Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Shown are (front row, from left): Dorothy Mae (Eichelberger) Ferry, Jimmy Lyons, John Henry Eichelberger; (back row, from left): Mary Ester Eichelberger (grandmother of Debbie), Carl Eichelberger and friend Ellie.
Ferry could not identify the man or children in this photo, but her mother, Dorothy, noted on the back of the photo: James Lyons Died April 11 Buried Tues. April 13, 1943
Carl Eichelberger was Ferry's uncle. He married Mary Ester Mock, and their children were Carl E., Dorothy (who married a Ferry), John H., Catherine and Elmer. The family lived in Claysburg. Eichelberger was born in 1917 and died in 1988 at the age of 70. He enlisted in the Army during WWII in February of 1942 and was discharged in October of 1945. Jimmy Lyons died in April of 1943, so this picture must have been taken when Eichelberger was home on leave before Lyons died.
The obituary for James Lyons also conflicts with the Herald article regarding parentage and age. It reads:
"James Lyons, aged colored man and lifelong resident of the southern end of Morrisons Cove, died unexpectedly sometime Saturday night, April 10, 1943 or Sunday morning, his death being discovered by Charles Mock, a neighbor, who knew he had complained of not feeling well Saturday evening, and went to the home Sunday morning to see how he was.
Mr. Lyons was employed all his life among the farmers of the community, and for the past few years resided alone in a house a fourth of a mile up the Potter Creek road from Waterside, near the J.W. Baker home. He had plowed Saturday for Maurice Clouse, but complained of not feeling well, and told neighbors that if he did not get better soon he would have to see a doctor.
He was more than seventy years of age, but his exact age was not known. He was born in Williamsport (Maryland) but moved with his parents to Morrisons Cove when but two years of age. What became of his parents none of the present residents of the community seem to know. An uncle, Robert Love, formerly lived in the Cove but moved many years ago to Altoona, and none of his family, who are the only known relatives of Mr. Lyons, could be located to inform them of his death.
Mr. Lyons was well liked by the people of the community, and was a member of the Holsinger Church of the Brethren for 12 or 15 years. Very few farmers in the community where he lived but had employed him at one time or another on their farms. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 in the Holsinger church in charge of Rev. D.I. Pepple, and interment was made in the cemetery at the church." (1943)
Sources for stories on the Lyons and Love families:
The Bible, Axe & Plow by Ben Van Horn, Sr.
History of Bedford, Fulton & Somerset Counties; edited by Waterman in 1884; p. 304
Historical Sketches of Morrisons Cove by Rev. C.W. Karns, 1933, pp. 24-25
Bygone Days in the Cove by Ella Snowberger. 1933
Newspapers articles: Morrisons Cove Herald; Altoona Mirror, Bedford Gazette
Benjamin Lyons family information, per Frank Bayer, New Enterprise, 1987
Ancestry.com family records and census records
Editor's Note: Shown are three photos from Debbie Kay Ferry of Roaring Spring, who contacted the Herald and Dibert about the articles on the Lyons family. Ferry's family is connected to Jimmy Lyons.
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