Lyman Arms was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, August 30, 1796. He removed with his father, Lemuel Arms, to the State of New York, in October, 1804, and made a permanent settlement on the farm now owned by Elisha Rogers, in the town of Adams, where the subject of this sketch resided for many years. Lyman Arms married Caroline Arms, by whom he had six children, namely, Louisa, Julia, Emily, William D., Henry, and Caroline, and also one still-born. His wife died on November 30, 1836. On the 8th of July, 1836, he was married to Elizabeth C. Pierce, to whom four children were born. Of these, Harrison, Foster M., and Gertrude still survive, Stephen M. dying young.
Mr. Arms has voted at fifty-nine general elections, first for the Whig, and subsequently for the Republican party.
In 1827 he erected the hotel now known as the Talcott House, in which he kept tavern for four years. He always took an active part in educational matters, and liberally supported enterprises of all sorts conducive to the public good. He was for many years a builder, and erected a school-house and other public and private buildings. He now resides in the village, and having been a temperate man he enjoys good health, and although now past eighty-one years, he can read without glasses, and is generally active and robust. He is generally considered as an honest man and an intelligent and worthy citizen.
Source: Durant, Samuel W. and Henry B. Peirce. History of Jefferson County, New York, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1878. p 264.