St. Paul Window
The St. Paul stained glass window is inscribed, “In Memory of Patrick and Mary Lyons”.
Patrick and Mary Lyons emigrated from Ireland in the 1840's or early 1850's and initially lived in Chicago. James was born around 1810, and his wife, Mary, born 1824. On July 19, 1857 (when James was 47 years old and Mary was 33) their only child, James, was born in Cook County, Illinois.
Patrick and Mary moved to Vernon Township in 1862 or 1863, when James was 5 or 6 years old, and purchased a 103 acre farm from D. Mulden. According to the 1880 census, James Lyons was 70 years old, Mary was 56 and James was 23 years old. James and Mary Lyons do not appear on any census after and must have died between 1880 - 1900.
Their son, James Lyons, appears in every census through 1920 living in Vernon Township with his cousin, Annie Lyons. James Lyons died on November 5, 1929 in Vernon Township and was buried in Cook County, Illinois. He never married or had any children.
James Lyons likely donated the window when he was around 53 years of to honor his parents who passed away 10 - 20 years earlier.
Research on Patrick and Mary Lyons is in process. If anyone has information regarding the Lyons family and the donation of this window please contact Tim Klunder in the parish Ministry Office.
