Bessie Lyon was a remarkable Webster City teacher.

Fair Week is over for Hamilton County; the State Fair begins next week. In part, this means now is the time for that annual event known as “Back to School Shopping.” This is a ritual that has grown over the years into a 2 billion website hit in .5 seconds thing on the internet. I remember, as a Postmaster, the shock I felt the first time we delivered pre-Christmas sale flyers in July… So, to those who are already filling backpacks and practicing locker combinations, I’d like to present a former teacher residing in Our Neighborhood.

Bessie L Lyon was born in Webster City on October 13, 1873, to Jotham and Mary Lyon. Bessie was third of six children in the family, living in Cass Township, just northeast of town. Her father and a great-uncle were known to have plowed much of the original land comprising Newcastle, at the time Webster City became the new name. She graduated from high school in 1891, the 10th class year in Webster City; only 65 diplomas had been awarded before hers.

The August 12, 1914, edition of The Daily Freeman Tribune announced her election as a new member of the State Historical Society of Iowa. The article states, “This is a signal honor and certainly deserved by Miss Lyon, as her devotion to the subject and her success in teaching that branch is of many years standing.” Miss Lyon taught high school history for some 40 years, out of a total of 54 years as a teacher here in Webster City. While a teacher, and for years afterward, Bessie was a much sought after and appreciated speaker on history. In 1935 she published a history of Hamilton County (oh, to get hold of a copy of that) which has been reprinted, in part, by several past local newspapers.

Miss Lyon made the decision to retire from teaching in 1949 and remained active in school and community support the remainder of her life. I’m not sure of her illness, but papers report her as discharged from the hospital in early February of 1961. A beautiful tribute is contained in the Daily Freeman Journal dated February 18, in which it states she was laid to rest on February 11th. The article was penned by the Superintendent of Webster City Schools.

My seventh-grade history teacher had a tremendous impact in my own love of the subject. He often said, “It isn’t history if it’s not under your fingernails,” and led countless classroom field trips to historical sites up in Minnesota. My own byline, used for some 20 years now, is “History is something to look forward to…” It is indeed a wonderful privilege to have Bessie Lyon residing in Our Neighborhood; her legacy and impact on Webster City is evident by the appreciation of history I see in folks here. Well done, Miss Lyon!!!

On another note; it’s been brought to my attention that last week’s article on the 1895 Dingman county fair wedding comes “closer to home” than I could imagine. My neighbor, on THIS side of Ohio Street, let me know that the house I live in belonged to a great-grand-nephew of the groom, George Dingman. No wonder I love this neighborhood…