Newer research in primary source documents proves that John Lindsey, son of Samuel Lindsey of Newberry County, South Carolina was not John L. Lindsey, ancestor of William Lindsey McDonald.  Samuel Lindsey's son, John Lindsey, was born after 1775, and he lived in Newberry County as an adult.  John Lindsey was living in Newberry County when he became the legal guardian of Caleb Lindsey's son, John, in 1819, and also when he administered the estate of his mother, Elizabeth Lindsey, in 1827.  On the other hand, John L. Lindsey of Wayne County, Tennessee was living in Tennessee by 1815. In 1815, John Lindsey probated the Wilson County will of his son, Caleb, who had died while in the military service.  John L. Lindsey and his son, Sylvester B. Lindsey, were enumerated on the 1820 census in Maury County (spelled Linza).  Original signatures of both John L. Lindsey of Wayne County, Tennessee and John Lindsey of Bush River, Newberry County prove that they were two different men.  Records also show that John Lindsey, son of Samuel Lindsey, married a cousin named Elizabeth Lindsey in Newberry County circa 1823.  DNA evidence places the family of Samuel Lindsey in Lindsay Surname DNA Project Group 2, while a descendant of John L. Lindsey of Wayne County., TN has been placed in Group 8. 

The 1790 census for Newberry County showed that Samuel Lindsey had three sons under sixteen.  All three sons were born after 1775 in order for them to have been under sixteen in 1790.  The probate papers of Elizabeth Lindsey listed three sons: Wade, Thomas, and John.

Elizabeth Lindsey's probate papers also listed four daughters: Drucilla, Esther (married to Isaac Lindsey), Mary, and Alce.  Three daughters were shown on the 1790 census, with one daughter not yet born.

The fact that Elizabeth Lindsey's estate papers listed a daughter named Esther who was married to Isaac Lindsey (see the petition on page 19 of the probate file) proves that Elizabeth Lindsey who died in 1827 in Newberry Co. was the wife of Samuel Lindsey.

Samuel and Elizabeth Lindsey's daughter Esther first married Simon T. Sherman.  In 1802, the Charleston Times carried a news item about the marriage of Esther Lindsey and Simon T. Sherman.  The article stated that Esther Lindsey was the second daughter of Capt. Samuel Lindsey of Newberry District.  Simon T. Sherman died by 1811, and Esther married her cousin, Isaac Lindsey, the son of Thomas Lindsey.  In 1811, Esther and Isaac Lindsey sold some land.  The deed stated that the land had formerly been owned by Esther and her husband, Simon T. Sherman:

Newberry Co., SC Deed Book K, pg. 297.  21 Nov. 1811: Isaac Lindsey to George McCreless, one moiety of half of of a tract of 150 acres on the fork of Pattersons Creek, a branch of Indian Creek, waters of Enoree River.  29 acres originally granted to Richard Bennett, and by him conveyed to Lewis Blalock, the balance conveyed by Jacob King and John B. Bennett to Lewis Blalock, and whole conveyed by Lewis Blalock to William McGraw, and by William McGraw to Simon T. Sherman.  Signed Isaac Lindsey.  Witnesses: John Gould and James McKibbin.  Esther Lindsey, wife of Isaac Lindsey, relinquished her dower rights 21 Nov. 1811.  Recorded 13 Sept. 1813.  

Newberry Co., SC Deed Book K, pg. 298.  21 Nov. 1811: Isaac Lindsey is bound to George McCreless in the penal sum of 100 dollars. The conditions of the above obligation are such that  Simon T. Sherman died without issue and by that means his widow, now intermarried with the subscriber came possessed of one half of the aforesaid tract of land and of the whole if the relations of the said Simon T. Sherman does not within the legal time claim the other half.  And whereas I have sold this day to the above named George McCreless all my interest in the whole tract of land, the obligation is intended to bind myself and make good and suffer(?) a title to the other half which for the above reasons I cannot lawfully make at this time, that being done the above obligation herein is void otherwise will remain in full force and virtue done the day and year above written, but it is hereby understood that if ever the heirs of Sherman obtain the half of the lands described above I am not to be accountable for the loss to the said McCreless.  Signed Isaac Lindsey.  Witnesses: John Gould, J. S. McKibbin. Recorded 13 Sept. 1813.

Elizabeth Lindsey, wife of Samuel Lindsey, died in Newberry County in 1827.  John Lindsey of Bush River administered her estate.  The probate papers of Elizabeth Lindsey provide proof that John Lindsey of Bush River was her son.  In September of 1828, Gerrard W. Johnson, the husband of Elizabeth's daughter, Mary Lindsey Johnson, petitioned the court to require John Lindsey, the administrator of the estate, to make a distribution of shares to the legatees.  The petition listed the names of Elizabeth Lindsey's children, and John Lindsey was included as one of her children. Below is a transcription of the 1828 petition (from pages 19 and 20 of Elizabeth Lindsey's probate record):

Additional information from the probate record provides proof that John Lindsey, the son of Elizabeth Lindsey, was the same person who administered her estate.  A page listing the final distribution to the legatees of Elizabeth Lindsey shows that John Lindsey, the administrator, was not allowed a full commission on his distributive share of the estate.  Below are images of pages from Elizabeth Lindsey's probate file.  On the left is the administration bond, signed by John Lindsey of Bush River.  On the right is the page listing the final distribution to the legatees of Elizabeth Lindsey.  I have outlined the section in red that states that the administrator was not allowed a full commission on his distributive share of the estate. The only reason that someone would receive a distributive share is that the person was an heir of the deceased.  Since John Lindsey, the administrator, received a distributive share, he must have been a son of Elizabeth Lindsey, the same John Lindsey who was named as a child of Elizabeth Lindsey in the 1828 petition to settle the estate.

As noted in the transcription of Elizabeth Lindsey's estate, above, Alce (Alsea, Ailsey) Lindsey passed away in early 1828 while her mother's estate was being probated.  The probate file for Ailsey Lindsey contains a settlement statement (pg. 24 of the file) that noted that John Lindsey had administered his mother's estate.  I have outlined the area with the note in red, below.  Click on the image to enlarge it.  Ailsey's entire probate file can be downloaded here.

The handwritten signatures of John L. Lindsey of Wayne County, Tennessee and John Lindsey of Bush River, Newberry County, South Carolina provide additional evidence that they were two different men.  Below are documents that contain original signatures of John L. Lindsey of Wayne Co., TN and John Lindsey of Newberry Co., SC, son and administrator of the estate of Elizabeth Lindsey.  The document on the left is a page from the 1834 Revolutionary War pension application (R2310) of John Copeland of Wayne Co., TN.  John L. Lindsey deposed that he had known John Copeland as a soldier during the war.  On the right is a page from the 1827 estate files of Elizabeth Lindsey, wife of Samuel Lindsey of Newberry Co., SC.  John Lindsey, Elizabeth's son, signed the document as John Lindsey B R (Bush River) the administrator of her estate.  The signatures clearly show that these were two different men.

John Lindsey, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Lindsey, was listed as John Lindsey of Bush River in many source records, including the estate of his mother, Elizabeth Lindsey.  Other records in Newberry County show that John Lindsey of Bush River married Elizabeth Lindsey, the daughter of Caleb Lindsey.  Caleb was the son of Col. John Lindsey, the brother of Samuel Lindsey.

This page was updated on 11-10-2014
 

 Susan Grabek