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The good people of Pulaski, who witnessed the attention
of the "old sinner" to his competitor was
completely imposed upon, by this trick - sounded his
praises & voted for him, because they believed
he was a kind hearted, good old man. Lyons
majority was very small, & but for this ["?]
trick" he would probably have been beaten.
In 1807, he was opposed by Gen. Hopkins, but was
re-elected by superior Generalship. In 1809,
he was beaten by Colo. Anthony New. Colo. Lyon
was not afterwards in public life, except in the war,
sub office of an Indian agent. As before noticed
Colo. Lyon was a rough, uncouth Irishman. I was
intimately acquainted with him; believed him to be
talented & patriotic, & being myself an ardent Republican
as he had been a martyr in a good [cause?]
I supported his election with zeal up to the year
1809. I have heard a great many anecdotes about his
rough, uncouth manners, that were perfectly
charcteristic of the man. The following
happened at my house in Monticello. Colo. Lyon
arrived there on Saturday evening before the May
Court in 1803, his first visit & put up at a
very humble tavern, the only one in the place
kept by Roger Oatts. I was notified of his
being there, early on Sunday morning & called
to see him & invited him to dine with me.
My young wife, prepared the best dinner she
could on such short notice. Strawberries
then grew spontaneously in the barrens about
Monticello & were just getting ripe. She
went out herself & perhaps gathered a quart
of them, which constituted the chief article of
desert at dinner. We had at the table Colo.
Lyon, & Mr. & Mrs Hadon (my wife's sister) & their
little daughter, 2 or 3 years old. Colo. L. dined heartily
on the meats &c and when his plate, was changed,
he was furnished with a saucer & spoon &
asked if he would take some cream & strawberries;
he answered in the affirmative & said