Friday, July 06, 2007

General W.D. Lindsley



William Dell Lindsley was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1812, and settled in Erie County as a young man. In 1840, he served on the first jury in Erie County to sentence a man to be hanged. He served as Captain in the Ohio Militia from 1840 to 1843, and was named Brigadier General in 1843. During a cholera epidemic in Sandusky, his house on South Columbus Avenue was a refuge for people from the city who wanted to escape the scourge of the disease. General Lindsley was the marshall of a military parade on July 4, 1849.

In 1853 Lindsley was elected as Representative to the 33rd United States Congress, but failed in his reelection bid. After his service in Congress, he returned to his agricultural pursuits, which included vineyards on North Bass Island.

Following his death on March 11, 1890 the Sandusky Daily Register stated “The death of General Lindsley removes another landmark in the development and history of this county…” Rush Sloane was one of the pallbearers at his funeral at Trinty Methodist Church.

Many descendants of General Lindsley still reside in Erie and Sandusky Counties. Lindsley Street in Sandusky is named in honor of General Lindsley.

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