James S. Lyon, a wealthy cotton broker, built his palatial home on East Main Street, three doors east of Royal in 1847.

When General Jeremiah Sullivan led the Federals into Jackson in June 1862, several homes were ordered to be vacated for the use of different departments during the Federal occupation of the city.

Lyon's home becaue General Grant's headquarters. Mrs. Grant stayed with the McCree family in East Jackson when she came to visit, and some Jackson ladies were shocked when their friends went riding with Mrs. Grant.

Other homes that were used were the John L.H. Tomlin home on College Street, (the present site of the Jackson Madison County Library), the C.N. Harris home on College Street, the Isham Boyce home on Chester Street, the J.W. Campbell home on Poplar (now the McMillan Towers on South Fairground).

The Lyon house passed through several hands and was used by the Butler sisters as a private school before it burned.

The E.L. Morgan Company now occupies the site.

This photo courtesy of Bob McCommon from the book "Jackson & Madison County - A Pictorial History by Williams, Smothers and Carter