The Lyon Brothers

Cyrus and Sanford Lyon were twin brothers born on November 20, 1831, in Machias, Maine. Their parents were Henry and Betsy Lyon (see the Eight Generations of Lyon webpage here). In 1849, they sailed to San Francisco from Nantucket around Cape Horn on the ship "Oxnard." They soon made their way south to Los Angeles and worked as clerks for David W. Alexander & Francis Mellus, a merchantile store. Francis and Henry Mellus, both living in LA, were first cousins to the Lyons. Alexander & Mellus brought goods around Cape Horn, exchanging them for hides and tallow (a form of beef or mutton fat). A few years after the Mexican War of 1846-1848, the store went out of business.

On the 1850 U.S. Census for the City of Los Angeles taken on January 20, clerks Cyrus and Sanford are living together:

The 1852 California Census also shows them as clerks living together:

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In 1853, the Los Angeles Rangers were formed by the Alcalde (or mayor) of Los Angeles Don Ignacio del Valle. Some of its members were Horace Bell, William Reader, William W. Jenkins, and Cyrus Lyon. Cyrus became quite well known and well respected. In the 1881 book "Reminiscences of a Ranger" by Major Horace Bell, Bell shows his respect:

Of our gallant comrade, Cyrus Lyon, the language of the immortal Byron can be well applied:
"Of all our band,
Though firm of heart and strong of hand,
In skirmish, march, or forage, none
Can less have said or more have done."

Victoria Carrillo Norton, a great, great, granddaughter of Cyrus, has kindly provided me with family information and scans pertaining to Cyrus and has checked over the accuracy of my statements on this and the Lyon family webpage. (Of course, I am responsible for any errors that may exist.) Thanks Vickie. She has also donated a "Lyon Family Album" to the Santa Clarita Historical Society. In her December 2007 "My Ancestors" story on the Somos Primos website Vickie writes:

Cyrus Lyon stayed mainly in Los Angeles. With all the lawlessness in the pueblo of Los Angeles, a strong law enforcement group was needed to keep order. The Los Angeles Rangers were appointed by Don Ignacio del Valle, the mayor of Los Angeles to put a stop to the disorder. Cyrus Lyon at 21 yrs old was appointed a captain under Horace Bell and was one of their most efficient rangers.

Cyrus Lyon also followed first cousin Francis Mellus and partner David Alexander’s lead in becoming one of the first Americans to own property in the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles. During the 1850’s he owned property in Rancho Cahuenga, Rancho Los Feliz, and Rancho Providencia. It was during this time that Cyrus became the father of Jose Enrique "Henry" Lyon. Henry’s mother was Nicolasa Triunfo who was descended from the Basilio Rosas family, one of the original eleven families that settled the Pueblo of Los Angeles in 1781. Nicolasa Triunfo was the daughter of Jose Miguel Triunfo who was an ex-San Fernando Mission Indian born around 1810. He had been granted Rancho Cahuenga by Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena in 1843 for services performed at the Mission. He traded this property with Francisco and Pedro Lopez a few years later for Rancho Tujunga. Francisco Lopez is the same individual that discovered gold in Placerita Canyon in 1842. Jose Miguel Triunfo was one of the few Indians that were able to obtain and keep property. His wife, Maria Rafaela (Canedo) Arriola was a "Gente de Razon", that being a member of the established Christian community. Miguel and wife Rafaela can be found in the 1850 census of Los Angeles.

No marriage record between Cyrus and Nicolasa Triunfo has been found. Their sons Henry and Albert Lyon were considered "hijo naturales" because their parents were not married in the church. Cyrus was apparently also involved with Matilda Ortega, with whom he had two children. On the 1880 US Census, 48-year old Cyrus is married to 19-year old Ynez Cota and have one child, Rebecca. The census taker first wrote down "daughter" as Ynez's relationship to Cyrus, but crossed that out when he realized his mistake.

Cyrus would eventually have 11 children with Nicolasa, Matilda, and Ynez. He was evidently a responsible parent because all his children were given the Lyon last name, even the ones where there was no official marriage. See the Lyon family webpage here for a list of his children.

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Church record of the October 21, 1876, marriage of 44-year old Cyrus (badly misspelled) and 15-year old Ynez

Copyright Note: This image is NOT in the public domain and is protected by the copyright laws of the United States.
Used by permission of Victoria Norton.

The family of Cyrus around 1900. Top row left to right - Albert (mother Nicolasa Triunfo), Cyrus A., Robert. Bottom row left to right - Arthur E., Alice, Ynez Cota (mother of the others), and Rebecca.

Copyright Note: This image is NOT in the public domain and is protected by the copyright laws of the United States.
Used by permission of Victoria Norton.

For the state election of the first Wednesday of September, 1855, Cyrus Lyon was appointed as an election judge for the precinct of San Fernando to be held at the house of Andres Pico (Los Angeles Star, August 18, August 25, September 1, and September 8, 1855). In 1856, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors appointed Cyrus Lyon a Judge of the Plain for Rancho Cahuenga for the term of one year (Los Angeles Star, June 21, 1856). For the state election of November 4th, 1856, Sanford Lyon was again appointed as an election judge in the city of San Fernando (From the Los Angeles Star of October 25 and November 8, 1856).

W.W. Jenkins writes (in "History of the Development of Placer Mining in California", Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1906, pp. 71-72) that "in the year 1858, W.W. Jenkins and Cyrus Lyon purchased from Jose Espenosa one [gold] nugget from which was realized $1,928, which was the largest piece known to have been taken from this locality." That locality was either the San Feliciana, Castaic or the San Francisquito placer field.

October 23, 1862. Marriage notice of Sanford and Annie from Maine Marriages, 1771-1907 (FamilySearch org)

According to Addi Lyon (Sanford's son - Degoyler Papers, SMU), Sanford returned to Machias, Maine, in 1858 for a visit and was accompanied by James Mellus. Lyon stopped in Boston, Massachusetts, and placed James in school. In Machias, he met a young lady named Anna (or Annie) T. Hanscom. Lyon returned to California, but in 1862 he returned to Machias and married Annie. Within the year he returned to California leaving his wife in Maine. It was not until 1868 that Mrs. Lyon and his son Lewis, born in 1863, whom Sanford had never seen, came to California. At least that's what Addi said. However, Sanford probably already knew her because the Lyons and Hanscoms were neighbors while Sanford was growing up. Although it sounds a little unusual, Sanford may not have seen Annie again until 1868 because their next child, Carrie, wasn't born until 1870.

On July 9, 1859, Sanford was empaneled on the Court of Sessions Grand Jury (Los Angeles Star, July 9, 1859). On the 1860 census, Sanford and Cyrus are living together in the Los Angeles Township under the Los Angeles Post Office. The Semi-Weekly Southern News of September 26, 1862, listed Cyrus as one the "wool-grower" in Los Angeles County that the firm of Messrs. Corbitt & Barker purchased from.

On the Great Register of Los Angeles County (Voter Registrations 1866-1898), Sanford registered on August 13, 1866. He was 34 years old, from Maine, was a miner, and lived in Los Angeles. Cyrus registered on March 16, 1866. He was listed as 36 ( that was an error-he would be 34 like Sanford) years old, from Maine, was a rancher, and also lived in Los Angeles. Also on the Great Register, Cyrus was registered to vote in Los Angeles on March 16, 1867.

Sanford Lyon was involved in oil soon after it was discovered in Pico Canyon in early 1865. He was of the 98 claim holders of the Mammoth Lead, the largest lead ever recorded in the San Fernando Petroleum Mining District (SFPMD). It extended from Pico Canyon to Towsley Canyon and consisted of nearly 100,000 sq. feet. He also was a claim holder in the Baker Lead (1865), the Lyon Lead (1865), the Pico Lead (1866), the Pico No. 2 Lead (1874), the Petroliopolis Lead (1874), and at least 10 others (listed in Book "A" of Locations, SFPMD). His wife Annie and her brother Lewis P. Hanscom, who had come to LA from Maine in the 1870's, were also claim holders on a couple of the same oil leads that Sanford had claims on.

Robert S. Baker hired Sanford Lyon to take possession and work the Pico Oil Springs claim, owned by Baker and E.F. Beale (according to Luco vs. Baker, Case No 6831, Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, State of California). From The Los Angeles Semi-Weekly News of June 1, 1866:

"Mr. S. Lyons, the gentlemanly superintendent, tells me that it keeps him busy continually, to dip the oleaginous substance from the holes; the 'modus operandi' used by Mr. Lyons, (an invention of his own) to separate the oil from the water preparatory to shipment, is exceedingly primitive. At each of the holes or artificial tanks he has an ordinary barrel placed; he then dips up the oil and water promiscuously, puts it into the barrel and when the water is settled at the bottom of the barrel, which it does in about six or eight hours, he has a small tap which he takes out and the water passes out and leaves the oil in the barrel in its crude state and ready for shipment. The amount of oil procured in this way, is from eight to twelve barrels per week, of No. 1 green oil."

The September 21, 1866, Los Angeles Semi-Weekly News reported that "The Pico Springs, under the superintendence of Mr. S. Lyon, are giving the most satisfactory results."

In 1876 (not 1869 as some sources say), Sanford Lyon spring-poled his own well on the Pico Oil Spring claim with the permission of claim holder Robert S. Baker. On July 2, 1878, Lyon deeded his well Robert S. Baker for 1$ (Los Angeles County Recorders Office, Deeds Book 63, Pages 214-216).

Cyrus Lyon was not involved much in oil or gold mining. However, he was listed as a claim holder in at least five oil leads (listed in Book "A" of Locations, SFPMD). Many of the claim holders of oil claims were relatives or friends of the actual discoverer. The more people involved, the more land could be claimed. Cyrus was more than likely added to some of the claims that Sanford was involved with. I doubt that he actually worked any of them.

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Sanford Lyon (and not with his brother Cyrus) bought the ranch that would soon contain Lyon's Station on November 13, 1868, from the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company (LA County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 11, pages 534-535) for $3000. However, the sale was subject to the conditions of a mortgage (LA County Recorder's Office - Mortgages, Book 5, pages 406-408) from a note for $1000 Lyon had given the Company. The Los Angeles Daily News of January 5th, 1869, reported that "the rancho known as 'Hosmer's Station' situated on the road to Soledad, Kern county, &c, has changed hands, Sanford Lyons having become the proprietor. It is situated about a couple of miles from the San Fernando Pass, and is a good station for travelers and teamsters."

As mainly a sheep herder, times for tough for Lyon. Droughts limited grazing land for both cattle and sheep. On December 2, 1869, he sold out to Adam Malezewski for only five dollars (LA County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 14, pages 161-163), but Malezewski was responsible for paying off the mortgage. The deed allowed Lyon to rent the entire land for two years for one dollar. Still with financial problems, on October 11, 1871, Lyon sold all his remaining interest in the land, all improvements that he had done, all the houses, animals, furniture, and tools on the ranch, to Malezewski for $1000 in payments to Lyon over 12 months (LA County Recorder's Office, Deeds, Book 18, pp. 199-200). On November 13, 1871, Malezewski paid off the mortgage held by the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company obtaining full ownership of the ranch. Lyon lived there until 1873 or 1874 with Malezewski as his landlord. Then Lyon permanently moved to his homestead in the canyon that would eventually bear his name.

The 1870 census shows Sanford (I could not find Cyrus on this census but I'm sure he still lived in Los Angeles) in the Los Angeles Township but this time at the Petropolis (Petroliopolis) Post Office. The Petroliopolis Post Office operated from 1867-1871. Christopher Leaming was appointed the first postmaster on April 1, 1867. Richard N. Hosmer was appointed on November 21, 1867. Sanford Lyon was then appointed on July 23, 1869 (from early postmaster appointments in LA county). The 1870 census also shows Lyon's wife Anna. The Petroliopolis Post Office was discontinued on December 6, 1871.

Lyon's Station marker at the Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California. It was not bought by the Lyons in 1855. It was bought by only Sanford Lyon on November 13, 1868. (Photo taken on 3/7/2021)

Lyons Station
This site was the location of a combination store,
post office, telegraph office, tavern and stage
depot accommodating travelers during the Kern
River gold rush in the early 1850's. A regular stop
for Butterfield and other early California stage
lines, it was purchased by Sanford and Cyrus Lyons
in 1855 and became known as Lyons Station. By 1868
at least twenty families lived here. Eternal
Valley Memorial Park has memorialized their
final resting place as "the Garden of the Pioneers".

California Registered Historical
Landmark No. 688

Plaque placed by the California State Park Commission in
cooperation with Eternal Valley Memorial Park; The History
and Landmarks Association of the San Fernando and
Antelope Valley Parlors, Native Sons and Native Daughters
of the Golden West; and San Fernando Mission Parlor No. 280,
Native Daughters of the Golden West, November 22, 1959.

Besides oil, Sanford Lyon also had other mining interests. The Los Angeles Star of April 16, 1870, reported that notices of intent to file United States Land Office patents for the Lyon Mining Company, with George Gleason, Sanford Lyon, Alexander De Witt, and George Clark, and the Eureka Mining Company, with George Clarke, George Gleason, H.H.W. Clarke, Sanford Lyon, Christopher Leaming, and Benj. C. Truman. These mines were in the Gleason Mining District at the western end of the San Gabriel Mountains on Mount Gleason. Mining there was hard-rock for gold, silver, copper, and other minerals. It is not known if the patents were actually filed for.

The Los Angeles Daily News of March 27, 1872, reports that in Petroliopolis, the Owens Valley earthquake of March 26, 1872 was severely felt and the Daily Alta of the same date reported that clocks stopped. In 1873 or 1874, Sanford moved from Lyon's Station to his claim in Lyon Canyon claim. He would eventually purchase this claim in 1880. Back at Lyon's Station, Adam Malezewski would commit suicide in 1876.

Sanford and Annie would eventually have six children. See the Lyon family webpage here for a list of Sanford's children. According the Great Register, Sanford registed to vote in Newhall on June 25, 1879. Cyrus registered in Los Angeles on June 19, 1879. In 1880, Sanford unsuccessfully ran for the office of county supervisor.

The 1870 census of Petroliopolis. Cyrus was not living at Lyon's Station. Sanford and Cyrus were the uncles of James and Otis Lyon, who had come to Lyon's Station in 1869. Otis was the son of Warren Lyon and James was the son of James Lyon. Warren and James were the brothers of Sanford and Cyrus. Note the Adam above Sanford. That was Adam Malezewski (with his last name butchered on the census), who Sanford would sell the ranch to in 1869. This census (taken on June 30, 1870) should say that Adam had $3000 in real estate not Sanford. Also living nearby were Michael Brophy and O.P. Robbins, well known men of that time.

This photo is from the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society from around 1870. It is only identified as the "Lyon Station gang" with the little black boy named "Ashbridge". However, I have added the photos of Sanford and Cyrus Lyon next to what I believe to be them. The likeness is clear. Two of the women are probably their wives. I also think that the two men on the left are James and Otis Lyon, relatives of Sanford living at Lyon's Station in 1870. The child on the left could be Lewis, Sanford's 6 year old son, sitting with Sanford's wife Annie. I think that the remaining woman is also a Lyon.

"Santa Catalina Island sheep men", Hazard-Dyson Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California. In the back is Cyrus Lyon. The man in the front wearing the white shirt is Captain Frank P. Whitley and, on the left is Oscar Macy. Photo taken between 1890 and 1892 (the date of Lyon's death). He must have been visiting there at the time. Both Sanford and Cyrus raised sheep at one time. (Close-up of Cyrus from larger photo.)

Sanford Lyon's house is shown on this 1876 survey plat map in the future Lyon Canyon. Probably by 1874 Lyon was living here. He was also spending a lot of time in Pico Canyon working his own well and working for Robert S. Baker and E.F. Beale, the owners of the Pico Oil Springs claim. When Albert Ruxton did his survey of the Pico Oil Springs Mine in 1877, in the field notes for that survey he reported a house for Lyon near Lyon's well. Of course the house was probably a one-room shack.

On 9/10/1880, Sanford Lyon purchased about 110 acres for cash at the mouth of today's Lyon Canyon from the federal government. Info from the BLM/GLO land patent search webpage.

More details

Plat map with Lyon's land enclosed in yellow

Map also showing Lyon's land at the mouth of Lyon Canyon

On the Great Register of Los Angeles County (Voter Registrations 1866-1898), we find that Sanford registered on June 25, 1879. He was 47 years old, from Maine, was a farmer, and lived in Newhall. Cyrus registered on June 19, 1879. He was 47, from Maine, was a rancher, and lived in Los Angeles.

The 1880 US Census shows Sanford with his wife and five children, Lewis, Carrie, Annie, and Addi. A sixth child, Sanford L., would be born in 1881. Michael Brophy and Stephen Gavin (Gavin Canyon) living nearby. The Lyons are definitely living at their Lyon Canyon ranch. Only a year later, on June 5, 1881, Frank M. Lyon, Sanford's six year old son, was kicked in the chest by a horse and would die two days later.

The 1880 US Census actually has Cyrus twice. Here is the first one, taken on June 1 for the San Antonio-Vernon and Florence Road Districts. It is evidently for a farm that he owned, so there are a lot of servants living there. Also his young wife Enis (or Ynez) Cota, daughter Rebecca, and sons Henry and Albert (from a previous marriage).

This is the second time that Cyrus is on the 1880 US Census. This one was taken on June 5 for the Second Ward of the City of Los Angeles. Here we have Cyrus, Enis (Ynez) and daughter Rebecca again. His mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law also live with him.

Sanford Lyon died on November 30, 1882, at the young age of 51. He is buried at the Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California, which is located just behind the old location of Lyon's Station.

Ten years later, Cyrus Lyon died on May 20, 1892, at the age of 61 in Los Angeles. He is buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

In 1893, the state of California passed an act to pay Cyrus Lyon $1000 dollars for the 1855 capture of Anastacio Garcia. Unfortunately, Cyrus died in 1892. Whether his widow Ynez received the money is unknown.

Lyon Street in Los Angeles (here intersecting Cesar E. Chavez Ave.) was named for Cyrus Lyon. In 1953, Pico Road in Newhall was changed to Lyons Avenue by the County of Los Angeles Surveying Department. Whether they meant to name it for Sanford Lyon and mistakenly added the "s" is not known. I'd like to believe that they meant both Sanford and Cyrus.

Here is the Sanford Lyon gravesite at the Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California. This cemetery is right behind the long-gone site of Lyon's Station on Sierra Highway. This is location 124-D in the Garden of the Pioneers. (Gravestone photos taken in 2009)

The gravestone on the right of the above photo is Sanford Lyon's marker. It says:

Sanford Lyon
A Native of
Machias Maine
Died Nov 30 1882
Aged 51 Yrs 10 Ds

The small gravestone says:

Frank M
son of
Annie T and Sanford Lyon
Died
June 7 1881
Aged
6 Yrs 2 Mos 9 Dys

The larger stone in the middle says:

Sanford Lyon
1831 - 1882
Anna T. Lyon Devendorf
1843 - 1911
Frank M Lyon
1875 - 1881
Sanford L Lyon
1882 - 1933

The back of the larger stone shows that this is also the resting place of Annie's second husband Seth and some of his family. They were married around 1885.

Seth M Devendorf
1848 - 1918
Charles Devendorf
1855 - 1893
Caroline L Devendorf
1869 - 1894
Charles Devendorf Jr
1891 - 1891

Large sign in front of the Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California. About Lyon Station it says (incorrectly):

A stage coach stop called Lyon Station,
was established here in 1854 & by the end
of the Civil War interments had been made
in this cemetery.

Cyrus Lyon died on May 20, 1892 in Los Angeles ten years after his brother Sanford died. (Clipping from the Los Angeles Herald of 5/22/1892.)

The grave marker of Cyrus Lyon (11/20/1831 - 5/20/1892) in Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Family oral history says that his son Cyrus A. (1883 - 12/25/1926) was cremated and his urn was buried in his father's grave

Copyright Note: This image is NOT in the public domain and is protected by the copyright laws of the United States.
Used by permission of Victoria Norton.

From the Los Angeles Herald of June 8, 1881. This was on the Lyon Ranch in Lyon Canyon

Addi Warren Lyon was born on March 25, 1873, and died on February 25, 1951. He married Edith Lawrence Stevens (1881-1963) on May 5, 1904, and they had one son Lawrence Addi Lyon (6/13/1909 - 2006)