Chittenden Lyon (February 22, 1787 – November 23, 1842) was an American businessman and politician from

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

. He was most notable for his service as a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from 1827 to 1833.

Biography

Chittenden Lyon was born in

Fair Haven, Vermont Fair Haven is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,736 at the 2020 census. Within the town is located the census-designated place of Fair Haven. The town is noted for its late 19th century residential and com ...

on February 22, 1787, the son of

Matthew Lyon Matthew Lyon (July 14, 1749 – August 1, 1822) was an Irish-born American printer, farmer, soldier and politician, who served as a United States representative from both Vermont and Kentucky. Lyon represented Vermont in Congress from 1797 to ...

and Beulah (Chittenden) Lyon. Beulah Lyon was the daughter of Governor

Thomas Chittenden Thomas Chittenden (January 6, 1730August 25, 1797) was an American politician from Vermont, who was a leader of the territory for nearly two decades. Chittenden was the first and third governor of the state of Vermont, serving from 1778 to 1789 ...

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. The Lyons settled in

Caldwell County, Kentucky Caldwell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,649. Its county seat is Princeton. The county was formed in 1809 from Livingston County, Kentucky and named for John Caldwell, who ...

, and after completing his education, Lyon became a successful merchant and farmer in Eddyville. He owned slaves. According to descriptions by his contemporaries, Lyon was a "giant," well over six feet tall and nearly 350 pounds. As a

Democratic-Republican The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early ...

, Lyon was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1822 to 1825. In 1826, Lyon was elected to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

as a Jacksonian. He was reelected three times, and served from March 4, 1827 to March 3, 1835. 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. 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.

Family

In 1817, Lyon married Nancy Vaughn (1796–1828). 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 Willis Benson Machen (April 10, 1810 – September 29, 1893) was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Kentucky. Early life Willis Benson Machen was born the son of Henry Ballenger Machen and Nancy Machen (née Tarrant) on April 10, 1810 in Caldw ...

Legacy

Lyon County, Kentucky Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,680. Its county seat is Eddyville. The county was formed from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854 and named for former Congressman Chitt ...

which was separated from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854, was named in his honor.

References

External links

Chittenden Lyon Letters
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Chittendon 1787 births 1842 deaths People from Fair Haven, Vermont Chittenden family American people of Irish descent Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives Kentucky state senators American slave owners People from Lyon County, Kentucky Elected officials who died without taking their seats