Gilbert, Frank T.  "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon." Portland,
OR: Print & Lithographing House of A.  G.  Walling, 1882.  p. a23.

PATRICK LYONS

	born in the Isle that gave birth and fame to a Burke and a Curran, became an
American citizen because the land of his birth had become the home of
oppression.  His aged parents are still living in that fair country where
occasional famine joins hand with iron rule; where titles and taxes force the
masses to pick of crumbs that fall from the rich man's table; in that land where
nature, in her smiling mood, had fitted a place for happy homes, and tyranny has
changed to a " Valley of death" for a people's hopes.  The unfortunate, the
unhappy, Emerald Isle! The blood of William Overy could not save it; the life of
Emmet, offered up at the shrine of patriotism, was powerless to check her
miseries; and it has become the one spot among civilized nations from where it
is most desirable to emigrate.  Her young men flee from her shores as from a
land smitten with a plague; the armies of every civilized nation are filled with
her sons.  She has given to France a Mc Mahon and to America a General Scott and
a President Jackson; and her slain are upon every battle field of the South.
Irishmen have died by thousands, following to victory our banners, and defending
the life of their adopted country against its enemies; we owe them something,
and to acknowledge it is not much.  In such a country, in Galway Co., Ireland,
the subject this sketch, Patrick Lyons, was born on New Years day 1836; and
twenty one years later, he sailed from those unhappy shores for Australia.  In
the latter country he followed mining and was successful.  He also visited New
Zealand three times, for mining purposes, where he took out $9,000, in three
months.  In 1861 January the 6th, he was married to Miss Frances Fairy of
Bendigo, Australia, Colony of Victoria.  Mrs. Lyons is a native of the same
county in Ireland as her husband.  After having amassed what he deemed an ample
fortune--some $13,000, he returned, in 1866, with his family to Ireland, where
he became a farmer.  In three years, high rents and taxation with crop failures
had swallowed up his little fortune, and he was again forced to turn his back
upon his native land.  This time he sought America, where with his family he
arrived in 1869, and reached Walla Walla July 7, 1870.  At first he took up land
on Spring Creek, and later purchased what was known as the "Page Ranch," where
he now lives.  A view of the place accompanies this work, and the scene is taken
looking to the southeast, showing, in the distance, the pine capped summit of
the Blue Mountains.  Mill Creek passes in its crooked wanderings through the
place, from whose waters salmon trout can be caught.  It is a pretty scene among
rippling waters, mountain shadows, and valley landscapes.  It is a choice farm
of a 1000 acres, situated seven miles east of Walla Walla City, close to the
Blue mountains; is all fenced and all under cultivation.  Ten acres of it are
growing some fine timber, planted by Mr. Lyons, said to be the champion timber
culture of the county.  His orchard includes apples, peaches, pears, plums and
numerous other fruits and berries in abundance, more than sufficient for home
use.  For productiveness, an exceptionally large yield of twenty acres of barley
that produced eighty six bushels to the acre, and some wheat land that produced
the same year sixty bushels to the acre.  In 1881, from ten acres were harvested
800 bushels of oats.
	Mr. Lyons' children are Annie M., born August 18, 1863; Delia A., born April
28, 1865; John, born April 28, 1867; Mary H., born June 14, 1869; Thomas F.,
born August 21, 1871; Fannie T., born June 29, 1873; Catherine E., born October
25, 1875 ; Terese J., born September 25, 1877 ; Joseph P., born November 6,
1879.


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Submitted to the WA.  Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.