I came across this Lanyon quite by chance whilst looking at a book about the history of Harlem.
On 9 Jun 1722 John Lanyon married Hanna Rierden in New York.
Hanna was the daughter of Thomas Pearsall/Parcell and Christina Van Hattem. She was born about 1680 at Dutch Kills, New York. In 1708 she married Jeremiah Rierden but he died and there were no children of this marriage.
In 1723 Thomas Pearsall wrote his will:-
Hart Island (City Island) is still called that today and is known as Potter’s Field.
Excerpt from History of Harlem by James Riker
Great Barents Island (now Randalls & Wards Islands) at Harlem was sold 9 Aug 1687 by Jacob Milborne to Thomas Parcell. Thomas Parcell was the son of John Parcell also known as ‘John the butcher’ from Huntingdon county, England, who early settled at Dutch Kills. When John died in 1680 he left his children: Thomas, William, Henry and Catherine an estate worth 6,000 guilders. Thomas, born 1653 and bred a blacksmith, married Christina Van Hattem. On removing to Great Barents Island, he sold his lands at Dutch Kills to Bourgon Broucard and Hans Covert on 21 Jun 1690 for 4,087 pounds. Parcell built a grist mill at the upper side of his island. His son John bought the northern half of the island 4 Jun 1722 and on 29 Mar 1723, Thomas and Christina sold the other half to son-in-law John Lanyon of New York, innkeeper. Parcell died prior to 1732 on Spectacle or Hart Island (Now City Island) which he then owned. His will mentions his children: Nicholas, John, Henry, Hannah and Eda.
- Nicholas Parcell married a daughter of the Hon, Rip Van Dam.
- John Parcell kept his half of Great Barent’s or Parcell Island until his death in 1751 age 75. He married Leah Van Alst and they had nine children. He gave his share to his son Thomas Parcell who married Deborah Penfold. Thomas was drowned in Hellgate on 1 Aug 1766 in the evening attempting to swim his horse to the island
- Henry Parcell succeeded to Hart Island.
- Eda married Walter Dobbs.
John Lanyon died, probably 1733 and his will was proved 8 Jan 1734.
Hanna and John had no children and there are no clues in his will as to his origins. Could he be the John Lanyon who was the son of Hugh Lanyon and Mary Tonkin (Morvah branch), he was baptised in 1692 and there is no trace of him?
On 17 Jan 1735 Hanna married for a third time, to Thomas Behena. There were no children from this marriage. In 1765 she mortgaged her half of the island.
The Lanyons 