Bio: Lyon, Reuben C. (1881)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lyon, Sampson, Hill, Houston

----Source: History of Northern Wis. (Wood County, Wis.) 1881, page 1209

REUBEN C. LYON, retired, Centralia, was born in Franklinville, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. He remained with his father, Jonathan H. Lyon, until about twenty-one years of age, when he took a trip West, through Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. Came home and remained about a year, then went down the Allegheny and Ohio, and up the Mississippi to Galena, Ill. After tarrying there a few months, came to Grand Rapids, Wis., arriving May 16, 1846, and has lived here ever since. Here he engaged as carpenter and millwright for about two years, then in company with A. B. Sampson, built a saw-mill in 1849 and 1850, and ran it some seven years; then sold it to T. Hurley. In 1861, bought the Whitney mill, on the Centralia side of the river, and erected the first shingle and planing mill in this place, if not on the Wis. River. Sold out the planing mill in 1880. Mr. L. was one of the incorporators of the Wis. Valley Railroad, also a member of the construction company that built it. Was married, Jan. 14, 1849, to Miss Esther J. Hill, of Illinois. Have six children — Lydia (now Mrs. I. T. Houston, of Stevens Point, Theron, Clark, Reuben, Henrietta and Russel.