Capt. Lyon, as heretofore stated, reared three sons and one daughter. These children played, worked, attended school and church, moved in society and business as friends, equals and companions with those of the Glazeners, Galloways, Whitmires, Aikens, etc. They with their contemporaries have passed away. The names of the latter are repeated in the doings of the present day; but the former as good by nature and practice as they have ceased to be called, but the footprints they left cannot be obliterated for the reason the name should not be entirely forgotten. Some of our neighbors has as much Lyon blood in their veins as that of the names they bear.
Only two members of this family remained, reared families, spent their whole life and died in this county. William Leander married Matilda Nicholson and settled on the old homestead of his father. Quite a number of children were born of this union. He not only inherited the old homestead but also the trade and business of his father. In the noonday of life, when cheered by prospects of a comfortable living and a happy home, he was bereaved by the death of his wife. He remained a widower several years before marrying Elizabeth Nicholson, a sister of his first wife. He lost two sons—Henry and Milford—in the Confederate army.
James Clifford Lyon married Matilda Glazener, daughter of Giles Glazener. He bought the lands of Allen Erwin which embraced a large part of the present North Brevard and spent his entire life on this farm. Like his brother Leander, in the midst of prosperity and about the same period of life, lost by death his wife and afterwards married Miss McKey. He also lost a son—Albert—in the war; but saddest of all he lost two children which were drowned in the French Broad River.
Fortunate for the county then and now these two brothers withstood the Western Emigration fever, which meant in those days moving to Georgia, that swept away their brother Henry and many contemporaries, but being immune, they became fixtures of the soil. Both these gentlemen were good citizens—quiet, law abiding, industrious, frugal enterprising, temperate, contributing of their means and influence to schools, churches and enterprises looking to the betterment of society, notwithstanding the adversion of Dr. Price et al. Their quiet, even tempered, discreet habits contributed to longevity and as ripe sheaves of grain well fruited, were brought to the garner in the late evening. Leander died about 1887, a chaste upright member of the Baptist church; Clifford followed soon after, an equally consistent Presbyterian.
Leander Lyon religiously was a remarkable man and for this reason deserves special mention. He was far in advance of his brethren in spiritual attainments. By common consent he was regarded a converted man, “an epistle known and ready by all men.” He was modest, humble, rather retiring and deaf to the encomiums heaped upon him by his admirers. As Barnabus he “was full of the Holy ghost and of faith,” making no pretentions as some of a later date, to sanctification, holiness or sinlessness. He read the Bible and held family prayer daily to the end. HIs religion thus renewed day by day regulated his home, permeated his church, illuminated his community, but his life was a preacher ordained of Heaven, and brought forth much fruit. For a long stretch of years he was superintendent of the Sunday school and a leader in the weekly prayer meeting. It is said that he never missed by one appointment of either. It is said also that in these meetings his Bible teachings and earnest appeals coupled with the songs of his son-in-law, Turner Batson, resulted not infrequently in conversions. He told the old story in his own way without special training; the witness within encompassed the truth, and boys and girls, stalwart men and women, believed and accepted salvation and that in Sunday school.
Mr. Lyon was converted at Boiling Spring on Shaws Creek near the present Hendersonville. Like Isaian, he knew when and where he first met the Lord. These were annual summer gatherings of the churches given wholly to devotion and evangelism. Many of our fathers dated the beginning of their Christian lives to the power of these meetings. I think Eli Galloway was another convert and about the same time. His piety was never doubtful. They seem to be the two sent forth in their generation to witness the possibility and sublimity of holy lives. In those days to speak of the one suggested the name of the other. Their lives, work and influence seemed to be inseparable. The going forth by twos, you remember, was an apostolic plan and was eminently exemplified by these two in their generation. Where do we find the two of the present? Have their mantles fallen upon none?
From The Brevard News, July 29, 1921
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