Samuel Lyon (abt. 1706 - abt. 1807)

Born about 1706 in Anne Arundel, Maryland

Husband of Susan (Jackson) Lyon — married 1750 in Georgetown, Beaver, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 1807 at about age 101 in Georgetown, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Samuel Lyon was a centenarian, living to age 101.

His father, Samuel Lyon, came from England to Philadelphia when there were but three cabins on the site, and settled in the vicinity, had a family of two or three children when he came. After a time moved to Maryland and it is believed died there. ^[1]

The family moved to Red Stone Block House, Fayette County, Penn. about 1780. Jacob, Samuel, Abraham and their father left Red Stone about 1795 and moved to George Town, Penn. near Pittsburgh where the father, Abraham and Jacob re-married.

Information from Yvonne Jones and Barbara Lyon Harrison: Samuel II was born 1706/7, probably in Maryland or Virginia. He married twice, and one of his wives was named Susan or Susanna. His second wife apparently died between 1790 and 1800, as she is missing from tax records by that time.

His child for whom we can record the earliest birth date is Samuel III, born about 1748. the child for whom we can record the latest birth date is Nancy, born 1785. There are 37 years between these two events. The age of Samuel at the last birth would have been about 79 years.

Samuel II may have lived his early life in Maryland, possibly in Frederick County (Hoard, p. 19). In June, 1769, he and his son Samuel III purchased large amounts of land in North Union Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania (then Cumberland County). His 315 acres were known as "Pretention and Contention." (Although the British colonists were in the area earlier, the French held land that included this county from 1755-1758).

The land Samuel bought had been owned by Christopher Gist, who acted as land agent from the Ohio Company, and who accompanied George Washington as his guide to the French posts on the Allegheny River. When Gist retired and went east, he left his son, Thomas Gist, and his son-in-law, William Cromwell, in charge. Cromwell claimed lands "in the forks of the roads to Ft. [...] and Redstone, assenting it a gift to his wife from her father and a settlement thereof in 1753." Cromwell sold this land to Samuel Lyon II. Thereafter, a long legal controversy of ownership developed between Thomas Gist and Samuel Lyon with Gist eventually prevailing.

At any rate, the Lyons lived in the vicinity of Redstone Blockhouse (later Brownville, PA), about 1780 (Mitchell, p.4).

In January, 1779, Samuel took the Oath of Allegiance to Pennsylvania. In December, 1783, Samuel was listed as a member of the Grant Inquest of the first term of the Court of Quarter Sessions and Common Pleas for Fayette County, held in the Union town school house on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

In 1785, Samuel was listed among Franklin Township, Fayette County, taxpayers. He owned one slave, no land, three horses, two cows.

The tax receipts for Fayette County, in 1786, list Samuel Lyon, Jacob Lyon and Humphrey Lyon(single man).

In 1790, under 'Heads of Family, Samuel is listed in Union Township, Fayette County, with two males over 16 (Samuel II and son, Jonathan), one male under 16 (son, Abraham), three females (the mother and daughters, Sarah and Nancy), and one slave (Peet). Jacob is married and has his own family unit. John, Samuel III, Noah, Daniel and Humphrey are all in Kentucky.

On April 26, 1792, Samuel sold to John Jackson for the sum of 65 pounds a mulatto named Peet for a twelve year period, at the end of which time the slave was to be set free. On December 18, 1798, he recorded the instrument of sale with the court "that it may be available in law." ^[2]

Samuel II died in 1807, aged 101 years. He was twice married, had 22 children, eleven children by each wife.

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Sources

1. ↑ Lyon Family History by Laura Jessie Shay Lyon
2. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:SYQ2-VHL

• "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKJ-5JX : accessed 29 November 2019), Samuel Lyon, Union, Fayette, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 14, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 8; FHL microfilm 568,148.

• "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRW-P4B : accessed 29 November 2019), Samuel Lyon, Second Moon, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 183, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 36; FHL microfilm 363,339.

• The Descendants of Samuel Lyon (the Centenarian) in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Kentucky, pg 10

• History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, publisher L. H. Everts & Company, Philadelphia, 1882.

• https://www.legacytree.com/wp-content/uploads/TR12224.CLIENTButlerLyons1507.Report.pdf

• Lyon memorial