Joseph Emmanuel Lyon (1754 - aft. 1830)

Born 13 Feb 1754 in England

Husband of Mary Ann (Marchbanks) Lyon — married 1785 in Laurens, South Carolina

Descendants

Died after 1830 after age 75 in DeKalb, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Joseph Lyon was born in England.

When Joseph Emanuel Lyon was born on February 13, 1754, his father, George, was 21 and his mother, Elizabeth (?), was 19.

Joseph E Lyon came to America as a British soldier and switched sides after being captured. He lost an arm in the Battle of Cowpens, SC, fighting for the Colonies. He married Mary Ann Marchbank(s) around 1785, likely in Laurens, South Carolina. The state of SC did not require county marriage records until many decades into the 19th century, so some specific details are not available unless listed in other sources.

The Lyon family had several children during their marriage. According to the prevalent family story, he died around 1820 at the family farm in Dekalb County, Georgia (in what is now the Lithonia area), having lived a long life of 76 years, and was buried there. But, the 1830 census of Laurens County, SC appears to show him listed as a resident there, his earlier residence. It is possible that he traveled between the 2 locations. Or, the family story could have missed a few details that were available from actual courthouse records.

Private Joseph Lyon served with Ninety-Six District Regiment, South Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Joseph Lyon is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A072790.

His military story during the Revolutionary War is that he came to America as a British soldier, and after being captured, switched sides and fought the remainder of the war for the Colonists' side. At the Battle of Cowpens, in upstate South Carolina, he was wounded and supposedly was left for dead. Then, some locals cared for him as he recovered. But, he lost one arm as a result. The story is that he was a jeweler prior to the war (in England), but due to his injury became a teacher in South Carolina after the war.

Many years after the war, the Lyon house was built in Dekalb County, GA, and his son George Lyon lived there for many years. Lyon family members owned the property for almost 200 years, with Dekalb County acquiring the property after 2000. The original part of the house is considered the oldest existing house in Dekalb County. Joseph's son Emanuel Lyon left Laurens, SC after the 1830 census, settling in NW Georgia near what is now Cedartown, Polk County. Later in life, he became the Sheriff of nearby Floyd County, an office he held for a number of years.

MILITARY, Revolutionary War:^[1]

Name Joseph Lyon

Military Date 1 Dec 1777

State or Army Served Continental Troops

Regiment Morgan's Regiment

Rank Private

Sources

1. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 22 Feb 2024), "Record of Joseph Emanuel Lyon", Ancestor # A072790.

• Revolutionary War Soldiers for NC and SC, Data provided by the website Carolana.
• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/47399438/person/6789685550/facts

• 1790 United States Federal Census

• 1800 United States Federal Census

• 1810 United States Federal Census

• 1820 United States Federal Census

• 1830 Census, Laurens Co, SC (might have gone back and forth to Dekalb Co, GA); age on this census is one age bracket off, but his son Emanuel Lyon was also living next door).

• Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots; Volume: 3; Serial: 12356; Volume: 9

• U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783

• U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006

• U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1800

• https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/alabama-fever-dna-project/about
• family history