An Only Child

Week 15: #52Ancestors – Solitude

By Eilene Lyon

I’ve previously mentioned The Putterer’s great-grandfather, Arlon F. Lyon, only in passing. Arlon was born in Chenango County, New York, in May 1860 and was a rarity for the era: an only child.¹ His father, Cyrus R. Lyon, was 29 when Arlon came along. His mother, Lucy Keith, was 23.

Otselic, Chenango County, was quite rural, so Arlon likely began helping out with farm chores at an early age. He had a few maternal cousins, but none close to him in age. One of his paternal aunts did have several children who Arlon likely had opportunities to play with. Aside from that, it would have been just neighbors or classmates to provide peer-age company.

Arlon’s father, Cyrus, died in the early 1870s. Lucy, a young widow, moved with Arlon to Morris, Otsego County, close to Otselic, where her family lived then.²

According to Arlon’s granddaughter, Betty Dremann, Lucy then moved to Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois, where she supported herself and Arlon by working as a dressmaker.³ There may have been some family connection back in New York that put her in touch with Smith Rudd.

Smith Rudd moved to Branch County, Michigan, as a toddler, but his family probably made visits to their old home in Otsego County, New York, on occasion. He married Laura Talbot of Otsego County about 1855.⁴ Laura died in 1876.⁵ Thus Smith became a widower not long after Lucy Lyon became a widow.

Lucy married Smith Rudd in April 1877 in Michigan.⁶ Smith had four children by Laura, so Arlon suddenly had step-siblings, two older and two younger than him. It’s doubtful they were ever close. It appears that he remained in Illinois when his mother remarried.

In 1885 Arlon married Emma Pierson.⁷ Over the next 18 years they had five children: four sons and a daughter. Arlon’s solo life suddenly blossomed into a burgeoning family.

Sadly, Lucy Lyon Rudd outlived her second husband, who died in 1906.⁸ Her daughter-in-law, Emma, refused to have Lucy move in with her and Arlon. Lucy ended up at “The Old Ladies’ Home” as the Prouty Home in Princeton was derisively known.⁹ She died there in October 1920, her only child having previously moved on to Los Angeles, California.¹⁰ Her grandchildren all moved to California as well, though a couple still lived in Illinois in 1920.

Arlon and Emma’s marriage lasted 66 years before Emma died at age 85.¹¹ Arlon lived a few more years, to age 93.¹² By that time he had six grandchildren and at least seven great-grandchildren.

Feature image: Arlon F. Lyon and Emma (Pierson) Lyon in Los Angeles at their 63^rd anniversary party in February 1948.