Sunday, August 4, 2024

LYONS

John Lyons, a farmer was born in Fresland Holland to John Lyons and Annie Bluememendol. He came to Australia in about 1857. According to his grandson (Reginald Walter Hawkins), John Lyons was a Dutch sailor who jumped ship in Sydney for the gold fields. Lyons was the Anglicised form of his Dutch name. He had his miner’s rights, at 10 shillings per year. As part of his mining right, he sank a shaft and  also chose 2 acres on which he built a cottage.
At age 32 he married Ellen Gallagher at Meroo, Mudgee in 1877 (NSW BDM 3575/1877).
[Ellen Lyons nee Gallager must have come up from Windsor with her parents early on. They were both Irish convicts. Her parents. Martin Gallager and Rose (née Mitchell) arrived in the colony on the Andromeda.]
John Lyons came to Home Rule from the Meroo in about 1872. Their eldest son Mark was born at the Meroo in 1868, so they may have been prospecting there then. John was crippled in mine collapse, probably the White Horse Claim at Canadian lead. John died about 1910.
Source: Kevin Varney

Their children included:
  • Mark - born 1869
  • John - born 1871 at Meroo, Mudgee; married Charlotte Lucas; died aged 36, in 1907 from "CARDIAC FAILURE ACUTE NEPHRITIS" of 3 months duration. (NSW BDM 5050/1907).
    • Victoria
    • Rose
    • Ellen
    • Arthur
    • 1 male deceased
  • Elizabeth - born 1873 (NSW BDM 14529/1873)
  • Mary T
  • Rose/Rosanna - born 1877 (NSW BDM 15947/1877)
  • Annie - born 1880 (NSW BDM 19047/1880); married Walter Hawkins in St Leonards (NSW BDM 4101/1898)
  • Richard P - born xx
  • Edward M -  born 1885 (NSW BDM 26499/1885)
Ellen Lyons nee Gallager died in 1922 (NSW BDM 5435/1922)
John Lyons died 12 October 1910 (NSW BDM 13633/1910) aged 75, from "MALIGNANT DISEASE LIVER EXHAUSTION" of  304 days duration.

NEWS ITEMS

1872 - Lost or Strayed
Horses belonging to John Lyons near Gulgong and Joseph Thompson "Homeward Bound Reef" near Gulgong. Charles Smith and Jonathan O’Brien, from Home Rule and the Black Lead also lost horses. Maybe they should look at the Pound, there are 22 horses there.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No 96, 17 July 1872

1874 - [ACCIDENT]
A son of Mr. Lyons, former, Canadian road, met with a severe accident this week, when engaged in threshing corn. In changing hands whilst turning the crank, one of his fingers became entangled with the machinery, and a portion of it was cut off. The boy was immediately taken to Dr. Bird's surgery, Gulgong, where the necessary remedies were applied.
1874 - Serious Casualty
A son of Mr. John Lyons, farmer near the Coming Event Lead, met with a serious accident on Monday, last. He was engaged in thrashing corn and in changing hands while turning the crank, the end of one of his fingers became entangled with the machinery and a portion of it was completely cut off, taking bone, flesh and skin. It was done so quickly and smooth that the lad was considerably astonished when he found that the had lost a portion of his finger. He was brought to the surgery of Mr. Bird, where the necessary remedies were applied and relief afforded. In the management of all kinds of machinery great care should be observed in order to prevent accidents.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 16 April 1874
 
1874 - Gulgong Mining Report
On the Coming Event a party is sinking outside Mr. Lyons’s paddock fence and expect to bottom some day during the present week. We trust that this effort will prove more successful than those previously made.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 19 May 1874

1874 - Gulgong Mining Report
The party who have been engaged in sinking near Mr. Lyons’s fence for a lead supposed to make from the range in which several gold bearing reefs and leaders have been found, but hitherto worked with indifferent success, bottomed on Thursday and we regret to state that they got no payable prospects. Not disheartened, they commenced at once to put in a tunnel toward an old shaft that had been sunk, about a month ago, in the bottom of which it was reported that 2 grains of gold were obtained from a dish. It is possible that the party may be successful in finding a lead.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 2 June 1874
 
1874 - Gulgong Mining Report
Yesterday morning there was a rush to the ground being opened by Messrs. Whelan and party near the paddock of Mr. Lyons and quite a number of claims were marked of and taken possession of. We are informed that the load of dirt washed by Whelan and party early this week would probably have yielded 8 or 9 dwts, had they resorted to the usual method of separating the gold from the dirt. They dug a though in the ground and puddled the dirt in a most primitive way and it is estimated that they could not have possibly have saved more that half the gold. As it was, they got 4 dwts. and 17 grains.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 20 June 1874

1874 - GULGONG AND HOME RULE
On Friday morning there was a rush to ground near the farm of Mr. Lyons, caused by the opening up of a claim by Whelan and party. A number of claims were pegged out, and from about five to six pennyweights to the load was obtained, although the manner in which the dirt, was puddled in a trough, quite as much gold was lost.
Whelan and party, the prospectors of the ground near the paddock of Mr. Lyons, are proceeding with their work and there is every prospect of their meeting with success.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 4 July 1874

1875 - Gulgong Mining Report
All creeks, water holes and puddling dams have an abundant supply of water after the rains.Ward and party are now engaged in prospecting on the Coming Event, a lead that has had many previous trials during the past four years. Ward and party are at work about halfway between Wooden’s Dam and Lyons paddock fence. They bottomed a shaft at 80 feet last Thursday. The sinking near the bottom was through black clay, and the wash underneath looks favourable. Pretty good colour was obtained after several washing’s. After driving it is to be hoped they will come upon payable stuff.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 4 May 1875

1876 - GULGONG. [FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
The late heavy rains have given sufficient water to enable the whole of the machine owners to commence puddling, they are engaged in many instances ten deep. The long-continued drought has put many of the miners to their wits ends make matters meet. Now that the machines are in full work I hope to be able to record a more prosperous state of things man I have had to chronicle of late.
On, Monday last the first party of press colors under the auspices of the newly formed association commenced work, taking up a prospecting area between Wootten's dam and Mr. Lyons' farm, about two miles from the town. The choice of ground has given general satisfaction. The movement of the prospecting association has given quite an impetus for trying some of the ground which was found impossible to work by individual miners. Already one joint stock company is on the tapis for working the Star lead. It is proposed to form a small company of sixty paying members, at 5s. per week, and twelve working miners, to receive 21 per week—the paying members to contribute till gold is struck; the proceeds to be divided—the working miners taking one-half, the remainder to be equally divided between the contributing shareholders. Should this succeed, no doubt many others will follow.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Mon 22 May 1876 Page 2

1875 - Police Court
Drunk - John Lyons charged and dismissed with a caution.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 27 October 1875

1876 - MINING
Two parties are at work at the Coming Event near Lyons paddock. A little gold can be got almost anywhere in that locality; but no good lead has been found. There is a great depth of wash not only in the paddock but all the way down to Woden’s dam. There were three or four claims down toward the dam that paid good wages. It is not impossible that good gold may yet be found running through the flat.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 19 January 1876

1876 - Gulgong Hospital Committee Meeting
Held at the Warburton Hotel: Present: Messrs Hunter, Francke, Smith, Winter, O’Neill, Walker and Lazarus. J Hunter in the chair.
Correspondence from John Craig,re payment due to the hospital: Taylor & Co in reference to drug deliveries; John Lyons requesting an advance of 6d per quart on the contract price of milk. Letter from Dr Ramsay, that a patient had been induced to leave the hospital had returned. Mr O’Neill asked who the patient was? It was stated that is was impertinent and improper to do so.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 17 February 1876

1876 - Gulgong Mining Report
The first party started under the auspices of the Prospecting Association marked off their prospecting areas on Saturday and commence work on Monday the locality chosen by them being the ground between Woodin’s Dam and Lyons paddock. The choice seem to give general satisfaction.
Source: Gulgong Evening Argus, 17 May 1876

1899 - [COURT CASE]
Mark Lyons v. George Stott 
This was an action for slander, the plaintiff complaining that the defendant had falsely and maliciously alleged that he (the defendant) had been guilty of sheep stealing, and also of stealing gold.
Mr. George Davidson appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Ralston, instructed by Messrs. Clarke and Son, for the defendant.
The defendant pleaded not guilty, and that if the words were used the occasion was privileged. Mr. Ralston further stated that they intended to prove, that on the night prior to the words being used a sheep had been stolen from defendant, and that the thief was pursued by a man named Wood, who returned and told defendant that Lyons (the plaintiff) was the thief.
Mr. Davidson objected to the last line of defence, as it was practically a justification.
Mark Lyons, the plaintiff, deposed that he was a miner residing at Home Rule; he knew the defendant; on the 31st May he went to defendant's place about noon, and saw his daughter, who said her father was in the big paddock; witness afterwards saw Stott, and asked him if he would give witness permission to sink a hole in his paddock to look for gold; Stott asked witness where he wanted to sink, and witness said down near the boundary; the defendent then said that if witness thought there was anything there he could sink; defendant said that the terms would be 10s per month if witness got gold, but if he got none he was to fill the hole up and need pay nothing; witness thanked him, and was about to go home when Stott called him back and asked him to go and have a drink; witness went to the house and remained there till about 7.30, and then went to his own house, which is about a mile and a half from Stott's; witness then went to bed; when he was at Stott's he wore white mole skins; on the following day witness told his mates he had the ground from Stott; he then took his tools to Stott's paddock and commenced sinking; about 4 o'clock Stott came down with his two sons, Woods, Bursell and a boy, whose name witness believed to be Hooke; Stott asked who gave the permission to sink there; witness told Stott that he himself had given him permission; Stott then said to witness, 'You stole the sheep from the stable, and you came to my house to steal my gold; I don't want people like you on my ground;' witness replied, 'Thank you;' Stott then said he had given the ground to Bursell a month ago; he then pointed to witness and said, 'If I had not had so much gin in me last night you would have wanted a doctor to-day;" Stott then pointed to witness and asked Hooke whether he was not the man he had seen in the stable on the previous night, and Hooke said. 'Something like him;' witness told his mates he did not know what Stott was talking about; Woods then said, 'There was three of them came to the house; I fired three shots at one man; I could have shot 
To Mr. Ralston: Had been away for some time before this occurrence, and had not been home long; was away for nine months; witness had no property, and no means beyond what he earned shearing; witness stayed at Stott's until 7.30 on 31st May; witness had dinner there but not tea; knew William Stott; after dinner had a talk to him, and asked whether he was getting any gold; did not ask him if his father bought gold; did not ask him whether he had finished washing up; did not say that he expected his father kept a good deal of gold in the house, and did not ask where it was kept; did not have any conversation with Charles Stott; did not call Charles Stott out into the kitchen at about 4.30 p.m., and ask where they were killing the sheep; witness did not ask Charles Stott to take him to where the sheep were being killed; Charles Stott did not ask why he wanted to see the place; witness proceeded to deny a further series of questions put to him with a view of proving a conversation he had with Charles Stott; witness was in the coach house with Charles Scott; did not see Woods there; had no conversation withWoods in the coach house or stable; did not see Woods dressing a sheep; saw a carcase of mutton in the coach-house; did not see Woods making a mark with a knife on the ribs of the sheep; did not ask Woods for the gall of the sheep; did not get the gall of the sheep; did not say he wanted the gall of the sheep to clean a suit of clothes; did not leave the coach-house with Woods: when witness went home his tea was at the fire; witness's mates were in as witnesses; have spoken to them about the case, but not about what Stott said. 
Harry Dryer, a miner, residing at Home Rule, deposed that he knew the plaintiff, Mark Lyons; he asked witness whether he would make one to sink in Stott's paddock; this was on the 24th May; witness consented, and they went to work on 1st June; while they were at work Stott came down, and asked who gave permission to sink; one of them said to Stott, 'You gave Lyons permission yesterday;" Stott said 'Yes, I gave you permission, for I was drunk,' further adding, 'I don't want you in the paddock, Lyons - you stole my sheep last night, and you weren't satisfied, but wanted my gold;' Stott then told Lyons to leave the paddock; Stott said that witness and the other two could sink, and take Bursell as a mate; Stott then said, 'Lucky job for somebody I had too much gin in me last last night, or somebody would have wanted a doctor this morning ;' Stott then invited the party up to his house to see a piece of stuff torn, off trousers and coat; witness went to the house accompanied by Cocky and Clarke; Woods then showed them a bit of stuff; Stott was present; witness said to Woods, 'You look the most likely for the stuff to belong to;' Woods had on a suit made out of similar material.
To Mr. Ralston: During the conversation at the claim Stott said there were two if not three at the time the sheep was stolen; they said they had chased two men that night; they said the sheep was dropped; they said the stuff shown had been caught in a barb wire fence.
John Cortis, miner of Home Rule, deposed that on the 1st June he and others went to work in Mr. Stott's Paddock; Stott came down and said to plaintiff, 'Get off my ground, I don't want you here, you stole my sheep once; it is the sheep you want, not the gold;" Stott added, 'If I hadn't had too much gin someone would have wanted a doctor;' Stott pointed to Lyons and asked whether he was the man; the boy said he looked like him; Stott said to Lyons, ' You can summons me;' Woods said, 'Yes, that will open up the whole question,' adding 'I want nothing to do with the case either way, but I could identify the man who stole the sheep; he said he had run one of the men nearly to the dam; Stott said to witness and Dwyer, 'I don't accuse you, it was younger men than you about my place;' Stott asked witness and others to go to his place: they did so, and Stott there showed them a piece of a trouser which he said had been left on his wire fence; witness looked at it, and said it did not belong to Mark; the cloth was parti-colored, and Lyons wore moleskins; Stott told witness that if he and the others wanted to go on sinking they could do so if they took in Bursall.
To Mr. Ralston: The piece of cloth could have come from either a coat, trousers, or vest.
To His Honor: Had never seen Lyons wear any garment made out of stuff like Stott showed to witness.
Samuel Clarke, miner of Home Rule, deposed that the last day of May Mark Lyons asked him to be one of a party to sink in Stott's paddock; they started the next day, and in the afternoon Stott came and asked, 'Who gave you men permission to sink here!' Lyons said, 'You gave me permission yesterday;' Stott said, 'Instead of you wanting to sink here to-day Lyons, you would have wanted a doctor, only I had so much gin in me;' Stott then said to Lyons, 'You stole a sheep from my stable, and come to steal my gold;' Lyons said he didn't know what he meant; Stott said to Lyons, 'I don't want a thief like you on my ground;' Stott told the others they could go on.
To Mr. Ralston: Cannot quite remember what hour of the day on the 31st May it was that Lyons asked him to go in the claim; on the evening of 1st June witness saw Bursell shortly after 7 o'clock and said he had been to Lyons, and Lyons was away from home.
The plaintiff (recalled by his Honor) said he left Stott's between 7 and 7.30 on the evening in question, and got home at 8.5 p.m. by the clock; he never again left the house until he got up at 7 o'clock the next morning.
John Lyons, father of the plaintiff, deposed that he remembered the witness Clarke called at his house one evening early in June; it was about 7.30; witness's son was not at home at the time, and came in about an hour after; witness was in bed at the time; there was a lad of seven years of age in the house.
This closed the case for the plaintiff.
The defendant, George Stott, deposed that he was a farmer and grazier at Home Rule, and that a good deal of mining had been done in his paddock; his sons work a claim; witness buys gold and often has some in the house; Lyons came to witness's place on the 31st May; it was about 11 o'clock in the day; Lyons asked if he could go in the paddock and sink at the bottom claim; witness said he could not have the bottom claim as it was promised; witness told Lyons he had better come in the morning, and he would show him where he could sink, and they could make terms; Lyons said he would fetch his mate up in the morning; Lyons stayed to dinner, and between 5 and 6 o'clock they had tea; William and Charles were at tea; just before tea they had a game at cards; Lyons left witness's place at 6.30; he took a sheep's gall with him; witness stayed in the house after Lyons left; at about 7 o'clock two boys named Hooke came in; one of the boys said something, and Woods ran out, followed by James Hooke; after a while Woods returned and told witness something.
Mr. Davidson objected to the conversation being repeated.
Mr. Ralston pressed the question in order to mitigate damage.
His Honor allowed the question after some argument. 
Witness, resuming, said Woods said Lyons had taken a sheep, and that he had followed him out of the yard for about 25 yards, and that he had thrown the sheep into the yard; Hooke said he was close against Lyons when he threw the sheep over, and that Lyons jumped over the fence and Woods followed
him, when Lyons got back through the fence and ran down the paddock; Woods said he followed Lyons and might have caught him only he tripped up; Woods said that Lyons ran towards the dam; Jimmy Hooke and his brother both said they had seen a man in the stable with a match, and they believed it was Lyons; Woods and the boys afterwards brought in the sheep; later on another alarm was raised that someone was in the stable; Woods rushed out with a revolver and two shots were fired; the next day a piece of cloth was found on a barb wire fence; it was not on the fence through which Lyons escaped; on the following day Bursell came to witness's house; Bursell told witness the men were in the paddock; until that time witness did not know they were there; witness, Jimmy Hooke, Bursell, and witness's son, Charles, then walked towards the hole; as they did so Lyons left the party at work, and walked towards the dray, which was about 15 yards away; witness said to the party, ' Who gave you permission?' and they said, 'You did to Lyons;' witness said he did not; had promised the land to Bursell, and the other three men could go on if they took Bursell in; Lyons was then called up to the claim, and witness told him he never gave permission, and he said 'you did;' witness told Lyons he had arranged to come up and settle terms; witness said, 'Lyons, I don't want you to work in my paddock, as there was a man dressed just like you who stole my sheep last night; I believe it was gold he came to look after, and it's perhaps a good job for him, I had a little drop too much gin or he might have wanted a doctor instead of a butcher;' Woods said if it comes to a test case I can prove the man who took the sheep; I asked young Hook if Lyons was anything like the man who stole the sheep and said, 'Yes;' witness asked the other three to come up to the house; witness did not say to Lyons 'You stole the sheep from the stable, and you came to my house to steal my gold;' during the conversation at the house, Clarke said to witness, 'If
you said there were two men you'd probably be right as there were two men missing from Home Rule last night.'
To Mr. Davidson: Shortly after this witness received a letter from Mr. Davidson; did not remember what date; took no notice of it; went into Gulgong a day or two after and showing the letter, and asked the Sergeant to arrest Lyons; the Sergeant said he had better let it rest till after the action; the reason he had not faced a prosecution was because he knew Lyons', aged father, who was a cripple; witness said that he did not believe it was mutton they came after, but gold.
To Mr. Ralston: My place has been stuck up before, and I had to use firearms for protection.
William Bursall, miner, of Home Rule, knew Mr. Stott, who had promised him No. 20 claim, adjoining Lowe's land; on 1st June witness saw some men working there, and went up to Stott and said someone was working in the claim he had promised him; witness, Stott, and several others went down, and found the party, at work; Mr. Stott asked Dryer who was in the shaft who gave him possession; Dryer said Lyons had permission; they called Lyons up and he said Mr. Stott had given him permission; Mr. Stott said he had not given permission for that claim and that Lyons was very like the man who had stolen the sheep the previous night and he did not want him at work in his paddock; Lyons said that when he left Stotts he went straight home; Stott asked young Hooke whether Lyons was like the man seen in the stable the night before; young Hooke replied in the affirmative: Woods said if it came to a test case he could identify the man who took the sheep; Stott said if he had not had so much gin the party who took the sheep would want, a doctor instead of mutton.
William Stott, son of the defendant, remembered Lyons coming to his father's house on the 31st May last; Lyons had dinner there; about 3 o'clock they were talking near the table; he asked witness whether they finished washing up; witness said yes, and that it had gone pretty well; Lyons then asked who bought the gold, and witness said his father did; Lyons then said that he expected witness's father kept a good bit of gold in the place, and witness said he could not say; Lyons stayed to tea that night; he left at 6 o'clock, and as far as witness knew took nothing with him; witness left home directly after Lyons, and came back about 7 o'clock; the sheep had then been stolen; the next day witness and others went down to where Lyons and party were working; witness here corroborated the evidence of conversation given by defendant. 
Charles Stott, another son of defendant, gave evidence of certain conversations he had with the plaintiff on 31st May; plaintiff had denied having any conversation; they went to the stable, and Woods was there dressing a sheep; Lyons asked Woods for the gall as he wanted it to clean a suit of clothes. 
James Hooke, 15 years of age deposed that on the night of the 31st May he and his brother saw a light in Stott's coachhouse; they looked inside and saw a man he believed to be Lyons, and they came inside and told Stott and Woods; Woods ran ran out witness followed him; the man ran out of the coach-house with the carcase of the sheep; Wood's chased him, and he after dropped the sheep and ran towards the dam, followed by Woods, who afterwards came back; witness then gave evidence as to the conversation
next day; when Lyons was called up to the party he said Stott had given him permission to sink there; Stott denied this; Stott asked witness whether Lyons was like the man who stole the sheep; witness said he had the same sort of clothes on; Woods said he could identify the man who stole the sheep; witness then denied the plaintiff's witnesses' statements as to the statements as to the utterance of the alleged libel; on the night of the 31st witness told Stott that the man in the stable was like Lyons.
To Mr. Davidson: The conversation at the claim was directed to Mr. Lyons.
Thomas Hook remembered the 31st May; he and his brother were going up to Stott's; they saw a match struck in the coach-house; a light then appeared in the stable; witness looked through and saw a man; he had on a brown coat and dirty moleskin trousers; he had seen Lyons that day; the man in the stable was dressed like Lyons; witness and his brother came to the house and told what he had seen, and that the man was dressed much like Lyons.
To Mr. Davidson: Did not see the man's face; only noticed he had on a brownish coat and dirty white moleskin trousers.
Thomas Woods, miner of Home Rule, deposed that on the 31st May he saw Lyons at Stott's place; about 5 o'clock witness killed a sheep for Stott and dressed it in the coach house; while dressing the sheep plaintiff and Charles Stott came in; accused asked for the gall, which witness gave him; shortly after, witness was marking a car case with a knife, about 7 o'clock, when the two Hooke's came and told witness something; Hood followed out of the door, and at the sheep yard he saw a man with a sheep; the plainfiff was the man. 
Plaintiff: 'You are telling a deliberate falsehood'.
The witness detailed how he ran after plaintiff, but tripped up and could not catch him; he went towards the dam; witness then returned to Stott and told him he had seen Lyons stealing the sheep; witness then went to the sheepyard and there saw the carcase of mutton; about 9 o'clock witness was near the stable and saw a man who ran away; witness fired two shots out of a revolver, but he did not stop; next day the witness, with Stott, Bursell, and others went to the paddock, and there saw Lyons; witness here corroborated the defendant's version of the conversation.
This closed the evidence. His Honor, without calling on counsel, gave a verdict for the plaintiff for one farthing without costs. 

1922 - DEATH OF MRS. ELLEN LYONS
With the death of Mrs. Lyons, one of the oldest identities of the Mudgee district has passed away. She was born at Windsor and came to the Mudgee district when very young. Her parents are buried in the old Catholic Cemetery at Mudgee. The deceased, who had a wonderful memory, could relate incidents of the past, and especially of the early gold digging days, having lived at the Meroo in the good days and at Lowe's paddock. Her husband, the late John Lyons, was one of the early prospectors, and met with an accident whilst mining at Canadian Lead, in the White Horse claim, which crippled him for 30 years, before his death. 
The late Mrs. Lyons was of a genial and kindly nature. She had a long and painful illness, and was practically bed ridden for the past five years, since the death of her husband Mrs. Lyons has lived with her daughters. She was the mother of a large family, and seven members still survive, viz., Mark (Sydney), Richard (Katoomba), Edward (Queensland), Mrs Wilson (Sydney), Mrs. Rose (Rockdale), Mrs. Keech (Wilbetree), Mrs. W. Hawkins (Mudgee). She died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs Rose. She made friends at both Home Rule and Canadian, many of whom will mourn her loss.
She was laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery at Woronora. Mrs. Joseph Keech and Mrs. Walter Hawkins journeyed to the funeral, which took place on Saturday. Thus one more of the old pioneers has passed away. Peace to her ashes!
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 29 Jun 1922 Page 5

1907 - Death at Gulgong.
The death occurred in the Gulgong Hospital on Sunday last of Mr. John Lyons, jun., of Home Rule, at the age of 36 years. Death was due to Bright's disease. A widow and four little children will now have to battle this cold, hard world without a husband's and father's support.
Subscription lists are being circulated in aid of the widow and children of the late Mr. John Lyons, jun., of Home Rule. The lists are filling up rapidly, so a Home Rule resident in formed us.
Source:  Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 11 Jul 1907 Page 14

1907 - Gulgong Hospital Trouble.
Mrs. Ellen Lyons writes :—
In the issue of the Gulgong Advertiser, of the 7th instant, part of the report of a hospital meeting, re above, reads :
'Mr. Stacy. ... On the other hand there was only the evidence of Lyons, a patient in the hospital, who was suffering from a disease, which, perhaps (the italics are mine), made him imagine things. The evidence of Lyons was not worthy of belief.'
The late John Lyons was my son, and it was in a casual conversation with his sister when he stated that he saw the late John Slattery leave his bed and get a drink of water. This statement was not made with any malice, and anyone knowing my son would certainly have believed what he said, re above, was true. Mr. Stacy may be proud of his remarks belittling a dead man, but I am sure that the right-thinking public will give him little credit for making such an ungenerous statement.'
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 22 Aug 1907 Page 13

1907 - [HOSPITAL ALLEGATION]
The allegation that the late John Lyons did not receive proper treatment at the hands of the nursing staff
attached to the Gulgong Hospital, and also that the said deceased was allowed to get out of bed after an operation had been performed upon him, was apparently settled at the Gulgong Hospital Committee meeting on Friday evening last, when a motion was carried adopting the special report of the VisitingCommittee. That report showed that every care and attention had been given to Lyons by the nursing staff, and also that it would have been impossible for him to have left his bed without theknowledge of the nurses. An amendment, moved by the Rev. E. P. O'Donnell, 'That a more thorough investigation be made into the matter,' was lost.

1908 - Improving: in Health.
After a long period of illness, Mr. John Lyons, of Home Rule, shows symptoms of improvement and his
many friends are hopeful that he will be about again shortly.

1910 - DEATH
During the week the deaths have occurred of Mr. John Lyons, 78, of Home Rule, and Mr. August Short, 78, of Canadian, Gulgong.
Source: Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) Thu 20 Oct 1910 Page 7

1910 - DEATH
JOHN LYONS, farmer, aged 75, died 12.10.1910 from "MALIGNANT DISEASE LIVER EXHAUSTION" of 304 days duration. His mother was Annie Bluememendol. The informant was his son, B Lyons.
Born Fresland, Holland
Length in Colony: 53 N
Married to Ellen Gallager at age 32 at Meroo
Children: Mark (41), Elizabeth (36), Mary T (34), Rose (31), Annie (28), Richard P (27), Edward M (20), 1 male [John] deceased
Source: CPS & Surrounding area Deaths to 1910
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