History
The Township of Lyons, organized as Maple Township, is located on the eastern tier of townships in Ionia County; bounded on the north by North Plains; east by Dallas, Clinton County; south by Portland and west by Ionia. In 1837, when the township was organized, it embraced four surveyed townships and the first meeting was held in Lyons at the home of William Hunt. Not until 1840 was the name of the township changed from Maple to Lyons and the village bearing that name is the township seat.

"Settlers were lured to this valley by the rolling hills, lush with vegetation; the broad, fertile prairies and the sparkling river that ran with enough force to promise water power for mills and with depth enough for navigation."