Thomas D. Lyons. Junior member of the well known Tulsa law firm of Rice & Lyons, Thomas D. Lyons is widely known as a capable attorney, has been identified with the Oklahoma bar since 1907, and has brought to his profession and his civic work a thorough education and training, and what he has already accomplished is an earnest of a brilliant future. Mr. Lyons is also a member of Governor Williams’ staff.

Born at Burr Oak, Winneshiek County, Iowa, July 2, 1883, he is a son of Richard F. and Sarah (Donlan) Lyons, now residents of Vermillion, South Dakota. His father, Richard F. Lyons, was born in the State of New York, August 15, 1848, and in young manhood entered business as a dealer in grain, stock and produce. In 1878 he went to what was then the far Northwest, locating in Dakota Territory, where he bought two or three thousand acres of land. Subsequently he returned east as far as Iowa, where he was married but in 1883 established his home permanently in Dakota Territory and tor a number of years has lived at Vermillion, South Dakota, where his children completed their education in the State University. A democrat in political belief, Richard Lyons has long taken an active part in public affairs, having for years been a member and for several years chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, and also having served as a member of the South Dakota State Constitutional Convention. His wife was born in Vermont, August 31, 1858, and still survives. There were eleven children in the family, ten of them living, with Thomas D. as the first in order of birth.

When he was about four months of age Thomas D. Lyons went with his parents to South Dakota and grew up in that state and attended the local schools there. He has been given liberal educational advantages, and in 1904 graduated from Notre Dame University at South Bend, Indiana, and then returned to South Dakota to pursue his law studies in the State University. He was graduated there with the class of 1907, and almost immediately came to Tulsa, in which city his work as a lawyer has been done. As a member of the firm of Rice & Lyons he is associated with Benjamin F. Rice. Their offices are in the First National Bank Building. Their practice is broad and general in its line. In politics he is a democrat and a very able and fluent speaker and has taken some active part in the movements of his party all over the First Congressional district and in Oklahoma City, although he has not sought personal preferment.

After becoming well established in his profession Mr. Lyons recently brought a bride to his Tulsa home, and his marriage was a matter of much interest in Tulsa and was an interesting social event when celebrated on September 2, 1915, at Amsterdam, New York. Mrs. Lyons, before her marriage was Miss Clara C. Kennedy, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Kennedy of Amsterdam. They were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Amsterdam, and now reside at 1617 South Denver Avenue, Tulsa. Mrs. Lyons is a graduate of Trinity College at Washington, D. C., and took a very active part in various social organizations and charity work in her home town.