Caleb Lyon

Dell Caleb Lyon ( born December 7, 1822 in Greig, Lewis County, New York, † September 8, 1875 in Rossville, Staten Iceland, New York ) was an American politician and from 1864 to 1865 governor of the Idaho Territory. From 1853 to 1855 he represented the State of New York as a delegate in the U.S. Congress.

Early years

Caleb Lyon attended the public schools in Lyondale and in Montreal, Canada. Then he studied until 1841 at the Norwich University in Northfield (Vermont ). Lyon loved traveling abroad, where he met foreign cultures and customs. In the United States he held then talks about his collected on these trips impressions. He was also active as a writer.

Political career

In 1847 him the post of American consul in Shanghai was offered, but he refused. Instead, he moved to California, where he participated in the Constituent Assembly of that State. In 1850 he returned to New York, where he was a member of the State Senate. This mandate but he put down in protest against the expansion of the Erie Canal. Between March 4, 1853, and March 3, 1855, he acted as politically independent of the state of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1864, Lyon was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to the territorial governor in Idaho. This office he held until April 10, 1866. There, he managed to take out a contract on land cessions with the Indians. During his tenure as governor, the capital of the territory of Lewiston was moved to Boise. This measure was highly controversial in the population. Even otherwise, it was not very popular in Idaho. He was accused of misappropriation of public funds before. His Secretary Horace C. Gilson stolen the treasury, and sat out of the country from. Thus, the state treasury was empty. All this also harmed the reputation of Lyons.

After his time in Idaho Caleb Lyon returned to his estate " Lyonsmere " in Staten Iceland. He is also passed in 1875.