Lyons, William H. (c.1830-1911)

William H. Lyons 

Source: Portsmouth Portrait Photographs, 

MSS 0000-669 (SMC)

By Samantha Simms, SMC Spring 2022 Intern from Norwich University (Vermont) 

William H. Lyons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sometime between the years of 1830-1833.1 Williams’ father, Hercules, was born in Scotland and his mother, Sarah, was born in Ireland.2 Not much else is known about William’s childhood or his parents, such as when they immigrated to the United States.

In 1853, Lyons moved to the Portsmouth area in Virginia.3 There he met and married Sophia Walker in Portsmouth, Virginia on July 4th, 1854. Sophia Walker was born in Portsmouth in 1832 to Margaret and Samuel Walker.4

In 1855, between the months of July and October, a Yellow Fever epidemic ravaged Portsmouth and the neighboring town of Norfolk. The area was familiar with Yellow Fever, as they had experienced outbreaks of Yellow Fever in 1795, 1802, 1821, and 1826. During the 1855 epidemic, half of the town’s residents fled. By the end of the Yellow Fever epidemic, eighteen hundred people had died in Portsmouth and two thousand in Norfolk.5 The actual number of deaths could be higher. It is not known if William and Sophia Lyons stayed in Portsmouth during the Yellow Fever epidemic or fled, but Sophia was pregnant with their first child at the time. Their son, Samuel Walker Lyons was born in Portsmouth in December of 1855.6

The couple had four other children throughout their marriage. Elinor Missoura was born on August 15th, 1857, William Henry was born on November 28th, 1858, Sophia Bell was born on November 18th, 1860, and Willie F. was born on August 9th, 1866.7 Their son William Henry contracted Typhoid fever and died on July 5th, 1865 at the age of six.8

Sometime before the outbreak of the Civil War, Lyons began working as a machinist at the Gosport Naval Yard in Portsmouth, today known as the Norfolk Naval Yard.9 On April 17th, 1861, Virginia seceded from the United States. On April 20th, Union troops attempted to destroy the navy yard. Despite their best efforts, some of the ships were able to be salvaged by the Confederate Navy. The former steam frigate USS Merrimack was given a steel “nose” and heavily armed and the new ironclad was renamed the CSS Virginia.10

Despite living in a Confederate state, William remained a Unionist. In August of 1861, William was arrested for “uttering treasonable sentiments to the Southern confederacy.”11

While working at the Gosport Naval Yard, William became an informant for Gideon Welles (1802-1878), the United States Secretary of the Navy. He provided Welles with confidential information regarding the changes being made to the CSS Virginia as well as its plans to attack Union vessels. William acted as an informant from December of 1861 until February of 1862, possibly longer. He did not always act alone, on one instance William worked with a free black woman named Mary Louveste (c. 1812-1883) to smuggle information into Union territory.12

The Naval Yard was destroyed again, this time by Confederate troops, after the Union occupation of Norfolk, which began on May 10th, 1862. The occupation lasted until the end of the war.13

Lyons belonged to a league known as the Portsmouth Union League, later known as Lincoln Council no. 6 of the State of Virginia. He acted as president from September 3rd, 1862 until March 4th, 1863 as well as from October 23, 1863 until, at least, September 14th, 1864, when the records for the council end.14

The Portsmouth Union League (Lincoln Council no. 6) discussed and acted on issues in Portsmouth and Norfolk that they deemed disloyal to the Union. On June 17th, 1863, a Norfolk doctor well-known for his aid during the 1855 Yellow Fever epidemic shot and killed Lieutenant Alanson L. Sanborn (1834-1863) of Thetford, Vermont on Main Street in Norfolk. Lieutenant Sanborn, who commanded the 1st U.S. Colored Volunteers, was marching the company down Main Street when Dr. David M. Wright (1809-1863) grew enraged at the sight of black soldiers and shot Sanborn. Unionists called for his execution, which occurred on October 23, 1863.15 The Portsmouth Union League (Lincoln Council no. 6) wrote to President Lincoln to support his decision to execute Dr. Wright.16

If a member of the Portsmouth Union League (Lincoln Council no. 6) was arrested or taken prisoner by the Confederate’s, the league would raise funds to help their families.17 The league also assisted members in finding jobs or getting promotions. At one of their meetings, the members of the league passed a resolution to have William promoted to master machinist at the Naval Yard.18

There is some evidence that Lyons was involved in Portsmouth politics. In 1866, William was nominated for the Councilmen of Jackson Ward.19 In 1868, he was nominated for the Jackson Ward Common Council, a council that was made up of black and white men.20  The results of these nominations are not known. In 1870, William was nominated for the position of Second Auditor for the General Assembly of Virginia, but lost the election.21

William and Sophia Lyons moved to the nearby town of Berkley in 1873.22  William served as the master machinist, and later the superintendent of machinery, at the Gosport Naval Yard until he was fired in April of 1885. The cause stated for his dismissal was drunkenness on the job. However, James Dennis Brady (1843-1900), a Congressional Representative from Portsmouth, Virginia believed that he was fired due to his political beliefs. William, most likely a radical Republican, was replaced by Mr. Corwine. Mr. Corwine, a Democrat, was replaced four months later by Mr. Carr, also a Democrat. A congressional hearing was held on his “unjust” dismissal from the Naval Yard and included multiple character witnesses attesting to his skill as a machinist and his loyalty to the county. The Congressional hearing did not result in Lyons reinstatement.23

On April 16th, 1895, William’s wife, Sophia Walker Lyons died and was buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Norfolk.24  In January of 1896 William suffered from a stroke of paralysis.25 William appears to have remained unemployed for the remainder of his life, with two exceptions. In 1902 William served as a county clerk for Norfolk and in 1905 served as a deputy clerk.26 On May 15th, 1911, William died in his home in Berkley after being sick for several years and was buried in Magnolia Cemetery next to his wife.27

 

Sources:

Full Name:  William H. Lyons

Also Known As: Wm H. Lyons, W. H. Lyons

Birth Date: 1830-1833

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Parents: Sarah and Hercules Lyons

Ethnicity: Irish and Scottish

Race: White

Spouse: Sophia Walker Lyons

Children: Samuel, Elinor, William, Sophia Bell, Willie F.

Marriage Date: July 4th, 1854

Marriage Place: Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Virginia

Death Date: May 15, 1911

Death Place: At his residence near Mulberry St. in Berkley, Norfolk City, Virginia

Burial Date: May 17, 1911

Burial Place: Magnolia Cemetery, Berkley, Norfolk City, Virginia

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