Caleb Lyon
| Caleb Lyon | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 2nd Governor of Idaho Territory | |
| In office 1864–1865 |
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| Preceded by | William H. Wallace |
| Succeeded by | David W. Ballard |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 23rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 |
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| Preceded by | Leander Babcock |
| Succeeded by | William A. Gilbert |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 7, 1822 Greig, New York |
| Died | September 8, 1875 (aged 52) Rossville, Staten Island, New York |
| Political party | Independent (1850s), Republican (1860s) |
Caleb Lyon (December 7, 1822 in Greig, New York – September 8, 1875 in Staten Island, New York) was governor of Idaho Territory from 1864 to 1865 during the last half of the American Civil War.[1]
In 1847 he was appointed US Consul to Shanghai, but never made it to China – instead he moved to California, and was credited as the designer of the California State Seal adopted in 1849, although the actual design was by Robert S. Garnett.[2]
As territorial Governor, Lyon proved to be extremely unpopular. One journalist wrote he was "a conceited, peculiar man, who made many enemies and misappropriated much of the public funds." During Lyon's administration, the territorial capital was moved from Lewiston to Boise, reputedly because Lyon thought it was better to have the capital in a larger city.
Lyon started a diamond-prospecting frenzy when he claimed that a prospector had found a diamond near Ruby City, Idaho. Although hundreds of men staked claims, no genuine diamonds were found as a result.[3]
Lyon served a single term in the United States House of Representatives from 1853 to 1855, representing New York as an independent.
Caleb Lyon was the son of Marietta Henrietta Dupont (1788–1869) and Caleb Lyon (1761–1835). In 1841, he married Mary Ann Springsteen (1823–1881). They had a son Caleb (b. 1842) and a daughter Henrietta Frederica (b. 1843). Toward the end of his life, Lyon was a resident of the town of Rossville, Staten Island, New York, where he purchased a home known as “Ross Castle” in 1859.[4]
A small collection of Lyon’s papers is preserved by the Staten Island Historical Society at Historic Richmond Town in New York, along with various artifacts associated with the Lyon family.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ infoplease.com – Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771 – present
- ^ California State Capitol Museum: Great Seal of California
- ^ Dan Plazak – A Hole in the Ground with a Liar at the Top (2006) ISBN 978-0-87480-840-7
- ^ Roswell S. Coles, “Caleb Lyon’s Trip Around the Horn,” Staten Island Historian, Vol. 1, No. 4, October 1938. Published by The Staten Island Historical Society.
- ^ Lyon, Caleb, People Record. Collection Database, Staten Island Historical Society, New York.
- Caleb Lyon at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-03-26
[edit] External links
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| United States House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by [[]] |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York ? – ? |
Succeeded by [[]] |
- 1822 births
- 1875 deaths
- Norwich University alumni
- People from New York
- People from New York City
- People from Staten Island
- Members of the New York State Assembly
- New York State Senators
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York
- People of Idaho in the American Civil War
- Governors of Idaho Territory
