Tehama-El Dorado-Amador County CA Archives Biographies.....Lyon, Darwin B. 1836 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2007, 10:14 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) DARWIN B. LYON was born in Orleans County, New York, March 17, 1836. His parents, John M. and Charlotte (Cramer) Lyon, were both natives of New York, the former of Scotch ancestry and the latter of (Dutch. Darwin B. was the oldest of their three children. When he was five years old the family removed to Michigan and settled on a farm near Jackson. Soon after this the father died. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Michigan, and, in 1853, at the age of seventeen, came across the plains to California. A part of the way he drove cattle. He met a party on the plains with whom he came to the Golden State, first going to El Dorado County. In that and in Amador County he engaged in mining until the fall of 1859, meeting with a miner's luck, making and losing money. He engaged with others in fluming the American River. It was a great enterprise and the first of the kind, the lumber for the work being let down the mountain with ropes, the cost being $300 per thousand feet for the lumber. They completed the work, and had it not been for the heavy rains it would have made them all rich; but it was carried away by the flood, and an immense amount of labor and expense was lost. From there Mr. Lyon went to Jackson, Amador County, and engaged in the express business with Freeman & Co. He also acted as agent for the Alto Telegraph Company, learned telegraphy, and remained there a year and a half. In September, 1859, he came to Red Bluff, where he was similarly employed until 1867. He then resigned his position and became book-keeper for the old Antelope Ranch and Mill Company. The following fall he went to Chico, in the employ of General Bidwell, and held that position until after Mr. Cone had bought the Antelope property, when he returned there, remaining one year. Next, he went to Austin for the Western Union Telegraph Company and for Wells, Fargo & Company, going from there to Tehama, where he held the position until the railroad was built to Red Bluff. In January, 1871, Mr. Lyon purchased the Red Bluff Hotel, in partnership with Dr. Olendorf, and conducted it until 1874, at the same time being agent for Wells, Fargo & Company. In that year he sold out and accepted the position of cashier of the Tehama County Bank. A year later he resigned, and for four months tried his luck in the mines of Shasta County. At that time the Sierra Lumber Company was organized, with Mr. Hayward and General Chipman managers. Mr. Lyon was employed as book-keeper and acted as cashier a greater portion of the time. When the new company was organized in October, 1879, he was made superintendent and filled that important place until January, 1884. He then resigned and entered into a partnership with Mr. Garrett, in the hardware business, at Red Bluff. They employ five men, and also carry on plumbing and tinning in connection with their hardware business. Their store, 50 x 80 feet, with basement under it and shop at the rear, is located on Main, between Oak and Sycamore streets. Mr. Lyon was married in 1879, to Miss Georgene Olendorf, a native of New York. They have two sons, both born in Red Bluff: Darwin B., Jr., and William Daniel. Politically Mr. Lyon is a Rupublican. [sic] He was Postmaster of Red Bluff during a portion of Buchanan's administration. He has held the office of City Trustee, and two terms he served as Deputy Treasurer of Tehama County. He is a Master Mason and an A. O. U. W. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/lyon764gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.7 Kb