Document Type

Book

Publication Date

1886

Keywords

minister, urban ministry, Church of the Brethren, Washington D.C., German Baptist Brethren, Progressive Brethren, autobiography, invalid, Bridgewater College, family life

Abstract

William Marcellus Lyon diaries (1889 - 1918), letters (1923) and autobiographical materials transcribed and indexed by Margaret "Betty" Lyon Fox.

Comments

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

William Marcellus Lyon (1859 - 1925) was born on August 30, 1859 in Hardy County, Virginia (now Grant County, WV). Lyon taught public school circa 1876 - 1886. He was elected to ministry of the German Baptist Brethren at the Greenland, WV congregation in 1882 and installed by Levi Garber. He attended Virginia Normal School (now Bridgewater College (Bridgewater, Va)) in 1885. He then taught at Union Bridge, Maryland for a short time in 1886. Lyon wed Fannie Stoner on November 2, 1886. He operated a grocery store in Union Bridge from 1890 - 1891. He was also working as an agent for fertilizer and fruit tree sales. In May 1891 he graduated from the Business Course at Bridgewater College. Fannie Stoner Lyon was also enrolled as a student at Bridgewater College at that time. In 1892 Lyon had a business selling bed-springs on which he held a patent. On October 4, 1892, Lyon and his family moved to Washington D. C. to start ministry there. He had been called to pastor the urban mission congregation there, which was sponsored by the Brethren's General Church Erection and Missionary Committee. On March 1, 1896, the Washington D. C. congregation led by Lyon voted to operate independently of the German Baptist Brethren. In August 1896 the mission became affiliated with the Progressive Brethren. Lyon was instrumental in establishing and growing the Brethren denomination in Washington D. C. In addition, he was a minister in Sergeantsville (NJ) in 1903, Buckeye City (Danville, OH) in 1908- 1909, and Middlebranch and Louisville (OH) in 1909 - 1910, before returning to the pastorate in Washington D.C. in October 1910. On January 25, 1917, Lyon visited the White House to talk with President Woodrow Wilson about the Brethren peace position for World War I. In the spring and early summer of 1923, Lyon was a patient at Dr. Pierce's Invalid Hotel in Buffalo (NY). He underwent an operation while there. Lyon passed away in Washington D.C. on May 28, 1925.

PRIMARY SOURCES:

17 handwritten diaries belonging to William Marcellus Lyon, circa 1881, 1889- 1925. The diaries range in date from circa 1881 (when purchased but no narrative) to 1886 - 1918. They were later numbered with numbers and descriptive labels by date applied to the covers. In addition, there is an 18th diary that is not numbered. It runs from April 20, 1889 to September 11, 1890 and overlaps the content in Diaries 3 and 4.

Letters and postcards written by Lyon from Dr. Pierce's Invalids Hotel (Buffalo, NY) and diary material from that time, June 1923.

DONORS:

Cheryl Lyon

Carol Fox Thorne

Allen Fox

David Fox

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