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Matthew Lyons Biography & Facts

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 1801, and represented Kentucky from 1803 to 1811. His tenure in Congress was tumultuous. He brawled with one Congressman, and was jailed on charges of violating the Sedition Act, winning re-election to Congress from inside his jail cell. Lyon's trial, conviction, and incarceration boosted his status among the fledgling Democratic-Republican Party as a free-speech martyr. Early life and military career Lyon attended school in Dublin, after having been born in nearby County Wicklow, Ireland. Some sources indicate that his father was executed for treason against the British government of Ireland, and Lyon worked as a boy to help support his widowed mother. He began to learn the printer and bookbinder trades in 1763, but emigrated to Connecticut as a redemptioner in 1764. To pay his debt, he worked for Jabez Bacon, a farmer and merchant in Woodbury. The debt was later purchased by merchant and farmer Hugh Hannah of Litchfield; while working for Hannah (or Hanna), Lyon continued his education through self-study when he was able. By working for wages when he was permitted, Lyon saved enough to purchase the remainder of his indenture, and he became a free man in 1768. While living in Connecticut, Lyon became acquainted with many individuals who became the first white settlers of Vermont. In 1774, Lyon moved to Wallingford, Vermont (then known as the New Hampshire Grants), where he farmed and organized a company of militia. He was an adjutant in Colonel Seth Warner's regiment in Canada in 1775, and in July 1776 was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Green Mountain Boys' regiment. He moved to Arlington, Vermont, in 1777. During the Revolutionary War, Lyon initially served under Horatio Gates in upstate New York and Vermont. In a version of the event later circulated by his political opponents, he was cashiered for cowardice and ordered to carry a wooden sword to represent his shame. In Lyon's version, he and his men were assigned to guard wheat growing in the fields near Jericho, Vermont; unhappy at not being put to good use, he asked to leave Gates' command and join the regiment commanded by Seth Warner. Lyon's conduct was vindicated by both Arthur St. Clair and James Wilkinson. Lyon subsequently joined Warner's regiment as a paymaster with the rank of captain, and served during the Battle of Bennington and other actions. After leaving Warner's Regiment following the Battle of Saratoga, Lyon continued his revolutionary activity, serving as a member of Vermont's Council of Safety, a captain in the militia (later advancing to colonel), paymaster general of the Vermont Militia, deputy secretary to Governor Thomas Chittenden, and assistant to Vermont's treasurer. Political career in Vermont Lyon served as a member from Arlington in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1779 to 1783. He founded Fair Haven, Vermont in 1783 and returned to the state House of Representatives from 1787 to 1796 as its member. In October 1785, while serving as clerk of the Vermont Court of Confiscation, Lyon was impeached by the Vermont Council of Censors for his failure to provide the state with records of the Court of Confiscation. Three days later, after an impeachment trial before both the council and the governor, Lyon was reprimanded and ordered by the court of impeachment to pay the expenses of the prosecution. It was additionally ordered by the court of impeachment that Lyon be fined 500 pounds if he failed to comply by delivering the documents. Lyon requested a new trial, and the Council obliged, again finding against him. There are no records that suggest that Lyon paid any of the fines he was ordered to, however. Lyon was elected assistant judge of Rutland County in 1786 and was elected to again serve in the state house later the following year. Lyon also built and operated various kinds of mills in Fair Haven, including a gristmill, sawmill, and paper mill, in addition to an iron foundry. In 1793, he started a printing office and published the Farmers' Library newspaper; though his son James was the nominal owner, Matthew Lyon oversaw the paper's management and supplied much of its content. The newspaper was later renamed to the Fair Haven Gazette, and was published until Lyon sold its works. In 1794, Lyon sold the printing press and other equipment for the Gazette to Reverend Samuel Williams and Judge Samuel Williams of Rutland, who used it to found the Rutland Herald. Congress Lyon was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Second and Third Congresses. He unsuccessfully contested the election of Israel Smith to the Fourth Congress. Lyon won election as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifth and Sixth Congresses (March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801); he was not a candidate for renomination in 1800. Altercation with Roger Griswold Lyon had the distinction of being one of the first two members investigated for a supposed violation of House rules when he was accused of "gross indecency" for spitting in Roger Griswold's face; Griswold was investigated for attacking Lyon in retaliation. On January 30, 1798, the House was considering whether to remove William Blount of Tennessee from office. Griswold was trying to attract Lyon's attention in order to have a dialogue on the issue, but Lyon was ignoring him on purpose, since they belonged to opposing political parties (Lyon was a Democratic-Republican and Griswold a Federalist). Griswold finally lost his temper and insulted Lyon by calling him a scoundrel, which at the time was considered profanity. Their clash escalated when Lyon declared himself willing to fight for the interest of the common man. Mockingly, Griswold asked if Lyon would be using his wooden sword, a reference to Lyon's supposed dismissal from Gates' command during the Revolution. Furious, Lyon spat tobacco juice on Griswold, earning himself the nickname "The Spitting Lyon". Lyon later apologized to the House as a whole, claiming he had not known it was in session when he confronted Griswold, and meant no breach of decorum or disrespect to the body; he also provided a written letter of apology. Not satisfied with the apology, on February 15, 1798, Griswold retaliated by attacking Lyon with a wooden cane, beating him about the head and shoulders in view of other representatives on the House floor. Lyon retreated to a fire pit and defended himself with the tongs until other Congressmen broke up the fight, with several pulling Griswold by his legs to get him to let go of Lyon. Although the committee appointed to investigate recommended censure of both Lyon and Griswold, the House as a whole rejected the motion. The issue was resolved when both Lyon and Griswold promised the House that they would keep the peace and rem.... Discover the Matthew Lyons popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Matthew Lyons books.