History of the Lindsay Family In the United States
Ancient Origins
Of the origin of the Lindsays, the Scots poet Wyntoun wrote,
"Of Ingloand coyme the Lynddissay, Mair of thaim I can noucht say."
The Lindsays, of Anglo-Norman origin, sat as Barons in the Scottish Parliament from the mid-twelfth century. The first Lindsay in Scotland, Sir Walter de Lindissi, "Nobel and Knight" accompanied David, Earl of Huntington, brother of Alexander I, to Cumbria, early in the 12th century. He was born about 1080. The first record of the name spelled "Lindsay" in Scotland is in 1124.
Sir Alexander de Lindsay (1267-1308) was knighted by King Edward I of, but did not let this prevent him from fighting with both Wallace and Bruce against the English, which cost him all his lands in England.
David Lindsay of Glenesk (1350-1406) was created Earl of Crawford (9th Lord of Crawford) on 2 April 1398, and married Katherine, daughter of King Robert II, by Euphemia Ross, his second wife. A renowned knight, this nobleman, representing the chivalry of Scotland, fought on St. George's Day before King Richard II and his Queen, Anne of Bohemia, when he displayed great prowess and unhorsed his antagonist. He was overlord of the Highland district in Strathmairn and also Admiral of Scotland (1403). The Lindsay holdings in the Highlands have since been lost. The same David nearly lost his life in a fierce battle with "the Wolf of Badenoch," half-brother to the King.
The Lindsay family includes numerous other notable Knights and Lords, and is tied directly to the Scottish royal families of Ceannmor and Bruce. The Earldoms of Lindsay, Crawford, and Balcarres were merged in the present Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, the Earl being the head of the family.
Sir David Lindsay of the Mount (1444-1490), Lord Lyon King of Arms, poet and satirist at the court of James IV, is perhaps the best known Lindsay.
The well-loved Scottish song, "Auld Robin Gray," was written (1771) by Lady Anne Lindsay (1750-1825), daughter of the 5th Earl of Balcarres.
American Origins
Alexander Lindsay, father of our progenitor Thomas Lindsay, has been proven by tradition and record to be descended from the ancient Lindsay line—his son, Ephraim Lindsay, after living in Thornton, New Hampshire, and Peachin, Vermont, moved to Brockville, Leeds County, Ontario, Canada. Alexander brought records from Scotland of his ancestors that were handed down to this Ephraim, and in their home the records were destroyed by fire. Nevertheless, tradition was handed down to the effect that the Lindsays came from the House of Crawford in Scotland. The Lindsays later moved to Johnstown, Canada.
"Thomas Lindsay, who married Ruth Foster, 19 April, 1755, at Dracut, is unquestionably a son of Alexander Lindsay of Forfaine, Angus County, Scotland, who married, 3 December, 1719, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Lydia Cross of that place. We know that Alexander Lindsay had a son, William Lindsay, Jr., because under date of 29 August, 1743, Alexander of Methuen, buys in Dracut, land and on the 18 July, 1758, he sells this same land to his son, William, Jr. This William, Jr., is associated with Thomas in a purchase of land in Dracut, 13 January 1766. The land then purchased bounded partly on Thomas Lindsay's homestead farm".
4 February 1947: Henry E. Christiansen, Superintendent Genealogical Society of Utah
Thomas Lindsay
Thomas Lindsay is the grandfather of Ephraim Myres Lindsay, born 4 May 1820, who married Jane Parish 22 January 1845.