rom "Compendium of American
Genelaogies", Volume III - William Lyon, 1620-1692, came
from England in the Hopewell in 1635. He married Sarah Ruggles
who was born in 1620... William of Heston, England and Roxbury,
Mass., founder of Lyon Family in America; fourth children of
William Lyon, was baptized 12/23/1620.
"Pioneers of Massachusetts" states that William and wife, Sarah, were in 1647 members of Roxbury Church, MA.
From "Lyon Memorial" - Massachusetts Families, 1905 - William Lyon of Roxbury: In list of passengers that embarked for America in the Hopewell 9/11/1635 we find name of William Lyon, age 14. "These underwritten names are to be transported to New England embarked on the Hopewell, Tho. Babb mmp. Cert. from the ministers and justices of their confirmitie in Religion to or Church of England; and yt they are no subsedy Men. they have taken ye oaths of Alleg: & suprem." (sic) The name is further registered in Rolls Office, Chancery Lane, London, as having sailed for New England 9/11/1635 and settled on Roxbury, Mass. William Lyon, perhaps an orphan, is said to have been placed in care of Isaac Heath. There appears to be no reason to question the conclusion reached by Albert Welles in "American Family Antiquity" that this was the William Lyon who was baptized at Heston, now part of the city of London, 12/23/1629, the youngest son of William and Anne (Carter) Lyon of Heston. In Roxbury, Mass. land records the name William Lyon appears as LION, LYON and LYONS, and we find all three forms also in the records of the Eliot Church. He seems to have written it himself sometimes LION. William Lyon married 6/17/1646 (Roxbury Church records) to Sarah Ruggles, d/o of Thomas and Mary (Curtis) Ruggles of Nazing, England. She was born 4/19/1629 and came to American with her parents. The death of Sarah is not found in Roxbury town or church records and probably occurred in Rowley for 11/20/1677. William Lyon of Rowley married a Mrs. Martha Philbrick Casse (Cass), widow of John Casse. William Lyon in 1645 became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co. of Roxbury. He received in 1648 a grant of six acres of land in Roxbury, and in 1652 of another three acres "upon the common, by John Polly’s." His name also apppears as a grantee in deeds of land in Roxbury in 1651, 1658 and 1661, and as grantor in 1658 and 1672. When the new settlement at New Roxbury, now Woodstock, VERMONT, was determined upon in 1651 he was one of the "goers," and he was assigned a lot there, although he did not actually occupy it. Several of his GRANDSONS (WILLIAM, THOMAS, JOHN AND JACOB), were prominent members however, of the new colony and a stepson, Ebenezer Cass, received a grant of land there. NAZING COLONY IN ROXBURY: included brothers, John and Philip Eliot, William Curtis, uncle of Sarah Ruggles, and many familiar names. The "Nazing Christians" were distinguished for their devoted piety. John5 Ruggles of Nazing, who died in Roxbury 11/16/1655 was eldest son of Thomas4 Ruggles; (Thomas3, Nicholas2, Thomas1) of Sudbury Co., Suffolk. He was descended from William de Ruggle of Staffordshire, time of King Edward I. John Ruggles’ will, dated 11/9/1644 makes bequest to his daughter, Sarah. Ebenezer Cass, one of the 10 children of John and Martha Cass, in 1686, went to New Rockshury, MA (really in Vermont) and, being a minor, was made joint grantee with a "person of age, one Lhyon" (New Ebenezer Cass m 3/13/1689 Patience Draper, born 8/17/1668, d/o James and Miriam (Standsfield) Draper of Roxbury. The Lyon homestead in Roxbury was on what is now Bellevue Avenue, formerly called Lyon Street. It was on the east side of the street, southwest of Atwood Street. William Lyon was admitted to full communion in John Eliot’s Church in 1655 and became a freeman in 1666. He, with John Bowles, et al, signed Roxbury petition 10/25/1664 to the General Court, praying it to "stand fast in our present libertys." He lived to age of 72 years. He was buried 5/21/1692 probably in West Roxbury cemetery, although there is no stone there to mark the spot. His widow died about 8/4/1694. (Roxbury town records.) Deed dated 6/25/1651: "For valuable consideration in hand received" Capt. Hugh Pritchard, late of Roxbury in New England, deeds unto James Morgan, Griffin Craft, Edward Bridge, WILLIAM LYON, John Mayes, Robert Seaber and JOHN RUGGLES and Isaac Johnson of Roxbury. My will is that my four sons, THOMAS AND SAMUEL, WILLIAM AND JOSEPH shall have 16 pounds a piece duly and truly paid unto them in current pay at current prices within 6 years after my death by my above mentioned executor. And for the better enabling my son JOHN LION to discharge these obligations, I the sd. William LION, SR give all my movables within and without doors excepting those things particularly given. And furthermore if in case that the salt marsh don’t come to make Thomas and William 16 pounds a piece, then to be made up out of the estate. The last will of William LION, witness my hand and seale -- Signed by William LION, Sr and seal affixed. In presence of Jabez Tolman, John Grigs, Francis Youngman; probated 10/27/1692.
From Savage’s book - William Lyon, Roxbury, came 1635, aged 14 in Hopewell, capt. Babb. prob under charge of Issac Heath, a passeng. with his fam. in the same sh. m 17 June 1646, RACHEL (sici), d/o Thomas Ruggles, had JOHN b 10 Apr 1647; Thomas 8 Aug 1648; Samuel 10 June 1650, all bef. ment.; William, 12 bapt 18 July 1652; Joseph 30 Nov bapt 3 Dec. 1654, when the ch. rec. calls him John; Sarah bapt 8 Mar 1657, who b. I find not in the town rec.; Jonathan 5 Sept 1666 wh. bef. ano. Jonathan b. late in 1668, or early in 1669; was of ar. co. 1645, freem. 1666, and d 21 May 1692; nd his wid. d 4 Aug 1694. William, s of the preced. mm. Sept 1675, Sarah Dunkin, perhaps d. of Samuel, had William b 9 Dec. 1677; Samuel, 20 Sept. 1679; Hannah 11 Aug 1681; Benjamin 29 Mar 1683 e in few days; Mehitable 24 Mar 1684; wife d 9 Feb 1689 and by w. Deborah he had David 31 Oct 1692; Martha who d soon; and Jacob 4 June 1696; and d 10 Aug 1714. His wid. Deborah d 12 Mar 1717. Thirteen of this name says Farmer in MS. had in 1829, been gr. at the coll. of N.E. and Union, and N.J. LYON MEMORIAL - page 20 under Early Lyons in New England - "............. Wiliam of Roxbury claimed to be the s/o William of Heston, Co. Middlesex (q.v.supra) seems to have had no social relations with Peter or with George. Indeed he lived in the far end of Roxbury, near Brookline, while the others lived at he far end of Dorchester, near or in Milton. While not impossible, it is not likely that he wa a brother of the others..... [Letter from Ruth Holden, March 10, 1996]
