Capt. Clinton G. Lyons, a prominent citizen and stock raiser, was born where he now lives, February 10, 1829, son of William and Matilda G. (Maxwell) Lyons. The father was of Irish descent, and the mother of Scotch-Irish descent. The former was born in Pennsylvania, nine mile from Philadelphia in Haverford Township. The mother’s father, George Maxwell, was among the first settlers of Hawkins County. Our subject’s father was among the first settlers of the same county, having settled here as early as the year 1800. Our subject is the youngest of nine children. He secured a good education which was commenced at the county schools, and finished at the University of Knoxville, He remained with his father until his death, and assisted him in his mercantile and farming interests. At the death of his father (1866), he came in possession of the old homestead, and since that time he has given his attention exclusively to the farming interests, making the raising of live stock a great specialty. In May, 1862, he entered the Confederate States service, enlisting in Company A, Twelfth Tennessee Battalion of Calvary as first Lieutenant, and in a short while he was elected captain of the company, and served his country in this capacity the remainder of the war. His company was gallant, and was finally received into Gen.,. Pegram’s division, and operated both in the western and eastern armies; took part in the battles of Perryville, Ky., Murfreesboro, Chickamuga, and then led the advance of Gen. Longstreet to Knoxville. At Loudon, one night, he was selected by Gen. Morrison to drive into the enemy’s pickets and ascertain the position of the enemy. This he did very successfully, and to the satisfaction of the commanding general. He received a wound at Chicamuga, but never quit the field. After leaving East Tennessee he went to Virginia, and took part in the battles of Cedar Hill and Port Republic, and at Port Republic he received a sever wound, and was never able to enter the service again, and is still suffering from its effects. On October 7, 1857, he married Livie M. Cocke, daughter of Col. William M. Cocke, of Grainger County, who represented before the war that district in Congress. To the subject of this sketch belong six children – four sons and two daughters – one son, James S., died in February, 1880. Our subject is a stanch Democrat, and he and wife and four children are members of the Presbyterian Church. Five children are living, and all reside with him, and one son, William C., is a practicing physician. William C. commenced the study of medicine in 1884, and read two years under Dr. James Hoffman of Stony Point, and in the winter of 1886-7 he attended lectures at the Louisville Medical College, receiving an honorary diploma. He is a young physician of much promise, and will go soon the Bellevue College, New York City. He returned from college in January, 1887, and since that time he has been engaged in the practice of medicine.

Transcribed by Betty Mize from Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee, 1886.