# Frank Lyon

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{{Short description|American lawyer, newspaper publisher and land developer (1867–1953)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Frank Lyon
| image         = Frank Lyon (1930).jpg
| image_size    = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = Lyon (c. 1930)
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1867|12|30}}
| birth_place   = [Petersburg, Virginia](/source/Petersburg%2C_Virginia), U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1955|11|29|1867|12|30}}
| death_place   = [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.), U.S.
| resting_place = [Blandford Cemetery](/source/Blandford_Cemetery)<br/>Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
| education     = [Richmond College](/source/University_of_Richmond)
| alma_mater    = [Georgetown University Law Center](/source/Georgetown_University_Law_Center) ([LLB](/source/Bachelor_of_Laws), [LLM](/source/Master_of_Laws)) 
| occupation    = {{hlist|Lawyer|newspaper publisher|land developer}}
| years_active  = 
| spouse        = {{marriage|Georgie Hays Wright|1889}}
| children      = 4
| relatives     = [LeRoy Springs Lyon](/source/LeRoy_Springs_Lyon) (brother)
| notable_works = 
| signature     = 
}}
'''Frank Lyon''' (December 30, 1867 – November 29, 1955) was an American lawyer, newspaper publisher and land developer in [Arlington County, Virginia](/source/Arlington_County%2C_Virginia). He developed the land in modern-day [Clarendon, Virginia](/source/Clarendon%2C_Virginia), [Lyon Park](/source/Lyon_Park_Historic_District) and [Lyon Village](/source/Lyon_Village%2C_Arlington%2C_Virginia).

==Early life and education==
Frank Lyon was born on December 30, 1867, in [Petersburg, Virginia](/source/Petersburg%2C_Virginia), to Mary Margaret (née Springs) and John Lyon.<ref name="bio">{{cite book|editor=Philip Alexander Bruce|publisher=[Arlington Historical Society](/source/Arlington_Historical_Society)|title=History of Virginia|volume=6|year=1924|url={{Google books|GikSAAAAYAAJ|page=123|plainurl=yes}}|pages=123–125}}</ref><ref name="ahs">{{Cite web |url=http://arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/1976-8-Lyon.pdf |title=The Role of Frank Lyon and His Associates in the Early Development of Arlington County |year=2017 |last=Rose |first=Ruth P. |website=[Arlington Historical Society](/source/Arlington_Historical_Society) |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref> His siblings included army officer [LeRoy Springs Lyon](/source/LeRoy_Springs_Lyon).<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Mathews |editor-first=Maud Craig |date=1921 |title=Lineage and Tradition of the Family of John Springs III |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lineage_and_Tradition_of_the_Family_of_J/M4UxcY7EaKoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=&pg=PA308 |location=Atlanta, Georgia |publisher=Foote & Davies |page=308 |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}}</ref> His father was a lawyer in Petersburg and served in the office of the Advocate General of the Confederacy during the [Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War). The family moved to [Richmond](/source/Richmond%2C_Virginia) in 1875. He was educated in public schools in Richmond and graduated high school in 1884.<ref name="ahs"/> He attended [Richmond College](/source/University_of_Richmond) for 18 months.<ref name="bio"/><ref name="ahs"/>

Later when Lyon moved to [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.), he attended [Georgetown University Law School](/source/Georgetown_University_Law_Center). He graduated with a [Bachelor of Laws](/source/Bachelor_of_Laws) in 1889 and a [Master of Laws](/source/Master_of_Laws) in 1890. He was also a member of [Beta Theta Pi](/source/Beta_Theta_Pi).<ref name="bio"/><ref name="ahs"/>

==Career==
===Early career===
After Richmond College, Lyon worked as a clerk for the [Richmond and Danville Railroad Company](/source/Richmond_and_Danville_Railroad) in [Charlotte, North Carolina](/source/Charlotte%2C_North_Carolina). He later transferred to Richmond and worked as a private secretary to a railroad official. In 1886, the Southern Railroad was formed and Lyon moved to [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) to work in its offices.<ref name="bio"/><ref name="ahs"/>

On June 1, 1887, Lyon became a private secretary to [Walter L. Bragg](/source/Walter_L._Bragg) of Alabama, a commissioner of the [Interstate Commerce Commission](/source/Interstate_Commerce_Commission) (ICC). He then became a stenographer with the ICC and remained there until 1899. After studying at Georgetown, Lyon served from 1900 to 1902 as a stenographer for the [Constitutional Convention of Virginia](/source/Virginia_Constitutional_Convention_of_1902).<ref name="bio"/><ref name="ahs"/>

===Law and public career===
Around 1902, Lyon began to practice law in [Alexandria County, Virginia](/source/Alexandria_County%2C_Virginia).<ref name="ahs"/> Between 1901 and 1906, Lyon started to publish the ''Alexandria County Monitor'' and continued with the paper until 1928.<ref name="ahs"/> The paper was used to combat gambling and liquor in [Rosslyn](/source/Rosslyn%2C_Virginia). Lyon argued legal cases against the open sale of liquor and open saloons in Alexandria County.<ref name="ahs"/> He also participated in the raids in Rosslyn and Jackson City in May 1904 with [Crandal Mackey](/source/Crandal_Mackey).<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=http://arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2018-3-Northeast.pdf |title=Arlington's Northeast: People, Paths, and Open Spaces |last=Ludolph |first=Charles M. |date=2018 |page=37 |magazine=[Arlington Historical Magazine](/source/Arlington_Historical_Magazine) |access-date=2022-01-31}}</ref>

In 1907, Commissioner [Franklin K. Lane](/source/Franklin_Knight_Lane) of the ICC appointed Lyon to the semi-judicial position of examiner. In 1912, he resigned this position to practice exclusively before the ICC in matters concerning steamship lines and coal companies.<ref name="ahs"/>

===Land development career===
Lyon then became a law partner with [Robert W. Moore](/source/R._Walton_Moore). He became involved in the development of Moore's Addition to [Clarendon](/source/Clarendon%2C_Virginia) and then bought out Moore's interest in the property and started his own development firm.<ref name="ahs"/> When Lyon sold land in Clarendon, he would have the buyer agree that "liquor shall never be sold or dispensed on the property or from any building erected thereon, nor shall said property be used for the conducting of any business that constitutes a nuisance to other lot owners in the subdivision, such as a soap factory or like industry."<ref name="ahs"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.clarendon.org/history/ |title=Clarendon: A Rich History |website=clarendon.org |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref>

His development firm bore his own name until 1920 when he partnered with C. Walton Fitch. Then, the firm was called Lyon and Finch. Later it was renamed to Lyon Properties Inc.<ref name="ahs"/> In 1919, Lyon Properties started developing [Lyon Park](/source/Lyon_Park_Historic_District), a project to develop a 300-acre tract of land into 1,200 building lots in [Arlington County](/source/Arlington_County%2C_Virginia). The project was completed around 1922.<ref name="ahs"/><ref name="lyonvillage">{{Cite web |url=http://lyonvillage.org/files/LV_history_-_1993.pdf |title=Lyon Village |last=Boaz |first=Carolyn V. |date=1993 |website=[Arlington Historical Society](/source/Arlington_Historical_Society) |access-date=2022-01-25 |archive-date=September 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914074257/http://lyonvillage.org/files/LV_history_-_1993.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/000-7820/ |title=000-7820 Lyon Park Historic District |date=2003-11-12 |website=dhr.virginia.gov |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref> Following the development of Lyon Park, Lyon acquired rights to the tract adjoining Clarendon. In 1923, the firm started development of [Lyon Village](/source/Lyon_Village%2C_Arlington%2C_Virginia), a 191-acre tract of land.<ref name="ahs"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/arlington-virginias-lyon-village-feels-like-norman-rockwell-on-a-generous-budget-212234 |title=Arlington, Virginia's Lyon Village Feels Like 'Norman Rockwell on a Generous Budget' |last=Ruhling |first=Nancy A. |website=mansionglobal.com |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref> The properties sold well until the [Great Depression](/source/Great_Depression) in the 1930s.<ref name="ahs"/> With the depression, Lyon and Fitch dissolved and Fitch moved to Chicago. The firm of Lyon Properties Inc. would continue into the 1940s and the Lyon Village Shopping Center was managed by the Lyon family after Frank Lyon's death.<ref name="ahs"/><ref name="lyonvillage"/>

Lyon used techniques to keep [people of color](/source/person_of_color) from settling in his developments. These practices included [restrictive covenant](/source/restrictive_covenant)s with buyers to prevent people of color from living on the land, except as servants. He also required housing built on the land he sold to be expensive and designed the streets with cars in mind, not for pedestrians.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ggwash.org/view/81236/lyons-legacy-iv-white-families-homes |title=Lyon's legacy IV: White families' homes |website=ggwash.org |last=Reich |first=D. Taylor |date=2021-05-13 |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2015-3-Halls.pdf |title=A View from Hall's Hill: African American Community Development in Arlington, Virginia from the Civil War to the Turn of the Century |date=2015 |last=Bestebreurtje |first=Lindsey |page=26 |website=[Arlington Historical Society](/source/Arlington_Historical_Society) |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref>

In 1933, Lyon turned down a nomination on the [Prohibition Party](/source/Prohibition_Party) ticket for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.<ref name="dies">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93471655/frank-lyon-88-of-arlington-dies-in/ |title=Frank Lyon, 88, Of Arlington, Dies in Capital |date=1955-12-02 |newspaper=[Richmond Times-Dispatch](/source/Richmond_Times-Dispatch) |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) |access-date=2022-01-25}}{{Open access}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1889, Lyon and Georgie Hays Wright moved to Alexandria County and built a small house on Lubber Run near [Ballston, Virginia](/source/Ballston%2C_Virginia). They were married on August 5, 1890, near [Manassas, Virginia](/source/Manassas%2C_Virginia). She was the daughter of [John V. Wright](/source/John_Vines_Wright), a member of the [U.S. Congress](/source/United_States_Congress), member of the [Confederate States Congress](/source/Confederate_States_Congress), colonel in the [Confederate States Army](/source/Confederate_States_Army) and circuit judge of [Columbia, Tennessee](/source/Columbia%2C_Tennessee).<ref name="bio"/><ref name="ahs"/> Together, they had three children who survived childhood and one son who died from water pollution:<ref name="ahs"/>
* Georgie Hays – married [Jacob L. Devers](/source/Jacob_L._Devers)<ref name="ahs"/>
* John – lieutenant in the [29th Infantry Division](/source/29th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)) of [World War I](/source/World_War_I). He died on October 16, 1918.<ref name="ahs"/> John Lyon is remembered on the War Memorial in Clarendon Circle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://boundarystones.weta.org/2015/11/11/remembering-arlingtons-john-lyon |title=Remembering Arlington's John Lyon |date=2015-11-11 |website=[WETA](/source/WETA_(FM)) |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref>
* Margaret Springs – married Charles W. Smith, a business associate of Frank Lyon. Their daughter Mary Bittinger and grandson Charles Bittinger III continued the property management business in Arlington County<ref name="ahs"/>

In the early 1900s, the Lyons moved to the "Ohmstead" House on Kirkwood Road in Arlington County.<ref name="ahs"/> In 1907, Lyon built a house he called Lyonhurst (now Missonhurst).<ref name="ahs"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://library.arlingtonva.us/2011/01/09/back-pages-the-lyons-den/ |title=The Lyon's Den |date=2011-01-09 |website=[Arlington Public Library](/source/Arlington_Public_Library) |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref> The family lived there until 1923.<ref name="ahs"/> In 1923, Lyon moved to [Langley, Virginia](/source/Langley%2C_Virginia), and bought 169 acres of land and built a stone house called Ballantrae on the land.<ref name="ahs"/> Due to the depression, Lyon had to sell Ballantrae and instead moved into Hickory Hill, a house on the same tract of land he purchased in Langley.<ref name="ahs"/>

==Death==
thumb|upright=1|Grave of Frank Lyon at Blandford Cemetery
Lyon died on November 29, 1955, at the [Georgetown University Hospital](/source/Georgetown_University_Hospital) in Washington, D.C. He was buried at [Blandford Cemetery](/source/Blandford_Cemetery) in [Petersburg, Virginia](/source/Petersburg%2C_Virginia).<ref name="dies"/>

==Legacy==
Lyon Hall, a restaurant in Clarendon, was named after Frank Lyon. He built the [Streamline Moderne](/source/Streamline_Moderne) building in the mid-1940s. It was previously called the Dan Kain Building, and the restaurant took over the space in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.arlnow.com/2010/03/02/lyon-hall-erects-sign-launches-social-media-presence/ |title=Lyon Hall Erects Sign, Launches Social Media Presence |date=2010-03-02 |website=arlnow.com |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://library.arlingtonva.us/2012/06/21/clarendons-trophy/ |title=Clarendon's Trophy |date=2012-06-21 |website=[Arlington Public Library](/source/Arlington_Public_Library) |access-date=2022-01-25}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://lyonpark.org/lyon-park-historical-display/ Lyon Park Historical Display]
* [https://libraryarchives.arlingtonva.us/Detail/collections/8442 RG 84: Records of the Lyon Village Civic Association, 1926-1998]

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.loc.gov/item/95858847/ Architectural drawings for four-family apartment houses for Frank Lyon, Lyon Village, Arlington, Virginia]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Frank}}
Category:1867 births
Category:1955 deaths
Category:People from Petersburg, Virginia
Category:People from Arlington County, Virginia
Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni
Category:People of the Interstate Commerce Commission
Category:Virginia lawyers
Category:19th-century American lawyers
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:American temperance activists
Category:Real estate and property developers from Virginia

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frank Lyon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lyon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lyon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.