J. F. LYON. - J. F. Lyon, whose valuable farm of three hundred and sixty acres on section 35, Williams township, is pleasantly located not far from Barclay, has spent his entire life in the county, the place of his birth being Springfield township, and his natal day June 23, 1851. His father was Harrison Lyon and he is a brother of W. H. Lyon, who is represented elsewhere in this volume. His boyhood days were spent in this locality and the common school afforded him his education privileges. He mastered his studies through the winter months, while in the summer season he worked upon the home farm, remaining with his father until twenty-one years of age, when he started out as a farm for himself on one hundred and sixty acres of land, where he now resides. The excellent improvements found thereon, however, are his work and stand as monuments to his enterprise and thrift. The boundaries of this farm have also been extended until it now comprises three hundred and sixty acres. He has erected a large and modern residence, built in attractive style of architecture, and it constitutes one of the pleasing features of the landscape. It is heated by furnace and lighted by acetylene gas, and water works not only supply the house but also the barn with water. He has planted two orchards, the first of fourteen acres and more recently one of ten acres, which is just coming into bearing. His wheat and corn fields give promise of abundant harvests, and in his pastures are seen the good grades of stock which he feeds and fattens for the market, annually shipping about two carloads of cattle and two hundred head of hogs. He makes a specialty of the latter. In addition to his property here, Mr. Lyon owns a half interest in fifteen hundred acres in Madison Parish, Louisiana, this being a valuable cotton plantation in the Mississippi bottom, which he commenced clearing three years ago, having a sawmill plant upon the place.

On the 10th of March, 1881, in Williams township, Mr. Lyon was married to Elizabeth Oliver, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Henry Oliver, who came to Illinois from Columbus Ohio, locating in Williams township. Four children have been born of this union: Emma Belle, the wife of W. J. Hoke, a teacher of Williams township, Sangamon county; Effie May; Henry Harrison; and Mary Elizabeth.

Mr. Lyon proudly cast his first presidential vote for Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876 and has always been a Republican. He was elected and served as commissioner of highways and is now for the second term filling that office. He has long been a member of the school board and district clerk, and his efforts in behalf of the cause of education have been very effective. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen Camp, Accidental Woodmen, the Royal Neighbors, the Court of Honor, and the American Home Circle. In his farm work he has made steady progress from the time that he broke the virgin prairie with two yoke of oxen. Long since the primitive farm implements of those early days have given place to improved machinery, and as the changes have occurred Mr. Lyon has advanced along the path of progress and improvement as is indicated by his splendidly developed farm and beautiful home.