Missouri Lyon Letter

1861, Paintsville, Kentucky

Transcribed and annotated by Douglas P. Lyon, covenanteer@gmail.com

In February of 1861 my great grand aunt Missouri Lyon moved from Cincinnati Ohio to her father’s home in Paintsville, Kentucky. Soon after her arrival, she wrote this letter back to her sister Margaret in Cincinnati (or possibly Newport KY). As Missouri relates, she left a difficult situation. She had a troublesome marriage to Jonathan Blackburn. They were separated when she came to Kentucky, and divorced in, 1862[1].

Her father, Hamilton Lyon, moved to Paintsville from Cincinnati in late 1860 or early 1861[2]. In Cincinnati he was co-owner in a foundry. In 1860 he operated an oil mill (something like a small refinery for coal oil). He moved to Paintsville to drill for oil where he was somewhat successful with his petroleum efforts[3]. He died in June or July 1888.[4]

At the time, Missouri had a daughter, Fanny Blackburn, born in 1857. Missouri married Joseph Moyer in 1871 in Newport KY. They had one child, Samuel Lyon Moyer in 1874. They lived out their lives in Cincinnati.

The appeal of the letter is due in no small part to her poignant description of her new home and its people. Recently arrived from urban Cincinnati, she is moved by the charming romantic beauty of her new home in the country. Her appraisal of her new neighbors is not as flattering. Impressed by their quaint ways and hospitality she nevertheless finds them “the most ignorant beings you ever heard of.” She goes on to invoke many modern negative stereotypes of rural southern people. Considering her homesickness for her Cincinnati family, the lingering distress of her travels and the “last nine years” of her life, one hopes that given time she would have more of an appreciation of the her new neighbors.

The Letter

The words are hers–only the spellings and punctuation have been somewhat modernized.

Cliff Springs, Feb 6th, 1861

Dear Sister,

I received your welcome letter, and would have answered it before but have not really had time. We arrived at the Springs last Wednesday just one week today. We met with no accident on the way, although the road was one of the roughest and most dangerous that I have ever seen. The jolting gave me one of the most severe headaches that I can remember of having, but quite recovered from the affects of it after a few hours rest.

We have a very comfortable house although it is not finished yet. They have only given it one coat of plastering and have not yet painted it. Father says he will have it all done this spring.

The country around is really beautiful. Our house is situated in a valley being surrounded on all sides by stupendous cliffs from three to five hundred feet high, almost perpendicular, covered with dark green ivy and ferns. As I write to you there is one directly opposite to me not more than 150 feet from my window. The cliffs are covered with foliage as bright a green in winter as summer. Then around our house are adorned with beautiful pines, and holly trees. I wish you could see the holly; they have a bright dark green leaf and bunches of brilliant red berries. They are green all the year. The ivy is also beautiful.

Truly this is a most charming romantic country, where I would be contented to remain, if surrounded by my friends and those I love. Even as it is, I am comparatively happy compared to the last nine years of my life. Father is very kind and indulgent and the children are quite obedient, but after all it is not very pleasant as have not a friend nor neighbor near.

And the people in this county will never suit me. They are very kind hearted but the most ignorant beings you have heard of. A person who knows how to read and write in this county is quite a curiosity. I wish you and Sallie could be here and see the ladies I have to call on me. I do not believe in the most distant part of Oregon there are any more irregular dressed creatures than what are here. The women put on their very best to visit me which consists of a thin lawn dress and sun bonnet of the same material. They make the skirt come as far as the knees, and then a deep ruffle or flounce to the top of their cowhide shoes, they dismiss hoops entirely. They bring offerings of eggs, gourds, and sweet smelling herbs. They all smoke and never visit without taking their pipes and a calico bag full of tobacco. They all seem very much astonished that I forgo such a luxury.

Father has not commenced boring yet but will in a few days, with every prospect of abundance of oil. We received Hamp's letter in reference to that bill at Shillito's. I spoke to Father myself. He says that when the work was done for Longworth, he was to take it out in city property, consequently it will be impossible to get it, but he says that to take Shillito to court until spring and the first money he gets from his oil he will pay the bill.

I have a lot of little Willie's clothes for Willie Taylor. I found that new white dress and several articles. I will send them down the first chance. He has had a severe fever but is better. The children are all well. Fannie never was better. We have most excellent living. The men keep us in squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and all kinds of game.

I am in excellent health and spirits never better and only regret I did not have the courage to take this step long long ago. The more I think of him the more disgust and contempt I feel. I never want to see him again. Write soon and send me all of the news and the Enquirer. Give my love to Sallie, Hamp, John, Will and all the Harpers.

Your affectionate sister, Missouri.

The People

Sister: Margaret Lyon, b. 1840, married to John Taylor, with a son William. They lived in Cincinnati OH and Newport KY.
Father: Hamilton Lyon—my great-great-grandfather, b. 1805 PA, moved from Cincinnati 1860/61, d. after 1885. See also Lyon's Well.
Hamp: Hamilton Shaw Lyon, her brother—my great grandfather, b. 1832. He may have been active in petroleum production.[5]
Shillito & Longworth, John Shillito & Nicholas Longworth, prominent businessmen in Cincinnati. John Shillito was the founder of a major department store in Cincinnati.
Little Willie, William Lyon, Missouri's half-brother b. 1860
Willie Taylor, son of Margaret Lyon (Missouri's sister) & Jonathan Taylor
Fannie, Fannie Blackburn, her daughter b. 1857
Sallie, Sarah Dunn Harper, wife of Missouri's brother, Hamilton Shaw Lyon
Hamp, Hamilton Shaw Lyon, Missouri's brother
Will, uncertain, he might be Willie Taylor, or William Divine who appears in Hamilton's family in Cincinnati 1850 census.
Harpers, Missouri’s in-laws, the family of Sarah (Sallie) Harper. The Harpers lived in Lewis Co. KY, and Cincinnati.

The Place

The name Cliff Springs is probably an informal one used by the family only. The location now is likely underwater near the cliffs on the eastern end of Paintsville Lake in Kentucky.[6] I've not found any geographical reference to it in Paintsville, Johnson co., or Kentucky. I have found reference to it as a mining or oil company. In February, 1865 Hamilton and others formed the Cliff Springs Mining Co. of Kentucky. In December, 1865 Hamilton makes reference to Cliff Spring Oil Co in a report to the American Philosophical Society[7].

“Three miles further down the stream [Paint Creek?], and within a mile or less of its junction with the North or Open Fork, at Lyon’s Well, the oil is to be seen… just under the cliffs, which here tower to an amazing height, especially upon the west, or Emigh Survey side.” (p. 39); “The Lyon Well was bored at the point of Paint Creek, where its South, or Little (Oil) Fork, and its North or Open Fork unite. The well-house stands on a plate of rock a few feet above the water-bed. (P. 52).

Early Lyon Letters

Pages

Missouri Lyon Letter, 1861

The Letter

The People

The Place

See also Lyon's Well (http://lyonswell.blogspot.com/).

The Manuscript

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