Pioneer Sketches
Fanny Susan KINNICK, m. William Eugene LYON
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William Eugene and Fanny Susan KINNICK
Lyon family background
William Eugene LYON, the son of Nathan and Roxane (BATES) LYON was born
in Warrenville, Ohio, May 19, 1851. He settled in Greenwood county, Kansas,
in the fall of 1869. Sometime later, he moved to Illinois and was united
in marriage to Miss Fanny Kinnick, December 31, 1879, at Mineral, Illinois,
where they lived a short time.
Fanny Susan KINNICK was born in Bureau county, Illinois, on November 1, 1851,
the youngest daughter of Walter W. and Susan (SCHWYHART)
KINNICK.
The Lyons moved to Ness county, Kansas, in 1882, and located on a homestead
south of Utica, where they lived the rest of their lives. See additional
information below, on their land, oil, and agricultural interests.
Their only son, Harry, was born 5 Mar 1887. He only lived for seven year,
six months and ten days. He died 15 Sep 1894. He was the first person to
be buried in the Utica Cemetery.
Mrs. Lyon passed away at her home south of Utica, February 18, 1926, at
the age of 74 years, three months and 17 days.
Mr. Lyon departed this life at the Midwest hospital in Ransom, after several
months of illness, Sunday, August 17, 1930, at the age of 79 years, 2 month
and 28 days.
State Agricultural Census information
1925 Kansas, Ness, Ohio Twp
Lyon, W. E., 73, b. Ohio
Lyon, Fanny, 73, b. IL
1924 crops:
Wheat, 500 bu; Corn, 1100 bu; Butter, 100 lb; dairy prod value, 50;
Chickens, 72; Poultry value, 120; value of animals, 175;
Acres in farm, 3440; winter wheat, 200a; corn, 60a; oats, 25a; barley, 40a;
forage, 10a; millet, 20.
1895 Kansas - line 16, W. E. Lyon
Acres in farm - 640, under cultivation - 100
Acres under fence - 320, not under fence - 320, total - 640
Present cash value: farm, including improvements - 800, implments and machinery
- 16
Acres of winter whear - 100, corn - 25, barley - 20, oats - 12, irish potatoes
- 1/4, for forage or seed - 10, kaffir corn - 10, prairie under fence, or
used for meadow - 320.
Number of tons of prairie cut in 1894 - 30.
Value of poultry and eggs sold last year - 15.
Made in family - number of lbs. made - 750.
Number of Horses - 23.
Number of Milch Cows - 25.
Number of Other Cattle - 40.
Number of Swine - 2.
Value of all animals fattened and slaughtered, or sold for slaughter, during
the year ending March 1, 1895 - $300.
Number of Dogs - 1.
Federal Census Information
1920, Ohio Twp, Ness County, Kansas
William E. Lyon, age 68 (b. 1852); both parents born in NY
Fanny, age 68; both parents born in KY (not correct!!)
Hired Hand, Claud Burkhead, age 17 (b. KS)
1900, Ohio Twp, Ness County, Kansas Soundex
William E. Lyon, age 49 (May 1851, OH)
Fannie, b. Nov 1851, 48, IL
Se: Thomas M. Staton, b. Nov 1877, 22, KY
Obituaries
Ness County News into which is merger the Ness City Times, February
27, 1926:
Obituary
Miss Fanny Kenneck was born in Bureau county, Illinois, on November 1, 1851.
She was married to W. E. Lyon, December 31, 1879, and to this union was
born one son, Harry B. Lyon, in April 1887, who lived only seven years,
departing this life September 15, 1894. Harry Lyon was the first person
to be buried in the Utica cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyon came to Greenwood county in the spring of 1880, coming
to Ness county in the spring of 1884, where they have resided ever since.
Mrs. Lyon passed away at her home about three miles south of Utica, February
18, 1926, at the age of 74 years, three months and 17 days. She leaves to
mourn her loss, her husband, W. E. Lyon, of Utica, a sister, Mrs. Kate Fletcher,
of Iowa, besides many cousins and nephews and a host of friends.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the Methodist church and
the body laid to rest in the Utica cemetery.
***********
Ness County News into which is merger the Ness City Times, August 30,
1930:
William Eugene Lyon was born in Warrenville, Ohio, May 19, 1851, and departed
this life at the Midwest hospital in Ransom, at 11:30 p.m., Sunday, August
17, 1930, at the age of 79 years, 2 month and 28 days.
Mr. Lyon settled in Greenwood county in the fall of 1869. He returned to
Illinois and was united in marriage to Miss Fanny Kinnic, December 31, 1879,
at Mineral, Illinois, where they lived a short time.
To this union was born one son, Harry, who died at the age of seven years
and six months. He was the first person to be buried in the Utica cemetery.
He moved with his family to Ness county in 1882, and located on a homestead
one and a half miles south of Utica, which has been his home since. His
wife preceded him in death February 19, 1926.
Mr. Lyons suffered a stroke on January 8, 1930. He was taken to Wakeeney
for medical treatment April 3. On May 4 he was taken to the Midwest hospital
in Ransom, where he remained until his death.
Besides a host of old neighbors and friends he leaves three nephews and
two nieces in the eastern states. One nephew, M. O. Colburn, of Collinsville,
Oklahoma, was present at the funeral, which was held at the Methodist church
in Utica Wednesday afternoon. Rev. H. C. Hall conducted the services. Burial
was made in the Utica cemetery. - Star and Courier.
Cemetery Information
History of the Utica Cemetery
Utica Feb. 6, 1892 Ness County News into which is merger the Ness City
Times:
Why do not some of the enterprising settlers about Utica and the citizens
of Utica get together and have a graveyard site laid out? This should have
our immediate attention. We have a large schoolhouse to have services in
but no graveyard and the nearest graveyard is about 9 miles away at Prairie
Chapel.
The settlers have to bury at that point or on their claims and at present
time there are children buried all over the prairies in this vicinity. There
have been two deaths in the vicinity lately and no burial ground. No church,
no Sunday School, no religious services and no burial ground.
Utica May 7, 1892 Ness County News into which is merger the Ness City
Times:
Our community has started in the Christian work - - the next great step
should be to locate a burial ground within easy distance from our town.
Utica Jan 13, 1894 Ness County News into which is merger the Ness City
Times:
How is it we do not hear any more talk about the Utica Cemetery. Has this
worthy project been permitted to die for want of interest?
Utica Sat. Mar. 24, 1894 Ness County News into which is merger the Ness
City Times:
Utica has the charter for the cemetery and the directors have platted same
and it is now ready for burial purposes. Those who engineered this praiseworthy
object and ultimate success, deserve the thanks of the entire community.
************
Bill Smith Note: We visited the Utica Cemetery in May 1997. We were
pleasantly surprised to find that in 1985 there had been a Special Commemorative
Stone placed in honor of Harry Lyon, the first person to be placed in the
Utica Cemetery. He died September 15, 1894, at the age of seven years, 6
months, and 10 days.
On the back side of the Stone:
"Mr. & Mrs. William Eugene Lyon settled in Ness County in 1882
and located 1 1/2 miles south of Utica where they ran a cattle ranch.
They had only one child, Harry, who died in 1894 and was the first burial
in the Utica Cemetery. Mrs. Lyon died in 1926 and Mr. Lyon died in 1930.
This monument is to honor not only Harry, but all of the early pioneers
of Ness County who braved the unknown to give us our heritage of today.
Special Thanks to:
The Utica Cemetery Board
Ermon McKinnis, President
Howard Thornburg, Vice President
Waneta Lovitt, Secretary
Ina Jean Johnson, Treasurer
Bertha McKinnis, Caretaker
Howard and Francis Thornburg
for the picture of of Harry
Stockton Monuments
Erected in 1985"
Pioneer Community Information
(The Lyon Family moved to Ness County in 1882)
The following information is adapted from p. 1524 of History of Kansas,
titled: "Ness County."
The first county officials were elected in an election held on June 4, 1880.
The vote cast in the county in 1880 was 537; in 1881 was 513, in 1882 was
487.
In 1880, there were 25 organized school districts; in 1881, 34; in 1882,
40.
In 1882, there were 5,671 acres in broom corn, in Ness county; 4,988 in
sorghum; 4,340 acres in corn; 2,053 in winter wheat; 68 in spring wheat;
289 in Irish potatoes;143 in rye; 55 in oats; 38 in castor beans. The wool
clip in 1881 was 4,365 pounds. In 1881, its cheese product was 500 pounds;
1882, it was 6,016; there were 61,894 pounds of butter in 1881, in 1882,
91,852 poounds.
In 1882, Ness county had 1,947 horses; 251 mules; 1,966 milch cows; 2684
other meat cattle; 2,566 swine; 2,916 sheep, being an increase in sheep,
in one year, of 2,538.
Map of northwest corner of Ness County
The darkened eighty acres (1/2 of 1/4 of a section), in Section 3, was the
home place of W. E. and Susan (KINNICK) Lyon, 3 miles south of Utica, Kansas.
Shortly after, they purchased the 160 acres (cross-hatched), the SW 1/4
of Section 34, tangential from their original land, in Susan's name. In
his will, made after her death, this 1/4 section was left to her sister,
Kate (KINNICK) Fletcher's family.
During his lifetime, W. E. Lyon also purchased the rest of the shaded, adjacent
land, eventually totalling 2,880 acres, on eight sections. The balance was
left to his sister's children and others in the LYON family.
This page created 21 Dec 1998. Last updated 22 Dec 1998, by William
L. (Bill) Smith.
