The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-07-03
How Young Irish Lad Became an
American Hero.


kASWNWa this country, they awakened
WV W. an echo on the other side Of
w the Atlantic, and that echo
sometimes carried with it conviction of
the justice of our cause and our right to
revolt. Such was its tone when it reached
the little hamlet in Ireland wherein dwelt
Matthew Lyon, a STRIPPING yet in his teens
An old sea captain from America was a
guest in the Lyons home, in which Mat
thew was not happy with his stepmother
and from which he had frequently begged
his father to let him depart. He listened
day after day to the wonderful tales of the
old salt, tales told with sea captains
coloring, that would have made the story
of Sindbad, the sailor, tame In comparison
The more he listened the more restless
he grew, and finally he determined that he
would go to America. AS the captain
would not take him without the consent
of his father, and that consent could not
be obtained he bided his time, and the
night the old captain sailed away Mat
thew Lyon shipped as a stowaway.
Not until he was too far out to be re-
turned did he reveal himself to the cap.
tain, who was very angry and swore all
the oaths in the sea captains vocabulary,
declaring that he would return him by the
first boat that sailed on their arrival in
America. "Do you know" he said, "that
you will be sold as a vagrant over there If
you land without money or friends?"
This did not frightcn the determined
boy, who said he was willing to be sold
anything TO get there.
| The vessel landed in Boston harbor
| Governor Chittenden met the captain, who
was personal friend, the day after the
/ al ikn IL, t,l1 ~ fbs lor
ing little stowaway, and they agreed to go
through the form of a mock SALE The boy
took his stand upon the sale block, and
the bidding commenced. After lively
contest he was knocked down to Governor
| Chittendcn for pair of bulls.
He went home with his purchaser, made
himself generally useful and soon found
such favor in the eyes of his master that
the latter took him into his office, where
he commenced the study of law. He was
soon an interested participator in the Bos
| ton tea party and enrolled himself with
the screen Mountain Boys" under com
mand of Ethan Allen, and became as true
patriot, as tenacious of the rights of Yer
mont and aggressive to those of New
| Hampshire and New York, as If he had
been born and bred upon the soil of the
Green Mountain State
| But soon there loomed up stumbling
block in the way of Matthew's patriotism
| His warm, young Irish heart went out
toward the pretty daughter of his benefac
| tor. She did not scorn the advances of
| the young patriot, but learned TO look with
eagerness to the surreptitious meetings
when Matthew would steal away from
camp to get a look at her pretty face. Gov
ernor Chittenden had more ambitious
views in regard to his daughter and
frowned upon this intimacy.
After the battle of Ticonderoga the con
| tinental congress at Philadelphia began
vigorously preparing for war, and when
George Washington was made commander
in chief of the army Matthew Lyon found
himself continental soldier, having won
his spurs ut Lexington month previous.
But at the close of the war he returned
to Vermont and became associated in the
law firm of Governor Chittenden, whose
| daughter he soon afterward married
So steadily did this young enthusiast
win his way into the hearts of the people
that he was sent to represent them in the
continental congress. While serving in
this capacity he fought the "alien and
sedition" bill and once in the heat of argu-
ment spat in the face of his opponent, a
man of the name of Fitzgerald, think
For this he was arrested, and refusing bail
was imprisoned. While in prison he was
again chosen to represent his adopted state
in congress.
Subsequently he was sent by the govern
ment to Arkansas to settle some Indian
disturbances in that locality. Finally he
drifted to Kentucky or "Fincastle coun-
ty," as it was then known. Here he joined
forces with Daniel Boone and became an
Indian fighter, his love of adventure find.
ing in this pastime fitting means for its
accomplishment.
A remnant of the fort built by Boone
and himself is still standing at the juno
tion of the Tennessee and Cumberland
rivers. The huge stone chimney, large
enough to roast two or three oxen in at
one time, forms the foundation for u house
which he afterward built and in which he
lived when he first settled in Kentucky
This house Is one of the historical spots in
the Blue Grass State and many tour
lists annually visit it. The little three cor
nered rooms, queer chimney places and
portfolio windows are reminders of the
time when Kentucky was known as the
clark and bloody ground"
From that state Matthew Lyon was also
sent to congress, and often when hot in
debate ne would cry out, "By the bulls
that bought me!'' Numbers of his descend.
ants are scattered throughout Kentucky,
Tennessee and Virginia, all of whom have
been more or less prominent in public af-
fairs. h. G. DE +.