farm in the township of Quincy. He worked at farming and carpenter work, and taught school winters until 1877, and then taught one year in a graded school. He studied law with Hon Charles Upson of Coldwater, was admitted to the bar in February, 1880, and received an appointment as clerk at the Winnebago Indian Agency, Nebraska in March-August, 1880. He then returned to Michigan and commenced the practice of law in Montcalm county in November 1880. He remained Stanton until February, 1886. He returned to Quincy due to ill health, remaining until 7/14/1891, when he moved to Hillsdale. While in Stanton, he served on the County Board of School Examiners about 3 years; in Branch County was elected Circuit Court Commissioner one term, and declined re-election; and was Village Attorney of Quincy one year. September 1898, he engaged in the mercantile business in Hillsdale. He was nominated for the Senate of 1899-1900 against his protest, and was elected. Member of the Masons and Knights Templar.
Notable Facts: