Alonzo T. Lyon (d. 1902) of Groton NY & Detroit MI
Does anyone have information on the whereabouts of Alonzo T. Lyon in the spring of 1872?Was he in New York or Michigan?
The reason I ask is that my great-grandfather Rev. Frank W. Lyons was born in Feb. 1873.He was listed on his birth record as the son of Alonzo Lyon and Nellie Wood. Nellie was listed on the birth certificate as having been born in Detroit.Alonzo Lyon was listed as a farmer, born in Ohio.I've tried for years to find an Alonzo Lyon in the area who could be my great-grandfather's father and have come up empty.
Years ago I thought I had ruled out Alonzo T. Lyon as the father because he was about 20 years older than Nellie Wood, was already married, and wasn't born in Ohio.Alonzo T. Lyon already had a son Frank W. Lyon born around 1863.I thought it was unlikely Alonzo T. Lyon could be the father--until I finally managed to find Nellie Wood's relatives.I now think it's worth taking a second look at Alonzo T. Lyon as my possible great-great-grandfather.
According to family tradition, Rev. Frank Lyons was adopted by a relative.He shows up in the 1880 census as Frank Lyons, adopted son of George and Ida Wood.George Edward Wood was the son of Rev. Alonzo Wood of Chesaning, MI and Groton, NY.Rev. Alonzo's first cousin was Nancy Thomas Pennoyer, wife of a George Pennoyer. The wife of Alonzo T. Lyon was Caroline Pennoyer.I don't know if the two Pennoyer families are related, but Caroline Pennoyer Lyon had a brother George Howland Penoyer/Pennoyer.She also had a brother-in-law Rev. William N. Burr.Caroline was the daughter of Rev. Justus Powers Pennoyer who founded the Methodist Episcopal Church in Groton, NY.
Rev. Alonzo Wood was also a Methodist Episcopal minister in Groton, NY.I see in the "History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins, and Schuyler Counties, New York..." that the ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Groton Village include W.N. Cobb, A. Wood, and W.N. Burr.I think it's likely that the A. Wood is my relative Rev. Alonzo Wood, that W.N. Cobb is Alonzo Wood's cousin Rev. William Newell Cobb, and that W.N. Burr is the brother-in-law of Alonzo T. Lyon.
In 1872 Alonzo T. Lyon was the editor of the Groton Journal, which he purchased with his father-in-law Rev. Justus Powers Pennoyer. I'm trying to figure out if Alonzo Lyon could've visisted Chesaning, MI in 1872 or if Nellie Wood could've visited Groton, NY that year.
According to the Yates County Chronicle, Alonzo was the son of Benjamin Lyon and Phebe Deuel.Phebe's father Tristram Deuel was a revolutionary war soldier.