Lyon Manufacturing Company

Demas Barnes and John D. Park formed the Lyon Manufacturing Company in 1871 to sell medicines then being handled by P.H. Drake & Company, but possibly not Cabin Bitters. The unused one-cent Demas Barnes die was turned over to Lyon with the two-cent Drake die, and both were altered.

The one-cent Lyon stamps were issued from January, 1873 through February 10, 1883. 2,048,147 were printed on silk paper and 2,320,168 on pink and watermarked papers. The unused copy above is on watermarked paper.


The two-cent stamps were issued from April, 1872 through January 11, 1883. 2,157,394 were printed on silk paper and 1,553,656 on pink and watermarked papers. This one was printed on silk paper.


One of the primary products offered by Lyon Manufacturing Company was Mexican Mustang Liniment. Another was Lyon's Kathairon, a hair tonic. They were also offering Plantation Bitters in the 1872 advertisement at the right. This may have been their substitute for Drake's Cabin Bitters, which it seems they would have mentioned by name if they had been authorized to sell.


An advertising card for Mexican Mustang Liniment. "So long as human ills endure, And mortals suffer pain, So long shall MUSTANG LINIMENT Its glorious name maintain."


Demas Barnes must have felt that his earlier advertising currency was effective, as it was repeated by Barnes & Park.


During the Spanish American War tax period, Lyon Manufacturing Company used general issue revenues.


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