James Lindsay (abt. 1800 - 1849)

Born about 1800 in Scotland

Husband of Elizabeth (Hinchey) Lindsay — married 23 Jan 1832 in Belfast, Ireland

Descendants

Died 1849 at about age 49 in Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

James was born in Scotland, but emigrated to Belfast where he raised children by two wives. He was an accomplished plow maker and owned a foundry. His descendants believed him to be "the McCormick of Scotland," never mentioning his years in Northern Ireland. So it was a bit of a surprise when they found a handwritten essay by him that started "James Lindsay, formerly of Belfast . . " The essay described how to make "the common two-horse plough" and mentions his foundry but gives nothing else about his personal circumstances.

His first wife is unknown, but his marriage to Elizabeth (or Eliza) Hinchey is recorded. It took place at Rosemary Street Presbyterian Church in Belfast in 1832, and its record says James was a widower.

In 1833 James Lindsay, Jr. was born. How and when the decision to emigrate came about, I do not know and from hunting through ships' passenger lists, I suspect the family did not come altogether.

James, Jr. married Margaret Niell in New York City in 1854 and had two daughters, so his line now continues only under other names. However, late in life he married a second time and adopted his new wife's twins. Their biological father had died when they were infants; and since James was the only father they had ever known, they set aside their birth name of Evans and became Lindsays.

Sources

• Death certificate pf his daughter, Anna Lindsay MacGarrigle in Pennsylvania Death Certificates,1906-1924.

Lindsay/Hinchey marriage (1832) record in Irish Records Extraction Database.

He is listed as father on birth record of son James Lindsay (1833-1911) and on death record of his daughter Anna O. Lindsay McGarrigle.