Connecticut western news., 1877-08-24
Lyons i'm the Olden Time.

Lyons i'm the OldeM Time.
 John M. Holley. late of Lyons, was born in Salisbury. Litchfield county, Conn.,, November 10th. 1909. His father. John M. Hol1ey, was the oldest son of Luther Holley, of Salisbury, one of the earliest iron.masters Tn the iron region of Western Connecticut. The other sons of Luther were Myron, Horace, Edward. Newman and Orville. Their histories are not unfamiliar to many living men in w1de sections of our country. The mother of John M.. the subject of this notice. Sally Porter. was sister of tho late Judge Augustus Porter, and Gen. Peter B. Porter of Niagara Falls, whose histories are also quite familiar to an earlier generation.
 The boyhood of John M., of Lyons, was spent in Salisbury, attending the district school and in indulgence in the usual manly sports of the day. The latter he greatly enjoyed having vigorous frame and being usually in buoyant health. At a suitable age be was sent to Shefdeld, Mass {, under the care of the now venerable Dr Oryille Dewey, During the year at that school he was an inmate of the family of the late Col. Robert F. Barnard. father oi President Barnard of Columbia College. New York. and of Gen. Barnard of the N. r. Ordinance Department. Young Holley scame under happy influences in that excellent family, which produced lasting effects for good in hls future life. Subsequently he attended a large school ct Ellsworth in Sharon, Conn.,. which was under the care of the Rev. David Parker, father of Hon. Amasa J. Parker of New York, the latter being one of his school companions. He completed his prepara- tions for college at Morris Academy. at Litch6eld. South Farms, entered Yale in 1918, and graduated with one of the honors of his class in 1929. After spending year at the celebrated Law School at at lltchfield, and another in the office oi his uncle, Orville L. Holley at Ly- ons, he went into the office of the late Hon. Joseph Kirkland. of Utlca. where he completed his third year of study. He was admitted to the Bar in A.. bany in 1925, and commenced practice in company with his consin Augustus s. Por. ter of Black Rock, now portion of Buff falo, N. Y. At the close of year, and with view of looking after the interests oi his father in the real estate on which part of the village of Lyons now stands, he re. moved to that town and made it his home for the remainder of his life., He resumed practice in Lyons in company with the late Graham H. Chapin, who was also gradu. ate of Yale College, from Salisbury, and who subsequently, became Member of Congress from the Lyons district. While studying in the office of Gen. Kirkland, Mr. Helley made the acquintance of hle daughter Mary, to whom he was married in May, 1927. MT. Holley held the office of District Attorney for few years, and that of Supervisor of the town of Lyons for still longer period. In 1887 he was elected to the State Legislature, and again in 1s40. In 1s47 he was the successful candidate for Congress in his district, after very closely contested election. and at period when parties were SO nearly balanced in Congress, that Mir. Winthrop theWhig candidate for Speaker was elected by only one majority. Owing to suddenly impaired health in 1s47, Mr. Hoiley was enabled to cast but one vote in Congress, which, q think was on the election of Speaker. Alter depositing this vote, MT. H.. accompanied by his wife and son, pro- ceeded to Florida, indulging in the hope that his health might be benefited by a winters residence in that more genial cline. His malady terminated fatally, however, in March, 1s4s, at Jacksonville. His remains were brought to Lyons for in . terment. The funeral was held in the Presbyterian church (now the Lutheran) and attended by an immense concourse of people-manY being unable to get inside the doors. A most impressive sermon was preached on that occasion by Rev. Ira 1ngraham, then pastor of the church. Mir. Holley left five children, (three others hay ing died in early childhood the eldest of whom, Henry Kirkland, died after few hours' illness, of cholera. at the early age of 2e. in 1854. Mary. the eldest of two little daughters, died two years after her father, at the age of 8. leaving only three children who still surviVe,-Mrs. John T. Clark, of Madison. Wisconsin, Mrs. c. H. Roys, of Lyons, and John M. Holley, of Lacrosse, Wisconsin.
 Mr. Holley had bright intellect and a highly cultivated mind. He was well verssd in his profession, and an able adYo- cate. He entertained sound. broad and liberal views in regard to matters of public policy, and was rapidly advancing to posi- tions in which he would undoubtedly have left his impress for good upon both hii State and the Nation. A distinguished statesman of Western New York remarked to the writer of this notice that Mr. Hol ley's career, though brief, was brilliant and his early death was public calamity
 It is not difficult to imagine that one & gifted, possessed warm heart, full of gen erous sympathies, and genial temper nor that in the domestic and in social cir cies he displayed the greatest charm of hi lfe; and that life was under the control o firm religious principle. He was 8 sin
 cere believer, though he never united him self with any church.