50 Facts About Matthew Lyon

Matthew Lyon was an Irish-born American printer, farmer, soldier and politician, who served as a United States representative from both Vermont and Kentucky.

Matthew Lyon brawled with one Congressman, and was jailed on charges of violating the Sedition Act, winning re-election to Congress from inside his jail cell.

Matthew Lyon attended school in Dublin, after having been born in nearby County Wicklow, Ireland.

Some sources indicate that his father was executed for treason against the British government of Ireland, and Matthew Lyon worked as a boy to help support his widowed mother.

Matthew Lyon began to learn the printer and bookbinder trades in 1763, but emigrated to Connecticut as a redemptioner in 1764.

The debt was later purchased by merchant and farmer Hugh Hannah of Litchfield; while working for Hannah, Matthew Lyon continued his education through self-study when he was able.

In 1774, Matthew Lyon moved to Wallingford, Vermont, where he farmed and organized a company of militia.

Matthew Lyon's conduct was vindicated by both Arthur St Clair and James Wilkinson.

Matthew Lyon subsequently joined Warner's regiment as a paymaster with the rank of captain, and served during the Battle of Bennington and other actions.

Matthew Lyon served as a member from Arlington in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1779 to 1783.

Matthew Lyon founded Fair Haven, Vermont in 1783 and returned to the state House of Representatives from 1787 to 1796 as its member.

Three days later, after an impeachment trial before both the council and the governor, Matthew Lyon was reprimanded and ordered by the court of impeachment to pay the expenses of the prosecution.

Matthew Lyon requested a new trial, and the Council obliged, again finding against him.

Matthew Lyon was elected assistant judge of Rutland County in 1786 and was elected to again serve in the state house later the following year.

Matthew Lyon built and operated various kinds of mills in Fair Haven, including a gristmill, sawmill, and paper mill, in addition to an iron foundry.

In 1793, he started a printing office and published the Farmers' Library newspaper; though his son James was the nominal owner, Matthew Lyon oversaw the paper's management and supplied much of its content.

The newspaper was later renamed to the Fair Haven Gazette, and was published until Matthew Lyon sold its works.

In 1794, Matthew Lyon sold the printing press and other equipment for the Gazette to Reverend Samuel Williams and Judge Samuel Williams of Rutland, who used it to found the Rutland Herald.

Matthew Lyon was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Second and Third Congresses.

Matthew Lyon unsuccessfully contested the election of Israel Smith to the Fourth Congress.

Matthew Lyon won election as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifth and Sixth Congresses ; he was not a candidate for renomination in 1800.

Matthew Lyon had the distinction of being one of the first two members investigated for a supposed violation of House rules when he was accused of "gross indecency" for spitting in Roger Griswold's face; Griswold was investigated for attacking Matthew Lyon in retaliation.

Griswold finally lost his temper and insulted Matthew Lyon by calling him a scoundrel, which at the time was considered profanity.

Mockingly, Griswold asked if Matthew Lyon would be using his wooden sword, a reference to Matthew Lyon's supposed dismissal from Gates' command during the Revolution.

Matthew Lyon later apologized to the House as a whole, claiming he had not known it was in session when he confronted Griswold, and meant no breach of decorum or disrespect to the body; he provided a written letter of apology.

Matthew Lyon retreated to a fire pit and defended himself with the tongs until other Congressmen broke up the fight, with several pulling Griswold by his legs to get him to let go of Matthew Lyon.

Matthew Lyon has the distinction of being the only person to be elected to Congress while in jail.

Matthew Lyon had launched his own newspaper, The Scourge of Aristocracy and Repository of Important Political Truth, when the Rutland Herald refused to publish his writings.

One other charge included publishing letters written by the poet Joel Barlow, which Matthew Lyon had read at political rallies.

Matthew Lyon's defense was to be the unconstitutionality of the Acts, as Jeffersonians saw them as violating the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Matthew Lyon was sentenced to four months in a 16 by 12 feet jail cell used for felons, counterfeiters, thieves, and runaway slaves in Vergennes, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs ; Judge William Paterson lamented being unable to give a harsher punishment.

Vermont was one of the two "no result" states, because Lewis Morris voted for Burr and Matthew Lyon cast his ballot for Jefferson.

Vermont was one of two states to switch from "no result" to Jefferson, and he carried 10 states on the final ballot; Matthew Lyon thus played an important role in Jefferson's victory.

Matthew Lyon moved to Kentucky by 1801, settling in Eddyville in Livingston County, Kentucky.

Matthew Lyon established a paper mill propelled by oxen and a distillery, and subsequently engaged in boat building.

Matthew Lyon worked diligently to repair his finances, and by 1818 he had satisfied his debts and was again living in comfortable circumstances.

Matthew Lyon became a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1802 and was elected to the 8th United States Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses.

Matthew Lyon sought reelection in 1810 to the 12th Congress, but was unsuccessful.

In 1820, President James Monroe, a friend and political supporter of Matthew Lyon's, appointed him United States factor to the Cherokee Nation in the Arkansas Territory.

Matthew Lyon again attempted to serve in Washington, DC by running for the Arkansas Territory's delegate seat in Congress against incumbent James Woodson Bates.

Matthew Lyon narrowly lost the election to serve in the 17th Congress, and then unsuccessfully contested the result.

Matthew Lyon wrote to the House that the governor of the territory and other officials refused to allow him to inspect ballots and returns, or to have a hearing where he could call witnesses.

Matthew Lyon withdrew his contest, and Bates continued to serve.

Matthew Lyon died in Spadra Bluff, Crawford County, Arkansas on August 1,1822.

Matthew Lyon was initially interred in Spadra Bluff Cemetery, and in 1833 he was reinterred in Eddyville Cemetery.

Matthew Lyon was the daughter of Samuel Horsford and Mary Grant and had been married previously to Daniel Allen, the uncle of Ethan Allen, until his death in 1772.

Matthew Lyon's son James was a newspaper editor and publisher in Vermont and several southern states, and worked with both his father and James Thomson Callender.

Matthew Lyon's son Chittenden Matthew Lyon was a member of the US House of Representatives from Kentucky.

Matthew Lyon was the great-grandfather of William Peters Hepburn, who represented Iowa in Congress.

One of Matthew Lyon's descendants is the American operatic baritone Sherrill Milnes.