from History of Alameda County, 1883 1

The Lyon family was part of the storage and moving business in Oakland, best remembered for the family business, Lyon Storage and Moving.

According to an appendix in Harvey B. Lyon's oral history, the Lyon family can be traced back to c.1066 in England. 4

John Lewis ("J.L.") Lyon (April 7, 1842 – May 21, 1923) was born in Ogdensburg, NY to Harvey Lyon and Laura Seymour (Lyon).

J.L Lyon married Mary Elizabeth Parker (Lyon) (September 1844 – December 14, 1925) of Fayetteville, NY in 1864, and they had 3 sons. Mary had come to California with her family when she was 11, but returned to the east to finish her education. By 1877, they had moved to Oakland, where they were heavily involved in the First Baptist Church. 2,3

  • William Parker Lyon (September 12, 1865 – December 15, 1949) was born in New York. He went by W. Parker or just Parker. After being in business for a few years with his father, Parker moved to Fresno to go into business for himself in the furniture business. Parker was mayor of Fresno from 1904-1908 and later created the W. Parker Lyon Pony Express Museum in Arcadia, CA.
    He married Clara Elsey (Lyon) in 1889. The Lyons had a son, William Parker Lyon, Jr. and a daughter, Mildred Lyon.
  • Edmund Cobb ("E.C.") Lyon (November 22, 1872 – March 27, 1954) was born in Brooklyn, New York. NB: Harvey's oral history calls him Edward, 4 but all records indicate Edmund.
    He married Florence Kittredge (Lyon) in 1894, and they had one daughter, Lucile Kittredge Lyon (Mason).
  • Harvey Blanchard Lyon (November 2, 1883 – May 24, 1975) was born in Oakland. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1905.
    He married Isabel Garter (Lyon) in 1910, but the marriage didn't last. He then married "Annie" Eleanor Richards (Lyon) in 1914, and they had 3 sons, Richards Parker Lyon, Harvey B. Lyon, Jr. and William Bruce Lyon. William was killed in action during a bombing mission during WWII. In 1957, the Lyons made a $100,000 gift to Children's Hospital in William's memory. 8

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Harvey Blanchard Lyon's family tree 4

Links and References

  1. History of Alameda County, California published by M.W. Wood, 1883
  2. J.L. Lyon Dies in Oakland Home Oakland Tribune May 21, 1923
  3. Mrs. Mary Lyon Dies In Oakland Oakland Tribune December 15, 1925
  4. Harvey B. Lyon oral history Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley 1973
  5. Death Takes the Fabulous Showman Parker Lyon Los Angeles Times December 16, 1949 (p2)
  6. Edmund Lyon Funeral Set Wednesday Oakland Tribune March 29, 1954
  7. Harvey B. Lyon, Civic Leader, 91 Oakland Tribune May 25, 1975
  8. $100,000 Gift for Children's Hospital Oakland Tribune September 27, 1957 (p2)
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