Lyons Family Cemetery
Schulenburg, Fayette County, Texas
Marker Inscription
James Lyons (b. 1778) brought his family to Texas from New York in 1820. While working outside his cabin near this site on Oct. 15, 1837, Lyons was killed by Comanches. His was the first grave in this family cemetery. His 12-year-old son Warren (b. 1825) was captured in the attack and held by the Indians for about 10 years before he was able to return home. In 1848 he married Lucy Boatright. They later settled in Johnson County, where he died in 1870. A stone erected here in 1931 states incorrectly that Warren Lyons, rather than his father James, was a victim of the 1837 raid.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
James Lyons brought his family from New York to Texas in 1820, and on October 15, 1837, he was killed by Comanches while working outside his cabin near this spot—his the first grave in the family cemetery. His twelve-year-old son Warren was carried off and held for roughly a decade before making his way home, a captivity the marker sets straight against a 1931 stone that names the wrong Lyons as the raid's victim.
Why it matters
The Lyons story captures the violent, contested frontier between Anglo settlers and the Comanche in early Texas, and the long shadow captivity cast over pioneer families.
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Related people
- · James Lyons
- · Warren Lyons
Themes & tags
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