Lyman was born in 1814, in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York. His older sister, Parmelia was born the previous year, in 1813, in Jefferson County, New York, per her obituary. His younger brother, Asa P. was born the following year in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York per a published bio.
His father, Barnabas, served in the War of 1812 in Jefferson County, New York at Sackets Harbor, before Lyman's birth. Barnabas' service record showed he served two weeks between 9 Sep 1812 to 23 Sep 1812, in service at Fort Tompkins, at Sackets Harbor.
Lyman's family relocated from Ellisburg, New York, where they sold the property to travel south to Lima, Lagrange County, Indiana in 1837. His uncle, Samuel Kenyon, of Jefferson County, New York, purchased more than 300 acres of land in Indiana obtaining two federal land patents (252 acres + 63 acres) at Fort Wayne, Indiana on 20 July 1837. It is unclear whether Samuel Kenyon intended to move to Indiana also. He had recently lost his second wife, Hannah, months earlier. Whatever the reason, Samuel remained in New York State, while Barnabas with his family settled on the land in Lagrange County, Indiana.
Lyman married Melissa Phelps, daughter of Daniel Othniel Phelps of Cambridge, New York, and Eliza (Anthony) Phelps of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Melissa's father, Daniel Phelps, and his family moved to Flint, Steuben County, Indiana about 1835. Lyman and Melissa married on 30 Jun 1843, per a date listed in The Phelps Family of America, page 647. No location for the marriage was given but it was likely in Steuben County, Indiana. The primary source is believed to have come from an early Phelps family record or Bible, rumored about among Phelps' cousins but not located to date. I believe the marriage was most likely listed in the family Bible of Daniel Phelps, father of Melissa. It is among the references listed in Phelps' bibliography, item 12, page 125, "Eugene Frederick Hulbert and Mary Margaret Renner," published in 1984. I have searched for the Bible for more than a decade. It has gone missing. Hopefully, one day it will resurface.
Melissa's family lived in Flint, Jackson Township, Steuben County, Indiana. An article entitled, "First School at Flint," was written on the first page of the "Steuben Republic," Angola, Indiana, on Wednesday, February 18, 1903. The article appeared to have been a historical account of the first school established in Flint, regarding Daniel Phelps a resident in the Flint School district in 1841, having seven children between the ages of 5 and 21. This accounted for all his children, including Melissa, who would have been 19 or 20.
Melissa's father, Daniel Phelps, sold his property in Indiana on December 30, 1843, six months after Lyman and Melissa married. Lyman and Melissa may have joined with her parents, who at some point, moved to Stephenson County, Illinois before 1849, per a family account. Stephenson County borders Lafayette County (then Iowa County), Wisconsin. If they did go to Stephenson County, Illinois it doesn't appear they remained there for very long, as no documented evidence shows they were living there.
Lyman was listed as the head of household, on the 1847 state census in Shullsburg, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. There were two males and two females listed. The second male is their son, Alonzo. The second female was likely a daughter, who appears to have died young, as she was not seen on the 1850 census. The daughter was likely their firstborn child, born about 1844. It is unknown where they were living in 1844. They could have lived in Indiana, Illinois, or Wisconsin when she was born.
Shullsburg was located in Iowa County, Wisconsin. If Lyman and Melissa followed her parents to Stephenson County, Illinois, they moved across the border into Iowa County (later Lafayette County), Wisconsin by 1846, where their son, Alonzo was born. Daniel Phelps moved to Delaware County, Iowa in December 1850, where he purchased land with a federal land grant.
The 1850 Federal census dated 7 August 1850, shows Lyman and Melissa were living in Center (later Darlington), Lafayette County, Wisconsin. He is a carpenter with land valued at $800. They have two sons, Alonzo, age 3, and Alphonso, age 2.
On 4 December 1850, they purchased land from Jonathan J. Marvin, sales agent (public land County of Lafayette) to Lyman Kenyon. Witnesses James McCarroll and Sam G. Bugh.
On 4 October 1851, they purchased Lot 4, Block 19, Town of Avon, Lafayette Co., Wisconsin by Lyman Kenyon and his wife Melissa. Avon was part of Darlington, Wisconsin. The first residence within the city limits of Darlington was a log house owned by Jamison Hamilton in 1836. Jamison laid out the village of Avon, or Centre, in 1847.
The 1855 State Census for Centre, Lafayette, Wisconsin, showed 5 males and 3 females. This suggested two additional daughters were born after 1850. Julia was born in 1852. If another daughter was born after 1850, she does not show on the 1860 census, presumed to have died young.
On the 1860 census, Lyman and his family lived in Centre, Layfayette, Wisconsin, which has a Darlington Post Office. He still listed himself as a carpenter, valuing his property at $230. In addition to Alonzo and Alphonzo, they now have Charles, Daniel, Millard, Lyman, and Julia.
On 18 Mar 1862, Lyman Kenyon grantor for Lot 4, in Bk 19, village/town of Avon, to Samuel Hamilton, grantee. Lyman and Melissa were living in the Town of Centre. John Gray (neighbor on the 1855 census) and H.P. Coffee, were witnesses. Samuel Hamilton was his next-door neighbor on the 1860 census. (Book Y pages 567,8,9 LaFayette County, Wisconsin). (This deed was recorded one year later on 18 March 1863.)
On 20 May 1862, Lyman gets an issue for Homestead papers for property in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.
On 26 October 1863 Lyman was shown to enter upon land, built a house of logs (12 ft by 22 ft and additional 12 ft by 16 ft for a total of 456 square feet), and lived in the house from 1 May 1864. Testimony of Albert S. Tracy and Andrew Olsen. (The closest address is N26333 Oak Ridge Road on Google aerial maps.)
On the 1870 census, he lived in Arcadia, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, with an Osseo Post Office. He listed himself as a farmer, with land valued at $1800. The census showed the addition of a son, Frederic, age 9.
On 28 Nov 1871, Lyman may have mortgaged the property to W. A. Johnston (5M, page 27).
On 6 July 1872, he sold his land, a grant deed from Lyman and Melissa Kenyon to Elliot Van Valkenburg. The sale was for 160 acres, sec 7, township 20, range 8. Witness Noah D. Comstock.
An obituary, published in the Galesville Independent:
Thursday, April 22, 1880: The Arcadia Leader notices the death of Mr. Lyman Kenyon, an old resident of Arcadia.
It isn't clear how long after the Arcadia Leader reported Lyman's death before this was published in the Galesville Independent. He may have died in April. He would have been about 66 years old.
This is consistent with the 1880 census for Arcadia, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, where Melissa is listed as a widow. The Town Historian and the custodian at Arcadia Cemetery both provided the month and year of Lyman's burial as September 1882. Perhaps he was reburied within the cemetery. There is not a headstone for him. Unknown whether one may have existed at one time.
PATERNAL LINK from Lyman Kenyon to his father, Barnabas Kenyon was made through Y-DNA testing comparing a male direct descendant of Lyman Kenyon (#114135) to a direct descendant of Lyman Kenyon's grandfather, Barnabas Kenyon, Sr., though a descendant of Barnabas' son Randall Kenyon (#293790). Testing was done through FTDNA. Results show a close match and a shared signature STR marker (DYS449=29). [https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Kenyon?iframe=ycolorized]
Lyman was born in 1814, in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York. His older sister, Parmelia was born the previous year, in 1813, in Jefferson County, New York, per her obituary. His younger brother, Asa P. was born the following year in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York per a published bio.
His father, Barnabas, served in the War of 1812 in Jefferson County, New York at Sackets Harbor, before Lyman's birth. Barnabas' service record showed he served two weeks between 9 Sep 1812 to 23 Sep 1812, in service at Fort Tompkins, at Sackets Harbor.
Lyman's family relocated from Ellisburg, New York, where they sold the property to travel south to Lima, Lagrange County, Indiana in 1837. His uncle, Samuel Kenyon, of Jefferson County, New York, purchased more than 300 acres of land in Indiana obtaining two federal land patents (252 acres + 63 acres) at Fort Wayne, Indiana on 20 July 1837. It is unclear whether Samuel Kenyon intended to move to Indiana also. He had recently lost his second wife, Hannah, months earlier. Whatever the reason, Samuel remained in New York State, while Barnabas with his family settled on the land in Lagrange County, Indiana.
Lyman married Melissa Phelps, daughter of Daniel Othniel Phelps of Cambridge, New York, and Eliza (Anthony) Phelps of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Melissa's father, Daniel Phelps, and his family moved to Flint, Steuben County, Indiana about 1835. Lyman and Melissa married on 30 Jun 1843, per a date listed in The Phelps Family of America, page 647. No location for the marriage was given but it was likely in Steuben County, Indiana. The primary source is believed to have come from an early Phelps family record or Bible, rumored about among Phelps' cousins but not located to date. I believe the marriage was most likely listed in the family Bible of Daniel Phelps, father of Melissa. It is among the references listed in Phelps' bibliography, item 12, page 125, "Eugene Frederick Hulbert and Mary Margaret Renner," published in 1984. I have searched for the Bible for more than a decade. It has gone missing. Hopefully, one day it will resurface.
Melissa's family lived in Flint, Jackson Township, Steuben County, Indiana. An article entitled, "First School at Flint," was written on the first page of the "Steuben Republic," Angola, Indiana, on Wednesday, February 18, 1903. The article appeared to have been a historical account of the first school established in Flint, regarding Daniel Phelps a resident in the Flint School district in 1841, having seven children between the ages of 5 and 21. This accounted for all his children, including Melissa, who would have been 19 or 20.
Melissa's father, Daniel Phelps, sold his property in Indiana on December 30, 1843, six months after Lyman and Melissa married. Lyman and Melissa may have joined with her parents, who at some point, moved to Stephenson County, Illinois before 1849, per a family account. Stephenson County borders Lafayette County (then Iowa County), Wisconsin. If they did go to Stephenson County, Illinois it doesn't appear they remained there for very long, as no documented evidence shows they were living there.
Lyman was listed as the head of household, on the 1847 state census in Shullsburg, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. There were two males and two females listed. The second male is their son, Alonzo. The second female was likely a daughter, who appears to have died young, as she was not seen on the 1850 census. The daughter was likely their firstborn child, born about 1844. It is unknown where they were living in 1844. They could have lived in Indiana, Illinois, or Wisconsin when she was born.
Shullsburg was located in Iowa County, Wisconsin. If Lyman and Melissa followed her parents to Stephenson County, Illinois, they moved across the border into Iowa County (later Lafayette County), Wisconsin by 1846, where their son, Alonzo was born. Daniel Phelps moved to Delaware County, Iowa in December 1850, where he purchased land with a federal land grant.
The 1850 Federal census dated 7 August 1850, shows Lyman and Melissa were living in Center (later Darlington), Lafayette County, Wisconsin. He is a carpenter with land valued at $800. They have two sons, Alonzo, age 3, and Alphonso, age 2.
On 4 December 1850, they purchased land from Jonathan J. Marvin, sales agent (public land County of Lafayette) to Lyman Kenyon. Witnesses James McCarroll and Sam G. Bugh.
On 4 October 1851, they purchased Lot 4, Block 19, Town of Avon, Lafayette Co., Wisconsin by Lyman Kenyon and his wife Melissa. Avon was part of Darlington, Wisconsin. The first residence within the city limits of Darlington was a log house owned by Jamison Hamilton in 1836. Jamison laid out the village of Avon, or Centre, in 1847.
The 1855 State Census for Centre, Lafayette, Wisconsin, showed 5 males and 3 females. This suggested two additional daughters were born after 1850. Julia was born in 1852. If another daughter was born after 1850, she does not show on the 1860 census, presumed to have died young.
On the 1860 census, Lyman and his family lived in Centre, Layfayette, Wisconsin, which has a Darlington Post Office. He still listed himself as a carpenter, valuing his property at $230. In addition to Alonzo and Alphonzo, they now have Charles, Daniel, Millard, Lyman, and Julia.
On 18 Mar 1862, Lyman Kenyon grantor for Lot 4, in Bk 19, village/town of Avon, to Samuel Hamilton, grantee. Lyman and Melissa were living in the Town of Centre. John Gray (neighbor on the 1855 census) and H.P. Coffee, were witnesses. Samuel Hamilton was his next-door neighbor on the 1860 census. (Book Y pages 567,8,9 LaFayette County, Wisconsin). (This deed was recorded one year later on 18 March 1863.)
On 20 May 1862, Lyman gets an issue for Homestead papers for property in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.
On 26 October 1863 Lyman was shown to enter upon land, built a house of logs (12 ft by 22 ft and additional 12 ft by 16 ft for a total of 456 square feet), and lived in the house from 1 May 1864. Testimony of Albert S. Tracy and Andrew Olsen. (The closest address is N26333 Oak Ridge Road on Google aerial maps.)
On the 1870 census, he lived in Arcadia, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, with an Osseo Post Office. He listed himself as a farmer, with land valued at $1800. The census showed the addition of a son, Frederic, age 9.
On 28 Nov 1871, Lyman may have mortgaged the property to W. A. Johnston (5M, page 27).
On 6 July 1872, he sold his land, a grant deed from Lyman and Melissa Kenyon to Elliot Van Valkenburg. The sale was for 160 acres, sec 7, township 20, range 8. Witness Noah D. Comstock.
An obituary, published in the Galesville Independent:
Thursday, April 22, 1880: The Arcadia Leader notices the death of Mr. Lyman Kenyon, an old resident of Arcadia.
It isn't clear how long after the Arcadia Leader reported Lyman's death before this was published in the Galesville Independent. He may have died in April. He would have been about 66 years old.
This is consistent with the 1880 census for Arcadia, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, where Melissa is listed as a widow. The Town Historian and the custodian at Arcadia Cemetery both provided the month and year of Lyman's burial as September 1882. Perhaps he was reburied within the cemetery. There is not a headstone for him. Unknown whether one may have existed at one time.
PATERNAL LINK from Lyman Kenyon to his father, Barnabas Kenyon was made through Y-DNA testing comparing a male direct descendant of Lyman Kenyon (#114135) to a direct descendant of Lyman Kenyon's grandfather, Barnabas Kenyon, Sr., though a descendant of Barnabas' son Randall Kenyon (#293790). Testing was done through FTDNA. Results show a close match and a shared signature STR marker (DYS449=29). [https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Kenyon?iframe=ycolorized]
Bio by: Marilyn A Kenyon, MS PsyD
Gravesite Details
No headstone.
CEMETERY PLOT CONDITION: There was a tombstone in this plot, Section A-3, listed as A.J. Kenyon. It had no date. This headstone was no longer there. Another one for Frederic was broken off.
