| Notes |
- Vermont Historical Gazetteer -
Volume I
p631—His preparation…was accomplished under…and Rev. Asa Lyon, the latter having that time a reputation as a classical scholar and teacher.
Volume II [index entries below]
p475—Court Matters. The first session of the county court was held in the dwelling of Jedediah P. Ladd, at North Hereto, on the first Monday of March, 1806. At this term, Asa Lyon presided as chief judge;…[chart p478: 1805, 1806, 1807, Councilor 1808, 1809, 1814]
p523—…The first marriage recorded as occurring in this town after its separation from South Hero, … Jan 3, 1799, Rev. Asa Lyon officiating…
p524—…In 1801, the subject of forming a new county, to be called the “County fo Grand Isle,” was agitated; and our annual town-meeting held in that year, appointed…Rev. Asa Lyon, a committee to memorialize the legislature in favor of the project, and also, to confer with the committees from other towns in relation to the same…
p525—…In 1810, the first freemen’s meeting was held, and Rev. Asa Lyon was chosen representative…
p526—A town library was established in February, 1810, under an act of the legislature, by Asa Lyon…who furnished contributions of money and books. The library contained 252 volumes.
p534—The Congregational church of South Hero…Rev. Asa Lyon was its first minister, but e was never installed, having simply been elected its pastor by the suffrages of the members.
p550 Asa Lyon.
[The portrait of the Rev. Asa Lyon, M. C., which accompanies this volume, taken from a small pencil-painting of the subject, is the only portrait or likeness, whatever, of Mr. Lyon ever taken; and we take occasion to remark here, the copy of the engraver has been well and admirable done; but upon its resemblance there is a divided opinion in the family, as well as among others who knew the reverend gentleman. One member, at least, of Mr. Lyon’s family, sees no likeness whatever, to his venerable grandfather, while a daughter of Mr. Lyon, Mrs. Abigail Hatch, of Grand Isle, thinks it looks much as she membered her grandfather[stet; Asa was her father not grandfather] when young. The following letter…[see below letter of Mr. Parmelee and his entry in the volume fully transcribed here.]
p578—There is wealth enough to give our ministers a generous support, notwithstanding our churches and societies are small; but our people have not been in the habit of liberal or generous subscriptions, for the support of the Gospel. Father Lyon, as he is called through the Island, was for many years minister to this people. His preaching was a gratuity except such presents as the people chose to hand to him (very much, as the writer thinks, to the injury of the people), and as his ministry was long continued, the habit became strong, of doing but very little for the support of this minister; and to this day, were it not for the profits of these gatherings which are handed to the minister, their support would be very meagre indeed….
Volume III
p1160—[We have already inscribed upon our pages (in connection with our paper on Hon. Asa Lyon.—See History of Grand Isle, vol. II) a remark or statement of the Hon. Charles Adams—than whom we have scarcely found a man of more brain accumen—the summer before his death. “there have been” two men in Vermont, who for intellect have towered above all others: one was old Nat. Chipman, the lawyer and the other Asa Lyon of Grand Isle. The two giant intellects of the State I knew them both, Nat. Chipman, rather the taller, I admired the most.”—Ed.
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LYON, Asa, a Representative from Vermont; born in Pomfret, Connecticut, December 31, 1763; attended the common schools; graduated from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire in 1790; divinity student with the Rev. Charles Backus at Somers, Connecticut; ordained pastor of the Congregational Church in Sunderland, Massachusetts, in 1792; moved to South Hero, Vermont, in 1794; studied law; member of the State house of representatives from South Hero 1799-1802, 1804-1806, and 1808, and was a member of the State executive council in 1808; pastor of South Hero 1802-1840; chief judge of Grand Isle County Courts 1805-1809, 1813, and 1814; member of the State house of representatives from Grand Isle 1810-1814; elected as a Federalist to the Fourteenth Congress (March 4, 1815-March 3, 1817); died in South Hero, Grand Isle County, Vermont, April 4, 1841; interment in Grand Isle Cemetery, Grand Isle, Vermont.
The first pastor in South Hero was Asa Lyon, a minister from Massachusetts who had arrived here just a year before the church was founded. Besides being the first pastor of the Congregational Church, he played a key role in the civic affairs of the community. He served several terms in the State Legislature and in 1815 won a seat in the U.S. Congress.
For 45 years, Rev. Lyon led his little congregation, while at the same time working to be sure the voices of these hardworking rural Vermonters were heard, first in Montpelier, and later in Washington, as a member of Congress. Finally, in 1840, his health declined, prompting him to retire and request the congregation find a new pastor. Rev. Lyon died the following year, at the age of 79.
The church had been organized by the Rev. Asa Lyon, in 1795, with a membership of seven. Mr. Lyon, though not installed, ministered to the church he had formed until 1840 (when he died). He was the representative of the town and was chosen in 1810.
While serving as a Representative from Middle Hero in 1808, Rev. ASA LYON was chosen by popular vote, a member of the State Council. This Council shared the executive power with the Governor.
In 1801 a new County of Grand Isle was incorporated and in 1805 this County was organized. Rev. ASA LYON was appointed the first Chief Judge of the Grand Isle County Court held at North Hero. He served as such 1805-1808; 1808-1809;1813-1814.
Let’s pause a moment and reflect on the remarkable ability and energy of this man. Between 1799 and 1814, he had served 13 years in public office. At this period the country was literally a wilderness and roads of any kind either did not exist or were notoriously bad, yet Rev. ASA LYON, always on horseback, would travel as a Representative to the General Assembly, where ever it was sitting, 1799 at Windsor; 1800 at Middlebury; 1801 at Newbury; 1802 at Burlington; 1804 at Rutland; 1805 at Danville; 1806 at Middlebury, etc. In 1808, the Assembly held its first session at Montpelier where it has met ever since. Yet during all this time, the Island people were never deprived of the gospel. Except for about a month each year when the Assembly was in session, he filled his place in the house of God with precise punctuality and faithfulness.
By 1802, the membership of the South Hero-Middle Hero Congregational Church, had increased to eleven and this group now formally organized the church and asked Rev. ASA LYON to act as their Pastor. He served as such the rest of his life, a total of forty-five years.
In 1815, Rev. LYON was elected to the U. S. Congress and served until March 1817, being the third of the Federal Councillors in 1808 who served in the same Congress. HENRY CLAY was speaker. Another member of this same Congress DANIEL WEBSTER and there developed a close relationship between the two men. In later years, it was WEBSTER who spoke of Rev. LYON as “truly a great man”.
At the time of the War of 1812 with the British, the U.S. Army had entirely appropriated the buildings of the Univ. of Vt. in Burlington, thus disposing all the faculty and students. On the return of peace in 1815, the College was in dire economic straits, the federal government had defaulted on paying the rent and it was found that $4500 would be needed to repair the main building. Rev. ASA LYON was elected as one of the Trustees of UVM in 1814 during this critical aftermath. He served until 1821, as one of the corporation, who so valued his wise and sage counsel in the restoration and reorganization of the College.
Besides his great ability in public offices, in which he served both the Island and the State in a time of great controversy, as one of the wisest and best able to guard the liberties of the people, he was most greatly admired, respected and loved by the Island people, as a man and as their Pastor.
Lyon, Asa.–Representative in Congress 1815-'17, member of the Governor's Council one year in 1808, for eight years a member of the lower house of the Legislature, for four years chief judge of the Grand Isle county court, a preacher who preached a life-time without pay, and yet died the wealthiest man in his county, was one of the unique characters of our history. He belonged to that remarkable generation of clergymen, including Nathaniel Niles, Ezra Butler and Aaron Leland, that had so decided an influence in the state's adolescent period. He was always a hard fighter in theology and politics and in money getting, a man as cordially hated and roundly denounced by his enemies as Matthew Lyon (to whom he was in no way related), and yet within his range exercised the completest influence and commanded the most devoted following, which was very likely only strengthened by his eccentricities.
Served as Congressman Asa Lyon (Federalist), serving from 1815-1816 from Vermont.
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REV. ASA LYON.
BY REV. SIMEON PARMELEE OF WESTFORD.
It needs a man of skill, such as the writer is not, to do justice to a man of such varied and peculiar talents, as those possessed by Mr. LYON. He was a great man in stature and in powers of mind.
He had a dark complexion, coarse textures, powerful build, more than 6 feet in height, large-boned, giant-framed, and a little stooping. The writer has no knowledge of his parentage, but has ascertained that he was born in Pomfret, Ct. He was educated at Dartmouth, graduated with honor, and eventually entered the ministry and was ordained in the town of Sunderland, Massachusetts.
Some difficulty arose that need not be mentioned [please mention it], which terminated his connection with that people, after a short season, when he came to the Island. The exact date of this removal cannot be given; but it is known Mr. LYON formed the church in 1795, which it is supposed was his first work after his connection with that people. Not far from this time, whether before or after we cannot say, he was married to Miss [Esther] NEWELL, of Charlotte, who, with him, settled upon a new farm, embracing a fine tract of most valuable land in North Hero. The country, of course, was all new and land cheap, and he was too wise to undervalue or neglect such an opportunity to invest his money. He was not at that time rich, but he intended to be, and took the sure measure to accomplish it.
His land, it would seem, had some improvements; but mainly it was covered with the most excellent timber, such as would be, in the end, of great value in that place. Either there was a house made of cedar logs on the place, when he purchased, or he built one which contained two small rooms, and a lobby, which by him was used as a study. In this room not more than 7 or 8 feet square that giant man found his home. There he lived and superintended his affairs, wrote his sermons, his letters, his notes and orders, and regulated his family, with a crazy wife. After a few years, a difficulty arose that diminished his support very much, and, to prevent a second one of the kind, he declared his labors gratuitous. This occurrence took place at an early day when Methodists, Mr. LYON informed the writer, were proclaiming against salaries, and saying that the gospel should be free, Lest he should be outdone, he proclaimed also a free gospel. And for more than 20 years of his connection with his people, he received nothing for his services, except what was an entire free-will offering. Though this must have been a sacrifice on the part of Mr. LYON, still it was thought by good judges that it was a lasting injury to the people. It taught a generation that the gospel could be had without a sacrifice, and when it became necessary to make an effort it was a new thing, and the wheels rolled heavily, and ever since the people have paid but lightly for preaching. But it never could he said that the people of the Island were deprived of the gospel. Nor was it a shammy man-made gospel that Mr. LYON proclaimed to them, for which they gave him nothing, but an able and faithful exhibition of gospel truth -- clear as the sun in its meridian strength. Nor was he unappreciated as a man of power and an able vindicator of the truths of the gospel, by his people. His friends thought him not only a great man, but a good man. You could offend his people in no way any quicker than to speak reproachfully of Mr. LYON. Still they knew he had faults, and they saw them, yet he had his good traits, and his people saw them also, and loved him and judged him with charity.
He had great affliction in having to deal with a deranged mother of his children for so long a period. But he lived to see those children respectably settled in life before he was taken away. His log-house had been exchanged far one made of brick, (more capacious and commodious than his former cedar-house), in the latter of which Mr. LYON finished his days. He died as he had lived, like a philosopher and a Christian. He had become rich in the things of the world, but he did not seem to know it. His habits were not changed, only he lived in a brick-house. But, I must not omit to say that Mr. LYON was a man of uncommon power. His knowledge was profound, extending to all subjects. Few questions were ever introduced where he was present, that he seemed to be a stranger to. He owned the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and he had made himself familiar with all practical sciences and important history and biography. He was for some 20 years a member of the North-Western Association. We met three times in a year, and I have no remembrance of his ever being absent, or ever excusing himself for a failure of fulfilling the task assigned him by the body, and his was generally the most difficult of any one, He was lengthy, for he always seemed desirous to find the last argument in support of his subject before he left it, He was a divine, a philosopher, a reasoner and a scholar in almost every sense of the word. He was truly learned on all subjects; even a literary encyclopedia himself. He was eloquent in extemporaneous discussions. When we were young -- for the writer was young when he was old -- we, young ministers, were fond of getting up some discussion that would rouse the Lion and Father WOOSTER, of Fairfield; they were both powerful men, and, of the same school with EDWARDS, HOPKINS and BELLAMY. It was always a treat to us to hear those men of experience and giant minds, break through mysteries and dark walls and show us the light. The public seemed to learn at all early day that Mr. LYON was a man that could be used in important places. And the Island people employed him for many years to legislate for them, and also to sit in the place of judgment as Moses did to decide the great matters of dispute between men. Not only the Island but the State of Vermont, in a time of great controversy, selected him as one of the wisest and best able to stand as a guardian of our liberties. In 1816 and 1817, he was elected a member of Congress, and he served out his time in honor.
All this time, when at home, he filled his place in the house of God with as much punctuality and faithfulness as though he were to be remunerated. But Mr. LYON was human and therefore he could err, and doubtless sometimes did. But perhaps not more than the best of his enemies.
He had peculiarities, some of which I will mention: He did all his business in his own study. If any man wanted to see him, he knew where to find him. He never made calls on his neighbors, unless sent for when sick. If any one wished to see or do any business with him, he would always find him in his study. If Mr. LYON desired to see any one on business matters he would write him a letter inviting him to his house, and one sheet of foolscap would be sufficient for eight or ten letters. He never made any excuses about his dress, or any other circumstances attending him. The first time I visited him in his study, he wore a pair of shoes on his feet, tied together by leather strings, and they had the appearance of having been in that situation for many years and worn all the time. Still he was not careful to put them off, nor did he seem to know there was any thing singular his in his dress.
He was truly a great financier. It would seem impossible to the observer, that any man in his circumstances could support a family of five, and the important place of the mother filled by one completely deranged, and still so manage as to accumulate a fortune, and yet deprived of any regular income; but this was Mr. LYON's condition, and he died rich. To accomplish this, he practiced great self-denial and abstemiousness, and exercised uncommon skill in contrivance, His enemies denominated him a miser, or a covetous hunk, or some other reproachful name. The rich envied him and reproached him, but his friends overlooked his peculiarities believing him sincere. He was rarely if ever known to give to the poor, or to any benevolent object, and he was, perhaps, unduly censured for his course, It was said he was the richest man on the island, still he never gave any thing. But it must be remembered that Mr. LYON was receiving no compensation for his labors as a minister; and when he was at home he sustained his part by constantly filling his place in the pulpit, and that was a donation to the public of the value of $400 or $500 per year. As an agent of the Bible Society, the writer once called on Mr. L. for a donation. He gave nothing, and his reasons were two: 1st, that that was not the most needy Society; 2d, that he was already doing more than the rest of us, in giving his services to his people. Mr. LYON kept one horse, but no sleigh or wagon as I could ever learn. At any rate I never saw him abroad, during my long acquaintance with him, in any vehicle. He was always on horseback or on his feet. His dress was very peculiar. It would be difficult to describe it. The writer was told that he cut and made his own clothes. This might have been rumor merely. They were all composed of home-made cloth, and not the first quality, and all that I ever saw on him must have been far from being new. His coarse appearance opened the mouths of many that loved to talk, but, when he rose in the pulpit and began his expositions of the word of God, all would forget his dress. There was honesty, earnestness and ability combined, and there was always a still house. That man never imposed upon his audience with a twenty-five minutes sermon. He never preached less than I forty-five or fifty minutes, and no one was tired.
With all his eccentricities, Mr. LYON was a gentleman. No one carried a more civil or mannerly tongue than he. Though he was reviled, he never retaliated. He would speak well of those that he knew spoke ill of him. He lamented contention anywhere, and especially in the churches. He was a decided man and one of settled principles, but not a bigot. He was a man of peace, and good men loved him for his religion. Let his memory be blest.
It is probable he mended his garments at times, an economical habit several other very philosophical men have had. It, however, reminds pleasantly of the anecdote that when elected to Congress, he decided that be must have a new suit of clothes. One version of the story is, that one of his own sheep furnished the wool; he sheared the sheep himself, and the carding, spinning, weaving and dyeing was done in his own family; by procuring butternut-tree bark for the dyeing, and a woman who was owing him made the suit, so it did not cost him a penny. The other way it is told, is that he sheared a black sheep, and so saved dyeing the cloth ; but too many testify to the old butternut-colored Congressional suit, to cast the former version into discredit -- and this suit lasted him his lifetime after.
Mr. Parmelee has told us some of the "peculiarities" of Asa LYON, but he was one of those men whom peculiarities make not less great. When astronomers may write a treatise describing the sun without spots, lest they disparage that great shining luminary, then let men who would be true historians, or true biographists, photograph a giant character without human mould or spot. Asa Lyon was not a faultless man, but he was great enough to shoulder all his faults and stand up ahead and a shoulder above nearly all men. And when we talk of Mr. Lyon in his "lobby study and homespun garments" we must remember the simplicity of the times, that his neighbors lived in log houses, mostly, or in part, and that it was a very different thing in that day, than it would be in this. A majestic mind sits in that little lobby study -- the weeds growing up between the cracks of the floor that was but loose boards -- with a perfect indifference to its surroundings; you feel you could not have placed Asa LYON where he would not have been great, and this fact attracts men. It attracted men while he lived, it has attracted men since he has been dead -- he is as one who dies not. He had his enemies -- enemies that grew out of exacting business relations, enemies on account of his politics, or his religious theories, or from their opposite natures, or enemies from sympathy with his caluminators or enemies. But how often do we see great talents that do not stir up envy and enemies? Different minds, however, saw him, and will see him as all great objects are seen, from different stand-points, -- one forgetful that self-reliance, pride of intellect, unbendingness, are almost inevitably the consequence of greatness of brain, with sometimes even contempt for common comforts and decencies, will see tyranny, obstinacy, and penuriousness,
He was. justice personified rather than mercy, there is little doubt; but if he was strict and exacting with others, was he net equally so with himself? Speaking of his unbendingness, reminds of a little trait in his character illustrative of this, told by Dr. REYNOLDS of Alburgh, an old pupil. Said the Doctor, “Asa LYON when he once chose a course in anything never deviated from it even to a foot path; as an instance, if he was going to walk to a place for the first time, he selected his path, and ever after he kept it, -- whether there was a snowdrift or a pool of water in the way, he never so much as stepped aside."
We know both men and women, many in all, who knew Asa LYON, all of whom testify, at least to his intellectual greatness, and many of whom still ardently love and admire the man. There reside several in this city, who remember Mr. LYON well -- two within a stone's throw. Says one, "People would talk about father LYON and his peculiarities, but when he arose in his pulpit, every one forgot the man, or the peculiarities in the man, with such a dignity he looked down upon his assembly, with such a commanding power of eye, voice, thought, he drew every one up to him and carried them with him. If any have imagined this peculiar man taciturn in converse, or morose in conscious superiority, his old parishioners will tell you, or any man who ever heard him preach, he was powerful to charm as to convince, and all, whether pulpit-audience, political opponent or theological controversialist to be brought over, were not more irresistibly than agreeably drawn to his conclusions. We observe Mr. PARMELEE speaks of him as a rare conversationalist, of his controlled and affable deportment.
He was no saint LYON, as the enthusiast pencil may over-paint, with "no spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing;” but he was honored in the nation and worshiped in his own pulpit. Said the late Hon, Charles ADAMS of Burlington, "There have been two men in the State, whose intellect towered above all others, one 'Nat.' CHIPMAN of Tinmouth, -- the other Asa LYON of Grand-Isle." There are a hundred illustrative anecdotes afloat. Here is one; when LYON was in Congress, and the committees had some bill to frame of more than ordinary importance, they would say, "LYON will draft it so strong nothing can break it. Let us go down to him to night; but we must buy the candles." And as an offset to the anecdote of buying the candles, here also is one:
Upon one occasion during the ministry of Mr. LYON in Grand-Isle Co. a man was found in the lake, drowned. His habiliments were shabby, betokening extreme poverty, and it was discovered that there was no shirt under them. The question arose, whether it was necessary to make much ceremony for the burial of one who had so evidently been, during life, the victim of adverse fortunes. It was decided to submit the matter to Mr. LYON, whose reply was laconic and characteristic: "Appoint his funeral at two o'clock this afternoon, and let it be well attended, with the usual rites -- a man is a man, shirt or no shirt!"
He was not a man without a heart. He had his adverse peculiarities if you may so put it, but he was "a man for a' that," a man we vastly admire for the grandeur of that intellect -- a grand historical man; and while his friends and descendants may watch with an admirable jealousy every word breathed over his name, they may with pride remember, too, his name is secured to fame, and there are few who would not be proud to reckon him among their ancestors. --Ed.]
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Referring to a portrait of Asa Lyon:
Letter of Mr. Parmelee:
Miss Hemenway,
Dear Friend, -- You have sent me a very handsome picture, and I should not be willing it should be suppressed, if in any case it can answer the end of its existence. I wish it looked more as Mr. LYON did when I first saw him. But the picture will certainly do him no injustice, for it is a noble one, and reminds us of the collars worn forty or fifty years ago. It carries evidence that the likeness has antiquity attached to it. I cannot say it is a good likeness of the man when I first saw him. But he must have been nearly or quite fifty years old when I first saw him, which was in the legislature at Middlebury, in 1806. He was then dressed in an old-fashioned blue overcoat. I was then studying in that place, and the boys had much to say about Mr. L., and of course, whenever I was in the house as a spectator his looks and remarks attracted my attention. It must have been as late as 1819, before I became personally acquainted with him, and I am not the best judge of his looks at the time that picture was taken. The head and shoulders, with the short neck and bold forehead and keen eye do all resemble Mr. LYON.
I think, on the whole, I should insert the picture, unless it would be for your interest to suppress it. Mrs. Hatch [Asa’s daughter Abigail who married Oscar Hatch], I think, must be a better judge than any other one living.
Yours truly,
S. PARMELEE.
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List of marriages solemnized by Rev. Asa Lyon : from private record of Hector Adams FHL Film #27754 Item 30; Digital Images [only viewable at FHL] #7859014
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Vermont Historical Society invited Rev. J. Dougherty to speak, his subject was the life and service of Rev. Asa Lyon in January 1863. [seen in the local paper] [7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]
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1763 - 1841 (77 years)
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