They came originally from Sweden, migrating to England during the reign of Peter the Great and thence to America in the colonial epoch. The first definite information of the family in this country is in Virginia, and before the Revolutionary war. It is not known whether any of the family participated as soldiers in that war. The grandfather of Howard Lyon was Richard Lyon, born in the Old Dominion about 1775. On March 7, 1795, he married Elenor McBride, a Virginia girl of Scotch-Irish ancestry. They lived in Virginia until 1814. Richard Lyon was strongly opposed to slavery, and for that reason determined to move his family to the free states of the north and west. Thus he settled in Guernsey county, Ohio, about the close of the War of 18I2, and he and his children were pioneers in that section, making a home in the wilderness and rearing his family under primitive conditions. His children were as follows: 1. Mary, born May 21, 1797, married John Grayham, and came to Indiana, both dying in this state when old people. They left two children, Ellen and Rachael. 2. Sarah, born February 24, 1799, married Thomas Deeren, lived in Guernsey county, Ohio until after the death of Mr. Deeren, and his widow died in Grant county, Indiana but her body was taken back and laid by the side of her husband in Guernsey county, Ohio. They left a large family of children, who were remarkable for their length of life, several living to be more than eighty years of age, five living at one time, and all past fourscore and three are still surviving and about ninety years of age. 3. Michael, born April 15, 1801, lived the life of a farmer in Guernsey county, Ohio, and married Mary Slater, both passing away when old people. Their children scattered to various parts of the country. 4. Elizabeth, born May 20, 1803, married John Reasoner, were early settlers in Indiana, where they spent their active lives in Delaware county, and died when old and left children. 5. James, born August 20, 1805, married Nancy Slater, came to Grant county, and died on the home farm in Jefferson township, when in the neighborhood of seventy years of age. They had several children. 6. John, who was the father of Howard Lyon, was born September 14, 1807, and more particular mention of him follows this paragraph. 7 and 8. Elias and Elijah, twins, born December 20, 1809, the former married Mahala Pearl for his first wife, and Mrs. Rachael Coats for his second, and there were children by both wives, and they all spent the greater portion of their active careers in Grant county. Elijah married Hannah Anderson, and they lived out their lives in Van Buren township of Grant county and left children. 9 and 10. The next two children were twins, and died in infancy unnamed. 11. William, born October 2, 1818, was married and died in Grant county in middle life, leaving a son and a daughter. He was a cabinet maker by trade. 12. Richard, Jr., born May 20, 1815, married a Miss Funk, and they had three children; he died in Henry county, Indiana, where he was known as a manufacturer of medicine. 13. Samuel, born March 8, 1820, spent many years of his life in Missouri, and by his marriage to Mary Stephens, had several daughters.

John Lyon, who was born in Virginia, September 14, 1807, was seven years old when the family migrated to Ohio, where he arrived at his majority in Guernsey county. He followed various occupations, chiefly on a farm, but also was employed on the old national pike in Ohio and also engaged in the tobacco business, from which he made some profit. In 1837, he walked all the way from Ohio to Indiana in order to look over the land and select the site of a future home. He found one hundred and sixty acres to his liking, on the Mississinewa River, being the northeast quarter of section twenty-one of Jefferson township. Having investigated and decided upon this tract he continued his journey on foot to the Fort Wayne land office, where he formally entered a quarter section and then continued on in the same manner to his Ohio home. There he met his sweetheart, who soon afterwards went on with her mother to Blackford county, Indiana, and he followed as soon as he could dispose of his interests in Ohio and make ready for a permanent establishment in Indiana. At that time Blackford county had not been organized and its territory was a part of Delaware county, so that the young woman who was to become his wife took up her residence temporarily in the latter county so that she would be convenient to the county seat in readiness for marriage. This young woman was Nancy McVicker. She was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, December 11, 1815. Her grandfather Dennis McVicker, was a native of Virginia, and the son of a Scotchman who came to the United States and died in Virginia. Miss McVicker's father was Archibald McVicker, a native of Virginia, but who died in Guernsey county, Ohio, and his widow Elizabeth survived him and brought her children to Indiana, eventually settling in Jefferson township of Grant county, where she died when an old woman.

After they were happily married John Lyon and wife came to their new home in Jefferson township. On the tract of land which he had previously selected the only evidence of the presence of civilized man was one coon tree which had been cut down by some hunters, and otherwise it was a perfect wilderness. A log cabin was hastily erected in the midst of the timber, and there they began housekeeping. John Lyon was a man of exceptional industry, and had the faculty of accumulation. His land in a few years was increased to two hundred and forty acres, and his labors gradually brought about substantial prosperity for all his household. In 1859, was erected a comfortable old residence which is now occupied by his son Howard. There both parents spent many years and the mother died April 23, 1876, and the father on November 2, 1888. In community affairs they were both active, and were especially prominent as early Methodists in that vicinity. They took part in the organization of the first Shiloh Methodist church, in which John Lyon and wife were charter members, and he served as a trustee and steward until his death. During his career he voted the Democratic ticket, but in later times was a Prohibitionist. The children of John Lyon and wife are mentioned as follows: 1 and 2. Lamech and Lemuel, born in Ohio in February, 1838, died in infancy. 3. Aaron, born May 9, 1840, died in Grant county, June 10, 1910; he was twice married, but left no living children. 4. James, born August 20, 1842, died March 6, 1899, at Upland, where he was a merchant. Though twice married he had no children. 5. David, born December 12, 1844, died August 13, 1896, after a career as a merchant at Upland and he was also well known as an Odd Fellow; his wife preceded him in death two months, and left two daughters. 6. Sarah E., born May 20, 1848, died at the age of one year. 7. Mary Eleanor, born February 9, 1850, was also one year of age at the time of her death. 8. Thomas Benton, born May 9, 1852, died February 8, 1906; he was a physician, but in later years was a successful druggist in Upland, and also prominent in Masonic circles. 9. John R., born February 23, 1855, is a farmer at Dodson, Montana, and has one daughter living.

Howard Lyon, who was the youngest of the children of John Lyon, was born in Jefferson township, November 13, 1858. Reared on his father's farm he has lived there the greater part of his career, and while a boy he had the advantages of the common schools. He now is proprietor of one hundred and twenty acres of his father's two hundred and forty acre estate, and has made of farming a very profitable business. For ten years, he had a dairy farm, and on the whole has followed what is called mixed farming.

In the residence which he now occupies on February 9, 1882, he was married by Rev. O. C. Garretson to Miss Catherin Ginn, a twin sister of William Ginn, a Jefferson township citizen whose career is briefly sketched elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Lyon was born in Henry county, Indiana, December 14, 1856, was reared and educated there and in Grant county, and has become the mother of three children: Jasper, born August 6, 1882, graduated from the grade schools in 1899, and from the Upland high school in 1902, spent three years in technical studies at Purdue University, and is an electrical engineer by profession. During the past four years with the backing of his father, he has built up the Citizens Telephone Company of Upland, and recently they sold their stock in that institution. Jasper Lyon married Myrtle A. Boyd, and their children are: Florence L., born October 8, 1909; Donald Howard, born February 15, 1911; and Eugene Willard, born May 4, 1912. 2. Nancy, born March 21, 1884, graduated from the Upland high school in the class of 1905, was a successful teacher in the county five years, and by her marriage to Walter Penrod has one daughter, Esther. 3. Jason died at the age of nine months, on September 26, 1886.

Mr. and Mrs. Lyon are both members of the Shiloh Methodist Episcopal church, in which his father served as a trustee, and he is president of the board. In politics he is a Democrat. Mr. Lyon shows much appreciation of history and of old relics, especially of a family nature. In his home one of the most interesting articles is an old wall or shelf clock, which was bought in 1828 by his grandfather and which is still in good repair and keeps excellent time. He also values as an heirloom a padlock that came from Ireland with his McVicker ancestors, more than one hundred and fifty years ago, and is said to have been from a trunk or locker which the McVicker emigrant ancestor brought to this country with him. "BLACKFORD AND GRANT COUNTIES INDIANA, A CHRONICLE OF THEIR PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT WITH FAMILY LINEAGE AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS"; Complied Under the Editorial Supervision of BENJAMIN G. SHINN; vol. II ; THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY; CHICAGO AND NEW YORK; 1914
Submitted by:Peggy Karol and Karen Overholt

Henry H. Blinn is a son of Samuel A. Blinn and Rebecca (Raypholtz) Blinn, both of whom were born in Grant county. His parents are still living and reside on a farm in Washington township. Henry H. Bhinn was born in Franklin township, Grant county, Indiana, on the 21st of August, 1866. He received his earlier education in the public schools of Franklin and Washington townships, and after completing his preparatory work he entered Lebanon University at Lebanon, Ohio, where he remained for a time. After this he became a student in Valparaiso University, at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he took a business course. After his education was complete Mr. Blinn spent fourteen years as a teacher in Grant county, Indiana, and in Iroquois county, Illinois. It was in 1896 that Mr. Blinn entered the business world and became deputy recorder of Grant county. He served for five years in this office and then, in 1901, became a bookkeeper in the Jason Wilson and Company Exchange Bank. This bank was later merged with the Marion National Bank and Mr. Blinn remained with the latter institution. He advanced from bookkeeper to higher offices and has now reached that of assistant cashier.

Mr. Blinn is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, a member of Marion Lodge No. 105. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Marion Lodge No. 96. In religious matters, both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Blinn being a steward in the same. Politically Mr. Blinn holds to the Republican faith.

Mr. Blinn was married on September 5, 1894, to Miss Martha Nicewanger, a daughter of William H. Nicewanger of Van Buren township and a representative of one of the prominent families of Grant county. One son, Everett W. has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Blinn.

"BLACKFORD AND GRANT COUNTIES INDIANA, A CHRONICLE OF THEIR PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT WITH FAMILY LINEAGE AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS"; Complied Under the Editorial Supervision of BENJAMIN G. SHINN; vol. II ; THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY; CHICAGO AND NEW YORK; 1914
Submitted by:Peggy Karol and Karen Overholt

George White was a native of Ireland, having been born in County Donegal, in 1805. His parents emigrated to America a few years after his birth, but on the way they were captured by the British, and were detained at Halifax for two years, until the War of 1812, settled for all time the question of the freedom of the United States from the yoke of Great Britain. Upon reaching the United States the family made their way westward and settled at Cadiz, Ohio, where they lived for many years, with the exception of a break of three years when they resided at Warren, Ohio. It was in 1840 that they came to Grant county and located in Marion, and here George White was to spend the remainder of his life. He first engaged in the dry goods business and for many years was one of the most successful merchants in Marion. He built the Iroquois building, one of the leading buildings of the city, and conducted his store in this building for many years. He always had farming interests in Grant county and although he retired from the mercantile business many years before his death, he personally managed his farm up to the time of his death. At one time he was county commissioner of Grant county, and he always took a keen interest in the public affairs of the county. In the religious world he was a member of the Methodist church.

George White married March 16, 1829, at Cadiz, Ohio, Miss Nancy M. Knox, who was an aunt of former Secretary of State, Philander C. Knox. Ten children were born to George and Nancy White and of these six grew to maturity. Sarah White Mather, of Marion, is now the only living child. Of the others, William White was the eldest and lived in Marion; Edgar and James also lived in Marion; Amanda was the wife of Thomas D. Thorp of Marion; and Helen married R. W. Bailey, of Marion. George White died in Marion in July, 1893, at the age of eighty-six.

Mrs. Sarah White Slather, the only living child, is one of the most popular women in Marion. She has been a resident of this city for many years and has been a leader in many ways. She was born in Cadiz, Ohio, July 26, 1836, and married Charles D. Mather. Her husband was born at Muncie, Indiana, February 24, 1833, but he came to Marion when he was a boy of nineteen and spent the remainder of his life here. He was first employed as a clerk in the store of his uncle, Aaron Swayzee, and after a number of years in which he gathered valuable experience he went to the store of Goldthwaite and Company, as a clerk. He became so valuable to his employers that he was rapidly promoted and after a time came to have an interest in the store. Later in life he engaged in the grain business amid in the agricultural implement business, and he continued in this line until he was forced to retire from business on account of ill health. He died on the 16th of December, 1907. Mr. Slather enlisted in August, 1862, in the 12th Regiment Indiana.

Volunteers and was in service until October, 1864, when he was discharged. He became first lieutenant in Company C and was later advanced to acting captain. "Onward, Christian Soldier" applies to soldiers of his class as he carried his religion with him in his defense of his country.

Mr. Mather was a member of the Methodist church and was an active member of the church. He was married to Miss Sarah White on the 20th of March, 1866, and one daughter, Helen Louise, was born of this union, also a little boy, who died at the age of six years. Mrs. Mather and her daughter reside in the home on Branson street, and Miss Mather is unusually gifted along musical lines.

"BLACKFORD AND GRANT COUNTIES INDIANA, A CHRONICLE OF THEIR PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT WITH FAMILY LINEAGE AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS"; Complied Under the Editorial Supervision of BENJAMIN G. SHINN; vol. II ; THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY; CHICAGO AND NEW YORK; 1914
Submitted by:Peggy Karol and Karen Overholt

The Moorman family, which has been identified with Grant county for eighty years, comes of Welsh ancestry. The grandfather of Levi was born in Wales, and with a brother emigrated to the United States more than a century ago. While the brother located either in Pennsylvania or Virginia, the grandfather went to South Carolina, and found a home on the Big Pee Dee River, where he passed away in the prime of life, leaving two sons and one daughter. His occupation was that of farming. These children were Lewis, Zacariah, who married and had a family, and the daughter married Jonathan Frazier.

Lewis Moorman, father of Levi, was a small child when his father died, and his mother, who was a native of South Carolina, in 1811 emigrated north with her little family to Orange county, Indiana, locating near Paoli, where she remained until her death at a good old age. She was a remarkable woman in many ways, had the physical vigor and the executive ability of the sterner sex, and in Orange county she established and developed a homestead, and was one of the early horticulturists in that vicinity, raising fine crops of peaches and other fruits. Lewis Moorman grew up on that farm in Orange county, and in early life acquired the trade of blacksmith. On reaching his majority he removed to Newport, now Fountain City, Wayne county, Indiana, and there set up his smithy. Some time later he married in Wayne county, Sarah Thomas, who was born in North Carolina, about 1820, and was a small child when she came north to Wayne county with her parents, Stephen and Hannah (Wilcutt) Thomas. The Thomas family located in Indiana during the late twenties. Stephen Thomas was a practical mechanic and followed the trade of tinner and cabinet maker for some years, but in Wayne county, his energies were chiefly directed to the clearing up and developing of a tract of wild land, which eventually became a good farmstead, and was the home of Stephen Thomas and wife until the end of their lives. His death occurred when about seventy years of age, while his widow was more than ninety-three years old at death. They were both Orthodox Quakers. Their children numbered six.

After Lewis Moorman married he followed his trade of blacksmith for some years, but in 1833 abandoned it, and moved away from the somewhat well settled community of Wayne county to the frontier of Grant county. In this county he became one of the original land holders, getting a tract by entry, direct from the government. His location was in Union township, which was later named Fairmount township, and there he lived and followed the quiet vocation of farming, until he was past seventy-five years of age. His winters during the last years of his life were spent in the home of a daughter in Iowa, and in that state he died in 1900. His wife had passed away about ten years before aged sixty-eight. She died in the Quaker faith, but late in life Lewis Moorman joined the United Brethren Church, and died in that belief. In early life his ballot was cast in behalf of Whig candidates, and later he was a Republican. There were five sons and four daughters in the family, all of whom grew up and all married but two sons, Nathan, the oldest brother, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-five; Steven, the youngest brother, who died in army during Civil War. The living sons are: Levi and Zachariah. Zachariah is married and lives in Jewel county, Kansas. He was a gallant soldier during the Civil war and in one engagement within five minutes time was shot in six different places, and never afterwards has been in good health. The two sisters still living are Jane, widow of Ira Howell, whose home is in Iowa, and who has one son and three daughters, and Theresa, wife of John W. Jones, a farmer in Jefferson township, and they have two sons and three daughters.

Levi Moorman, who was the second son and fourth child in the family, was born in Fairmount township in Grant county, May 16, 1838. His early life was spent in that vicinity, and his recollection includes the earliest pioneer days, when log cabins were numerous as homes, when the schools were conducted under the subscription plan, long before railroads were any where near Grant county, and when life was a very simple matter compared with the complexity of the present. His advantages in the way of schools were limited by the conditions of the time, but he possessed a superior natural talent and intellect, and has never been seriously handicapped in his struggle with fortune. Sometime after becoming of age, he bought eighty acres of wild land, in Jefferson township, and that was the nucleus around which he built up his fortune. His eighty acres was increased under his management to one hundred and thirty-six acres, and was well improved with a large grain and stock barn, grain sheds, and a comfortable seven-room house, altogether making an attractive and valuable rural estate. Under his management practically no land was allowed to go to waste, and the Moorman farm has long been regarded as almost a model in that community. In 1910 Mr. Moorman suffered a stroke of paralysis and retired to Matthews, where he has since almost entirely recovered his health and now enjoys the comforts of a good home on Seventh Street.

Mr. Moorman was married in Jefferson township, to Miss Lavina Lucas. Mrs. Moorman was born in Jefferson township August 22, 1841, and is a sister of the present county commissioner. Thomas J. Lucas, whose family sketch elsewhere in this publication will give the details in the history of the Lucas household. Mrs. Moorman was carefully reared and educated in the public and city schools of Marion, and is a cultured and very capable wife and mother. They are the parents of one son, Albert A., who was born March 12, 1865, was educated in the public schools, and now owns and operates a fine farm of eighty acres in Jefferson township. Albert Moorman married Rachel Dorton, of Delaware county, and they are the parents of three children, as follows: Beatrice, living at home; Clyde, who married Grace Johnson and occupies his grandparents' farm, and they have one daughter, Delight, born August 12, 1911; and Ralph, living at home.

"BLACKFORD AND GRANT COUNTIES INDIANA, A CHRONICLE OF THEIR PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT WITH FAMILY LINEAGE AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS"; Complied Under the Editorial Supervision of BENJAMIN G. SHINN; vol. II ; THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY; CHICAGO AND NEW YORK; 1914
Submitted by:Peggy Karol and Karen Overholt