Marshal Americus Vespucius Lyons

Notes:

Died:
Name: Marshal Americus Vespucius Lyons
Birth Year: abt 1853
Age: 41
Date of Incident: 24 Dec 1894
Death Location: Louisiana
Department: Rayne Police Department
Department State: Louisiana
End of Watch Date: 24 Dec 1894
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Weapon: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect: Sentenced to death

Notes:
Marshal Americas Lyons was shot and killed in the line of duty. The subject who shot him was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Marshal Lyons had served with the agency for eight years and also held a commission as an Acadia Parish sheriff's deputy. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Officer Down Memorial Page
http://www.odmp.org/officer/8372-marshal-americus-vespucius-lyons
Marshal Americas Lyons was shot and killed by a subject seeking revenge after having been arrested and fined $5 for disturbing the peace earlier in the day.

The man swore to get even with Marshal Lyons and the town's mayor, who levied the fine. Later that same evening the man appeared at a party that Marshal Lyons was attending and demanded that the host give him $5. Hearing the commotion, Marshal Lyons came to the front of the house where he was fatally shot in the abdomen by the man.

The subject was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death. Several days before the scheduled execution the governor commuted the man's sentence to life in prison. He died while serving his sentence at Angola State Penitentiary.

Marshal Lyons had served with the Rayne Police Department for three years and also held a commission as an Acadia Parish sheriff's deputy. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Marshal married Louisa Frances Harmon on 20 Sep 1873 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Louisa (daughter of Dr. Joseph Harmon and M. Francisse "Fanny" Young) was born on 25 Aug 1857 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; died on 26 Aug 1897 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ola Lyons was born in 1878 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; died after 1880 in of, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
2. Lester Lyons was born in 1880 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; died after 1880 in of, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1850, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
• Census: 1850, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; slave schedule
• Census: 1860, Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
• Census: 1860, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; slave schedule
• Census: 1870, Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
• Census: 1880, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
• Census: 1900, Acadia Parish, Louisiana

Notes:

other Daniel Lyons in St. Landry?
Name: Daniel Lyons
Spouse: Jane Sinnett
Marriage Date: 11 Mar 1873
Marriage Pace: St. Landry

Name: Daniel Lyons
Spouse: Lavinia White
Marriage Date: 11 Mar 1878
Marriage Pace: St. Landry

Name: Daniel Lyons
Spouse: Mary Laudens
Marriage Date: 28 Aug 1883
Marriage Pace: St. Landry

Name: Daniel Lyons
Spouse: Sydonia Williams
Marriage Date: 24 Feb 1887
Marriage Pace: St. Landry


Census:
21 Nov 1850 St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Daniel Lyons 28
Louisiana Lyons 23
Lyons 0 male 6/12 mos (May)




Census:
Name: Daniel Lyons
Age in 1860: 38
Birth Year: abt 1822
Birthplace: Saint Landry
Home in 1860: Opelousas, St Landry, Louisiana
Gender: Male
Post Office: Grand Coteau

Household Members: Name Age
Daniel Lyons 38 farmer 2500; 48000
Americus V Lyons 7 male 1853
Mary L Lyons 9 1851



Census:
Name: Daniel Lyons
Age in 1870: 48
Birth Year: abt 1822
Birthplace: Louisiana
Home in 1870: Ward 6, St Landry, Louisiana
Race: white
Gender: Male
Post Office: Opelousas

Household Members: Name Age
Daniel Lyons 48 farmer $3000
Francis Lyons 26
A V Lyons 16 female at school



Census:
Name: Daniel Lyons
Age: 58
Birth Year: abt 1822
Birthplace: Louisiana
Home in 1880: 9th Ward, St Landry, Louisiana
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Francis Lyons
Father's Birthplace: Louisiana
Mother's Birthplace: Louisiana

Household Members: Name Age
Daniel Lyons 58
Francis Lyons 38
Pintard Lyons 8 grandson
Howard Andrus 7 grandson
Lizemas Andrus 5 grandson
L. P. Andrus 3 grandson

Daniel married Mrs. Louisiana (..) Lyons about 1849 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Louisiana was born in 1827 in Louisiana; died after 1850 in of, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Wit: marriage of Jacob Hayes (William & Foreman) and Marie Zilphey Berwick 23 Apr 1816 Atakapas, St.Martin, respesenting the groom's parents.

Died:
Opel Courthouse Succ. #1079

Gabriel married Nancy Burleigh on 02 Jan 1821 in Grand Coteau, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Nancy (daughter of Charles Robert Burleigh and Elizabeth Isabelle Miller) was born in Feb 1793 in New Orleans, Louisiana; died in Mar 1850 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Grand Coteau Ch Vol 1 Pg 6

Grand Coteau Ch Vol 1 Pg 6

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Protestant
• Possessions: 04 Mar 1790, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
• Possessions: 1801, Bayou Queue de Tortue, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
• Will: 04 Sep 1834, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; inventory

Notes:

They were in Pensacola Florida when their son, Gabriel was born.This is stated in record of marriage of Gabriel to Nancy Burleigh. GC Chv 1p 6.
Bapt. record of their son John said that John and Anne Ahart were of Georgia.

writeup found in Ancestry:
JOHN LYONS, SR., was the first Lyons ancestor of which we have record. He was born about 1757. John?s father may have been Samuel Lyons but there is no proof of this.

According to one family legend, the Lyons came from Ireland and Scotland. According to another they came to this country from Nova Scotia about the time of the American Revolution.

It is not known when the first Lyons reached Louisiana. Some members of the family believe that the Lyons first settled in Georgia or Tennessee. However, it is certain that John Lyons, Sr. was in Louisiana prior to 1801 for in that year he purchased some 6000 acres of land in what is now Vermilion and Acadia Parishes. The land is situated on both the North and South sides of Bayou Queue de Tortue.

John Lyons, Sr. was the father of at least seven children:
1.MICHAEL LYONS, born about 1777.
2.John Lyons, Jr.
3.Gabriel Lyons
4.Elizabeth Lyons
5.Samuel Lyons
6.William Lyons
7.David Lyons

John Lyons, Sr. married Nancy or Ana, Ahart. It is thought that all of John?s children were born of this marriage; however, Michael, the eldest child, might have been by a previous marriage.

According to the Lyons? Family Bible, Nancy Ahart Lyons died on June 1, 1809, and John Lyons, Sr. died on August 23, 1835. He died at his home place on Bayou Queue de Tortue.


Possessions:
04 MAR 1790
(Juan de Lion an inhabitant of Pensacola) petitioned for a land concession 80 by 40 arpents at the mouth of Bayou Vermilion on the right bank descending and the last high land on the bayou to form a vacherie and to make oak timber for the construction of boats.
source:
4.Title: La Raconteur: Record Group P85-190 at Louisiana State Archives
Abbrev: Lyons, John La Raconteur
Date: 1995

Possessions:
land on the south side of the bayou "50 arpents front by the ordinary depth" (40 arpents) from Celestin la Tortue, Chief of the Attakapas, for $87
source: Title: Acadia Parish Louisiana, a History prior to 1900
Abbrev: Acadia Parish History, Vol. 1
Author: Fontenot, Mary Alice; Freeland, Paul B.
Date: 1976; Text: p. 12

Will:
The inventory of his estate was taken at "the plantation and last residence of the late John Lyons of said parish....situated on the Bayou Queue de Tortue, distant about fifty miles from the Courthouse of said Parish."

John married Nancy Anne Ahart about 1775. Nancy was born in 1761 in Georgia or Virginia; died on 1 Jun 1809 in Plaqueine Brulee, Acadia Parish, or St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Protestant

Notes:

A careful look at the list below will show the research on this line needs some work; the dates do not fit together very well. If you have additional info please share it!

There are 2 children John M Lyons listed and I initially thought they were probably the same person but the dates of spouses don\\\'t align.

John M Lyons is born in 1783 in GA
- He marries Marie Hayes 27 Oct 1800 in Opelousas and is listed as a Protestant
- Marie Hayes dies 17 May 1826
- yet the record shows they have a son Aborn born in 1829 (3 years after she died)
- He marries Rachael Marie Forman 30 Mar 1804, according to the notes in a Catholic church
- Rachel and he have a son David Lyons born in 1798 (5 years before the wedding)
- and their son John L Lyons III is born 5 Jul 1804 (4 months after the wedding)
- Rachel and he divorce(!) 21 May 1824
- He marries Rebecca Gilchrest 19 Jun 1826 (1 month after Marie dies and 2 years after the divorce from Rachel).

Charles married Elizabeth Isabelle Miller in 1782 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Elizabeth was born in 1755 in Pensacola, Florida; died on 14 Sep 1799 in Grand Cloteau, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]