Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Lyman Family Papers
00128
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
- Creator
- Lyman family, (Lucinda Sikes Lyman)
- Title
- Lyman family papers
- ID
- 00128
- Date [inclusive]
- 1812-1910
- Extent
- 1.0 Cubic feet
- Language
- English
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."
Biographical Note
After their marriage Liberty and Lucinda Lyman settled in Blanford, Massachusetts where they had ten children. Their sons were Sylvester, Romanzo, Sereno, James, Pliny, Edson, and Calvin. The daughters were named Catherine, Arua, and Lucinda.
In the spring of 1837 the entire family as well as Lucinda's mother, Lucina Sikes, moved to Shiawassee County in Michigan. The Lymans established a farm southeast of Bancroft on government land.
In 1849 Sylvester and Romanzo traveled overland to California during the Gold Rush. Sylvester was involved in both mining ventures and agriculture, eventually setting up a farm in Santa Clara. Romanzo returned east in 1856 to marry Mary Alderman and subsequently returned to his farm in Forest City, California. In 1858, the two brothers were joined by Sereno who also settled in California.
Lucinda Lyman attended school in Ann Arbor in the early 1850s and eventually taught at an Indian school in Shiawassee County in 1852. She was the last teacher to receive pay from the United States government in Shiawassee County. Lucinda married Russell J. Hastings and settled in Guliford, Ohio.
Pliny Lyman became a businessman in 1844 when he established the "Corunna Woolen Factory" in Corunna, Michigan. He served as the first town clerk of Corunna as well as having two terms as county treasurer. He was also active in local politics until his death in 1868.
James Lyman enlisted as a member of the Third Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. His regiment saw action in the Western theatre at the siege of Corinth and the battles of Iuka and Corinth. In the later stages of the war the Third was involved in several skirmishes in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Texas. While in the service, James rose in rank from Sergeant to Second Lieutenant. The Lyman brothers in California drilled in militia units but saw no actual fighting.
In 1863, Liberty Lyman died. Edson Lyman succeeded him in running the farm by purchasing most of the original land from the other family heirs.
Romanzo moved from California to Illinois in 1870. He lived on a farm in Lemong, Illinois until his death in 1887.
Sylvester remained in California and became part owner in the Arrowhead Lodge, a spa in San Bernadino, California.
In 1910 Edson Lyman became a member of the Michigan Historical Commission. His application and correspondence with the Historical Commission is shown in the final correspondence folder.
Scope and Contents note
The Lyman family papers include correspondence, diaries, property deeds, newspapers, photographs, and other materials for the family of Liberty Lyman and Lucinda Sikes Lyman covering the years 1812-1910.The bulk of the family correspondence consists of letters to Lucinda Lyman from her sons and daughters, as well as letters from friends and relatives in Massachusetts. Especially interesting are the letters of the Lyman sons in California. Many vivid details are given on life in California during the Gold Rush. Comments on mining and agricultural activities are also of interest. The correspondence of the Civil War years reveal the Lyman's strong Unionist sentiments in their observations on social issues of the era.
The entries in the diaries are often sketchy and difficult to read but they convey many useful details of the family farm. James Lyman's diary of 1863-1864 is useful for details on Civil War campaigns.
The folders of land deeds are useful in showing the gradual expansion of the original family plot and the consolidation of the land by Edson Lyman. Of particular interest is the original federal grant of land dated 1837.
Three newspaper clippings deal with the deaths of Liberty and Romanzo Lyman and the fire in Forest City, California which destroyed Romanzo's home.
Miscellaneous materials of special interest are a poem by J. Garagen of the Third Michigan Cavalry dealing with the Battle of Corinth, an 1822 silhouette of Liberty and Lucinda Lyman, obituaries, and a "Five Generations of the Lyman and Related Families" document by John Mark Lamberton.
Sources for biographical information: Vol. 32 Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections articles on the early history of Shiawassee County; Clinton and Shiawassee Counties Chicago Chapman Brothers 1891 p. 416 article on Burt Lyman, a son of Pliny Lyman; Biographical information in donor correspondence file.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections May 1978
Conrad Hall888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu
Revision Description
February 2010
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Legal Status
Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.
Custodial History
Gift of R.G. Curtis
Eloise Lyman, 1977-08-30, 1978-04-11.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Corunna Woolen Factory (Mich.).
- Michigan Historical Commission.
- United States. Army. Michigan Cavalry Regiment, 3rd (1861-1866).
Genre(s)
- Account books
- Diaries
- Legal instruments
- Letters (correspondence)
- Photographs
Geographic Name(s)
- Shiawassee County (Mich.)
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Personal Name(s)
- Curtis, R.G.
- Lyman, Edson
- Lyman, James
- Lyman, Liberty
- Lyman, Lucinda Sikes
- Lyman, Romanzo
- Lyman, Sereno
- Lyman, Sylvester
Subject(s)
- Agriculture -- California
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Michigan
- Gold mines and mining -- California
Collection Inventory
Papers |
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|
Family Correspondence |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
1812 - 1814 |
1 | 1 | ||
|
1815 - 1817 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
1820 - 1823 |
1 | 3 | ||
|
1824 - 1825 |
1 | 4 | ||
|
1824 - 1825 |
1 | 4 | ||
|
1826 - 1829 |
1 | 5 | ||
|
1830 - 1839 |
1 | 6 | ||
|
1840 - 1845 |
1 | 7 | ||
|
1846 - 1849 |
1 | 8 | ||
|
1850 - 1852 |
1 | 9 | ||
|
1854 |
1 | 10 | ||
|
January - April 1855 |
1 | 11 | ||
|
August - December 1855 |
1 | 12 | ||
|
January - June 1857 |
1 | 13 | ||
|
August - December 1856 |
1 | 14 | ||
|
January - June 1857 |
1 | 15 | ||
|
July - December 1857 |
1 | 16 | ||
|
January - July 1858 |
1 | 17 | ||
|
September - December 1858 |
1 | 18 | ||
|
January - May 1859 |
1 | 19 | ||
|
June - December 1859 |
1 | 20 | ||
|
1860 |
1 | 21 | ||
|
1861 |
1 | 22 | ||
|
1862 |
1 | 23 | ||
|
January - May 1863 |
1 | 24 | ||
|
August - December 1863 |
1 | 25 | ||
|
1864 |
2 | 1 | ||
|
January - July 1865 |
2 | 2 | ||
|
August - December 1865 |
2 | 3 | ||
|
1866 |
2 | 4 | ||
|
January - April 1867 |
2 | 5 | ||
|
July - December 1867 |
2 | 6 | ||
|
1868 |
2 | 7 | ||
|
1869 |
2 | 8 | ||
|
1870 |
2 | 9 | ||
|
1871 |
2 | 10 | ||
|
1872 |
2 | 11 | ||
|
1873 |
2 | 12 | ||
|
1874 |
2 | 13 | ||
|
1875 |
2 | 14 | ||
|
1876 |
2 | 15 | ||
|
1877 - 1878 |
2 | 16 | ||
|
1879 |
2 | 17 | ||
|
1880 - 1882 |
2 | 18 | ||
|
1883 - 1885 |
2 | 19 | ||
|
1886 - 1889 |
2 | 20 | ||
|
1890 - 1899 |
2 | 21 | ||
|
1904 - 1910 |
2 | 22 | ||
|
n.d. |
2 | 23 - 24 | ||
|
Lucinda Lyman to Ida Lambertson March 18, 1882 |
3 | 32 | ||
|
Diaries and Journals |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Diary |
2 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Edson Lyman 1858 |
2 | 25 | ||
|
1860 |
2 | 26 | ||
|
1865 |
2 | 27 | ||
|
1869 |
2 | 28 | ||
|
1871 |
2 | 29 | ||
|
James Lyman 1856 |
2 | 30 | ||
|
James Lyman 1859 |
2 | 31 | ||
|
James Lyman 1863 -1864 |
2 | 32 | ||
|
Farm Journal 1835 - 1863 |
3 | 1 | ||
|
Account Books - Edson Lyman |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
1861 |
3 | 2 | ||
|
1872 - 1875 |
3 | 3 | ||
|
Miscellaneous Books |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Autograph Book Carrie Lyman 1890 |
3 | 4 | ||
|
Recipe Book n.d. |
3 | 5 | ||
|
Legal Documents |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Land Deeds |
3 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
1837 - 1847 |
3 | 6 | ||
|
1849 - 1861 |
3 | 7 | ||
|
1862 - 1899 |
3 | 8 | ||
|
Will of Lucina Sikes 1850 |
3 | 9 | ||
|
Business Papers |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Stock Agreement with Toledo Ann Arbor & Northern R.R. Co. 1870 |
3 | 10 | ||
|
Business Receipts |
3 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
1846 - 1855 |
3 | 11 | ||
|
1856 - 1900 |
3 | 12 | ||
|
Work Contract - City Granite Works Owosso 1901 |
3 | 13 | ||
|
Fire Insurance 1867 |
3 | 14 | ||
|
Federal Tax Form 1865 |
3 | 15 | ||
|
Farming Material |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Farm Manual "Annual Register of Rural Affairs" 1865 |
3 | 16 | ||
|
Farm Manual "The Farmer's Garden" 1905 |
3 | 17 | ||
|
Map of Lyman Farm in Shiawasse County n.d. |
3 | 18 | ||
|
Inventory of Lyman Farm July 27, 1863 |
3 | 19 | ||
|
Order for Windmill Mast, Foos and Co., Springfield, OH by Edson Lyman n.d. |
3 | 20 | ||
|
Seed Grain Broadside n.d. |
3 | 21 | ||
|
Poetry |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
"Our First Great Union Victory at Corinth" P. Garagen, 3rd Michigan Cavalry ca. 1862 |
3 | 22 | ||
|
Poem "The New Born Christian" n.d. |
3 | 23 | ||
|
Newspaper Clippings |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Three newspaper clippings 1863, 1867, n.d. |
3 | 24 | ||
|
Miscellaneous Materials |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Application to Independent Order of Oddfellows 1851 |
3 | 25 | ||
|
Funeral Sermon by Rev. Condit for Clara Montague March 16, 1845 |
3 | 26 | ||
|
Silhouette of Liberty and Lucinda Lyman ca. 1822 |
3 | 27 | ||
|
"Five Generations of the Lyman and Related Families" by John Mark Lambertson 2015 |
3 | 28 | ||
|
Lucinda S. Lyman Obituary undated |
3 | 29 | ||
|
Pliny S. Lyman Obituary undated |
3 | 30 | ||
|
Biography Information of Sylvester Lyman undated |
3 | 31 | ||
|
|
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Oversized Materials |
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| Box | ||||
|
The Country Gentleman April 28, 1864, June 9, 1864 |
5753 | |||
|
|
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Photographs |
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|
Collection |
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| Box | ||||
|
Agriculture. Harvesting |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
Engines |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
Homes. Bradley-Martin house before remodeling 1935 |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
Homes. Liberty Lyman home circa 1912 |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
Mills. Mill at Knagg Town |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
People. Lyman , Carrie Hoyt (Mrs. Edson Lyman) |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
People. Lyman, Edson |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
People. Lyman, J. H. |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
People. Lyman, Jessie and 4th grade class |
LC Photo 37 | |||
|
People. Lyman, Liberty and Lucinda Sikes (Mrs. Liberty Lyman) |
LC Photo 37 | |||
| Drawer | ||||
|
People |
People Photos | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
People. Brown, Catherine Lyman undated |
3 | 39 | ||
|
People. Brown, Lemuel undated |
3 | 40 | ||
|
People. Lyman, Lucinda Sykes undated |
3 | 41 | ||
| Box | ||||
|
People. Lyman, Pliny M. |
People Photo 16 | |||
|
Postcards |
Postcards | |||
|
Agriculture. Machinery |
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|
Engines. 25 H.P. Peerless Engine |
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|
Ambrotypes |
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| Box | ||||
|
Lyman Brothers: possibly James, Edson, and Pliny Lyman |
4 | |||
|
Edson Lyman |
4 | |||
|
James Lyman, 3rd Michigan Cavalry, Civil War |
4 | |||
|
unidentified woman (2 items) |
4 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Arva Lyman Lockwood undated |
3 | 42 | ||
|
CDV |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
People. Lyman, Agnes S. undated |
3 | 33 | ||
|
People. Lyman, Edson Liberty undated |
3 | 34 | ||
|
People. Lyman, James Harvey undated |
3 | 35 | ||
|
People. Lyman, Sereno Burt undated |
3 | 36 | ||
|
People. Lyman, Sylvester undated |
3 | 37 | ||
|
People. Lyman, Tillie Manafree undated |
3 | 38 | ||
|
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