After he graduated from Colby University, Lyford worked in the Waterville, Maine, law offices of Hon. Reuben Foster.[6]
Lyford also worked as a teacher while he lived in Waterville, teaching in the local schools and at Colby University.[3] Lyford was admitted to the Maine Bar in 1879. In 1882 Lyford moved to Springfield[3] and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in that year.[1]
Springfield city council
Lyford was a member of the Springfield city council for two years[3] in 1885 and 1886.[1]
Massachusetts legislature
Massachusetts House of Representatives
In 1892-1893 Lyford represented the Seventh Hampden District[4] in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In the House of 1892 Lyford was the Clerk of Committee on Cities and the Chairman of House Committee on Probate and Insolvency. Lyford was also on the Committee on Constitutional Amendments in the House of 1893.[5] Lyford was the Chairman of Special Committee to investigate the Bay State Gas Company.[3]
Massachusetts Senate
In 1894 Lyford served in the Massachusetts State Senate representing the First Hampden District.[3] While in the Senate, Lyford was the Chairman of committee on probate and insolvency, and on the committees on judiciary and taxation, and special committee on revision of corporation laws, also chairman of the special committee on the unemployed, 1894.[3]
Death
Lyford died at his home in Springfield on October 15, 1929.[7]
^ abcdefgReno, Conrad (1901), Memoirs of the Judiciary and The Bar of New England for the Nineteenth Century, Volume III, Boston, MA: The Century Memorial Publishing Company, p. 559
^ abcdefghBridgman, Arthur Milnor (1894), A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, Volume III, Brockton, Massachusetts: A. M. Bridgman, p. 119
^ abMassachusetts House of Representatives (1893), Journal of the House, Boston, Massachusetts: Massachusetts House of Representatives, p. 1146
^ abcBridgman, Arthur Milnor (1893), A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, Volume II, Brockton, Massachusetts: A. M. Bridgman, p. 145