John Lyon was born in Putman County, Indiana on January 25, 1834. He was the son of Stephen Lyon and Elizabeth Sarah Goodwin. His family emigrated to Buchanan County, Missouri in about 1840-1841, when John was about seven years old. John grew to manhood in Buchanan County. It appears his father died between 1846-1850.The family Bible records that "John Lyon was married to Sarah Groom March the 5th A..D.. 1857." The record of their marriage in Clinton County reads:
On the 11th day of March, 1857. John Lyons of Buchanan County, Missouri and Sarah Grooms of Clinton County, Missouri was married by me the undersigned, a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Assigned by me for record.I do hereby certify the above to be true and correct. In testimony of the same I subscribe my name
Isham Nance, L. P.
MEM. The foregoing certificate of marriage was delivered to me for record on the 1st day of April A. D. 1857.
Winslow Turner,
Recorder
Sarah was the daughter of James and Rebecca Adams Groom. She was born April 24, 1839 in Clinton County, Missouri. John and Sarah had fifteen children.
In their book, THE LIFE and TIMES of JAMES AND REBECCA GROOMS ADAMS with AN ACCOUNTING OF FAMILIES DESCENDED, Sarah and Eugene Allison wrote that "By the time the first children were reaching maturity a third house was built to accommodate a son or son-in-law and their families as there was a need." I believe John and Sarah first lived in one of the homes on the James Groom farm in 1860.
John, Sarah, and their family, moved to a farm near Stewartsville, Missouri in 1867. The children attended Long Branch School.The first twenty or thirty years after the district was formed, a Sunday School was held in the school building on Sunday afternoon. A circuit rider preacher came regularly to hold services. John and Sarah's son, Stephen Douglas Lyon taught at Long Branch. Stephen also taught at the Brown-Hill School near the home of his grandparents, James and Rebecca Groom.
John and Sarah's daughter, Mary Ellen, married Millard F. McMillan on November 2, 1881. On August 20, 1883, a daughter, Charlotte Alice (Lottie), was born to Mary Ellen and Millard. Just ten months later, on June 14, 1884, Mary Ellen died at the age of twenty-one years. John and Sarah took little Lottie into their home, and she was raised with their younger children as one of their own.
John and Sarah remained on the farm until about 1902. At this time they moved to the nearby town of Osborn, Missouri. They had a lovely frame home in Osborn, where they enjoyed their twilight years . . . John was sixty-eight years of age, Sarah, sixty-three.
Sarah died at their home in Osborn on Wednesday, November 22, 1911, aged 72 years, 7 months and 18 days. Sarah was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Osborn.
After Sarah's death, John continued to live in Osborn. When his health began to fail, he moved into the home of his daughter, Nancy Emily Sell, her husband, John, and their family. John died at Nancy's home at 12:15 A. M., on May 21, 1923, aged 89 years, 3 months and 20 days. John was laid to rest at the Evergreen Cemetery on May 24th, beside Sarah, his wife of fifty-four years.
John and Sarah lived a fulfilling life. They had fifteen children, and raised fourteen to adulthood which was remarkable for those days. Only their daughter, Nora Alma, died when a baby. They also raised their granddaughter, Lottie, from infancy. At the time of John's death, he left nine sons and 2 daughters, 30 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. John and Sarah were ever wealthy monetarily, but they "left a great inheritance" to their family and friends.
John Lyon and Sarah Groom, Descendants LYON
Back to James Groom (1810) and Rebecca Adams GROOM
Back to Stephen Lyon (1800) and Elizabeth Sarah Goodwin LYON
Fred Garfield Lyon (1881) and Ethel Lee Doherty LYON
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