William P. Lyon

Who was William P. Lyon?

William Penn Lyon was a Wisconsin jurist, soldier, and legislator.

Born in Chatham, New York, Penn and his family moved to Walworth County, Wisconsin. There, he studied law and was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar. He then moved to Burlington, Wisconsin to practice law and then to Racine, Wisconsin where he was District Attorney of Racine County, Wisconsin; he also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and was the speaker. Lyon served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. During this time, he was elected a judge of the Wisconsin Circuit Court. He ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1870 but lost. In 1871, he was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and eventually became chief justice, 1892–1894.