Place of migration
Migrated to/Born in USA
George Lyons was a native of Donegal, Ireland, born in Inver in 1821 or 1823.
His father was Alexander Lyons and his mother was Catherine Kilpatrick.
George emmigrated to the United States in 1840. He became a carpenter on a whaling ship in the Pacific Northwest and settled in San Diego, California in 1847.
He was a pioneer in San Diego, California
- Owner a store in Old Town 1851-1858
- George was living in California when California became a part of the United States in 1850
- 1850 member of the Masons
- 1851 Married Bernarda Lugarda de Villar (she did not speak English) who may have been born in Mexico City, Mexico. She was baptised at the Mission San Diego, California.
- 1853 -1863 Board of Supervisors
- 1853 - City Tax Collector
- Elected Sheriff for 2 terms until 1862
- Was City Trustee for City of San Diego - served as treasurer
- Postmaster
- 1872 Pioneer Society Member
- Director of the San Diego and Gila Railroad
- "George Lyons is one of the best known of the few survivors of the days before the 50's". [from William Ellsworth Smythe's History of San Diego, 1907, pages 267-268] (via the Internet from the website for San Diego Historical Society URL: http://sandiegohistory.org/bio/lyons/lyons.htm) photo of George Lyons courtesy of Jim Duffy, San Diego County Sheriffs Department.
- George and Bernarda had 12 children, 9 of whom lived to adulthood
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jun 1823 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Date of Death | 1st Mar 1908 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Father (First Name/s and Surname) | Alexander Lyons | |
| Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) | Catherine Kilpatrick | |
| Townland born | Lagon, Inver, County Donegal | |
