LUCIUS LYMAN Lucius Lyman, an enterprising citizen and pioneer settler of Spring Lake, Ottawa County, Mich., during his thirty-six years’ residence in his present locality has filled various official positions of trust. For two years from the spring of 1891 he rendered valuable service as a member of the Village Council, and in the spring of 1893 he was elected President of the village. Born in Windsor County, VT., in 1821, our subject is a direct descendant of English ancestors, the Lyman’s early emigrating from the Queen’s dominions to the United States, where various members of the family have been numbered among the honored and patriotic citizens of our great republic. In the Green Mountain State Mr. Lyman passed his early days and received a good education in the schools of the home district. Attaining manhood, he learned the trade of a millwright, and shortly after reaching his majority engaged in business for himself.. He erected numerous machine works, and about 1845 built the first printing machinery used in Manchester, N. H. After a time he received employment in the Amos Manufacturing Company, of Cabbotsville, Mass., and remained with that firm for three years. In 1848 or 1849, he emigrated from the state of his birth to New York and made his home in Jefferson County. There and in the adjacent counties he constructed a great variety of milling machinery. For many years Mr. Lyman pursued the even tenor of his way, until the breaking out of the Civil War caused him to forsake the occupation of his life and enlist in the service of the Union. Entering the Second New York Artillery in 1861, he marched to the front and was located at Arlington Heights, where he assisted in building Fts. Ward, Worth and Bleuker. On account of disability he was discharged from the army in 1863, and returning to New York remained there until 1867, when he came to Spring Lake and commenced to work at his trade. Since the latter date he has been especially successful in this line of work and has beyond all doubt built more mills in the last score and a-half years than any other man in the State. Among the extensive enterprises in which he has assisted was the erection of a large plant for the Diamond Match Company in the Northern Peninsula, the building of which occupied his exclusive attention for nearly two years. On the thirteenth of April, 1843, in Chelsea, VT. Lucius Lyman and Miss Mary Burgess were united in marriage. Passing together more than a half-century of conjugal happiness, they have recently celebrated their golden wedding, one of the noted social events in the history of Spring Lake, the reunion of April 1893, being a memorable occasion with all who participated in the festivities of the happy time. Nine children accompanied our subject and his estimable wife to their new home in the West. In 1870, five of the family died of that dreaded disease, scarlet fever. Three sons and two daughters were suddenly removed from the family circle, whose survivors were greatly bereaved. The four children who are now living are: Mary, Mrs. Phillips, a resident of Steuben County, N.Y.; Charles A., a citizen of Grand Haven and a well-known captain on the lakes; Eliza A., wife of John R. Ghent, a prosperous druggist in Muskegon; and Malfort G., who went West early in life and cannot be exactly located. Although past the boundary line of three-score years and ten, Mr. Lyman, is hale and hearty, and still follows his trade of a millwright, being numbered among the active business men of his locality. Politically, he is a Republican and comes of old anti-slavery stock, well known in the abolition days. He has occupied numerous local offices and has ever been a prominent leader in all matters pertaining to the growth of enterprise and mutual advancement. Fraternally, he is associated with the Grand Army of the Republic at Spring Lake and enjoys its pleasant social reunions, where in memory the old veterans again live over the days when they gave their earnest efforts in behalf of the national existence. Respected by all who know him, Lucius Lyman has led a life of integrity and self-reliance, and has faithfully given to each duty, as friend, neighbor and citizen, his most conscientious attention and persistent efforts.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & Ottawa Counties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company

Transcriber: Charles Armstrong
Created: 6 May 2003
URL: Return to Bios Index