L0223 in Lindsay International Surname DNA Project descends from Starling M. Lindsey, who is believed to have been a son of Daniel Lindsey of Lawrence County.  Daniel later moved to Independence County, Arkansas.  Starling M. Lindsey also moved his family to Independence County, where he lived next to Daniel Lindsey in 1860.

Lindsey's in Lawrence County: Click on a name in the table below, to learn more about each Lawrence County Lindsey family member.  Keep in mind that there is a lot of guesswork regarding the familial relationships.  Please consult the census information below, for the relationship rationale, and also consult  the timeline for source documentation.

For more information about the Maury County, Tennessee Lindsey's, see the web page about the Lindsey's of Laurens County.  Also, refer to "The Lindsey's of Maury County, Tennessee," by William Thorndale, which can be downloaded on the Literature Page.  These Lindsey's had lived in Laurens County, South Carolina from about 1774 to 1800.  Most of them migrated from Laurens County to Georgia, and then they moved into Maury County, Tennessee about 1807.  Edward and Ezekiel Lindsey are believed to have been sons of Ezekiel Lindsey, who died in Laurens County in 1784, leaving a widow, Elizabeth, and three young sons, Edward, Ezekiel, and Isaac.

It is nearly impossible to separate and identify the children of Ezekiel and Edward Lindsey, whose widows, Hannah and Catherine, probably helped each other raise their orphaned children.  The Lindsey cousins may have been so close that they seemed like siblings to each other.  Their fathers had both died young, and the records do not tell us who their children were. The 1807 probate record for Ezekiel Lindsey did not name any children, and to date, no probate record has been found for Edward Lindsey, who was put to death by a firing squad in 1814 for inciting a mutiny in his military company. Click here for more about Edward Lindsey and the charges against him.

Census records have provided a few clues about the children of Edward and Ezekiel Lindsey.  The 1800 census for Laurens County, South Carolina showed that Ezekiel and Hannah Lindsey had two young sons, and that Edward and Catherine Lindsey had one young daughter.  The two young sons of Ezekiel Lindsey were most likely Starling and Alexander "Elliot" Lindsey, who both married before 1820. The daughter of Edward Lindsey may have been Rebecca "Elizabeth," who married James Kelly in 1820, or Matilda, who was given a deed of gift from her Uncle Ezekiel Lindsey in 1802.

The 1820 census listed two sons for Hannah Lindsey of Lawrence County, but no daughters. One son was 10-15, and the other was age 16-26.  Catherine Lindsey had 5 young males living with her in Maury County.  Two were under 10, one was 10-15, one was 16-18, and one was 16-26.  Catherine had two females age 16-26 living with her.  One of the females may have been Kesiah Lindsey, who had given birth to a son, George Wesley Cockburn, in 1819.  George Wesley Cockburn may have been one of the young boys in Catherine's home. George Wesley Cockburn's father, George Cockburn, lived in Maury County in 1820, but the census listing for him did not include a wife or any children.  Below is a table with possible Lindsey family listings for 1820.

Missing in the table is Rebecca Elizabeth Lindsey, who was married by 1820, and living in another household. Sterling Lindsey and Elliot appeared in their own households.  I have placed Elizabeth as a daughter of Isaac B. Lindsey, even though she married in Lawrence County because she later named a son Isaac (Elizabeth married Jesse Terry).  Sarah is placed with Isaac, also, because there doesn't seem to be room in either Catherine or Hannah's household for her.

Lindsey individuals in Lawrence County, Tennessee:

Hannah Lindsey first appeared in Lawrence County records in 1819.  She was on a tax list that year.  Hannah was on the 1820 census, listed as age 26-45.  Hannah may have married Jeremiah Bentley as a second husband. Bentley's 1835 will named Hannah as his wife. Hannah Bentley received a land grant on Knob Creek in 1849, so she was still alive at that time. On the 1850 census, Ann (Hannah?) Bentley, age 73, lived next door to Daniel Lindsey, who was probably her son.  Matilda Rackley (perhaps a married and widowed daughter of Daniel Lindsey), age 23, lived with Ann.  Matilda married William K. Lindsey (a son of Elliot Lindsey) in 1854.  And Elliot Lindsey, a probable son of Hannah, named a son Jeremiah B. (Bentley?) Lindsey, perhaps to honor his stepfather, Jeremiah Bentley.  If Hannah Lindsey was also Ann Bentley, she died some time after 1850.
 

Starling Lindsey was born circa 1797.  He was most likely a son of Ezekiel and Hannah Lindsey.  Starling married Mary Asbell in Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1816.  Starling and Mary were underage at the time, so they may have gone to Kentucky in order to get married.  The widow and children of John Lindsey (ca. 1750-1810, uncle of Ezekiel Lindsey) of Maury County had moved to Caldwell County after John died in 1810.  Isaac Barnett, son of Ruth Lindsey Barnett, certified that Starling and Mary were of age, so they could be married.

Starling Lindsey first appeared in Lawrence County records in 1818, when he was ordered to work on a military road, along with Solomon Asbill (father of Mary), Daniel Lindsey, and others. On the 1820 census, Starling Lindsey appeared living near Hannah Lindsey. Starling was the bondsman for the 1821 marriage of Daniel Lindsey and Elizabeth Wisdom. Starling continuously appeared in Lawrence County records until 1836. This is probably about the time that Starling moved to Polk (later became Dallas) County, Missouri.  He was enumerated on the 1840 census in Polk County. Starling died there in 1846.  His widow, Mary, was on the 1850 census in Dallas County. Mary was listed as being age 43. Living with her were her children, Ezekiel age 30, William C. age 28, John J. age 24, Daniel A. age 23, Mary age 21, Elizabeth age 18, Washington (Starling W.) age 17, Emily age 13, Eliza A. age 11, and Hannah age 10.  Family information about Starling Lindsey includes children named Elihu Franklin and Druscilla, who each died during childhood.

Biographical sketches of two of Starling's son, Ezekiel and Starling Washington Lindsey, appeared in the book, History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed Publishing Company.  Click on their hyperlinked names to read the sketches.

 
Elliot Lindsey was born circa 1797.  He was also most likely a son of Ezekiel and Hannah Lindsey.  Before moving to Lawrence County, Elliot married Mary Kelly in Maury County in 1818.  He was listed as Alexander Lindsay on the marriage record. In all other records, he appeared as Elliot Lindsey, so Elliot was probably a middle name that he used instead of Alexander.  After Elliot died, a lawsuit took place over the land that his widow lived on.  John A. Johnston, the uncle of Mary Kelly Lindsey, testified in court in 1867 that he remembered when Alex Lindsey bought the land that the widow Mary Lindsey was living on.  John A. Johnston said that he lived about a half mile from the Lindsey's, and that he had lived there for 40 years.

Elliot Linsey appeared on the 1830 census in Lawrence County.  He was age 30-39, with a wife who was age 20-29.  Elliot had three young sons and three young daughters in 1830. Family information lists the children of Elliot Lindsey and Mary Kelly as William K., Jeremiah B., Carroll A., Louisa "Eliza," Martha, and Hannah.

Elliot Lindsey appeared in Lawrence County records until he died in 1836. He was bondsman for the 1820 marriage of James Kelly and Elizabeth Lindsey.  He served on numerous juries, and he viewed and worked on roads in Lawrence County.  Records show that James Kelly was the administrator of Elliot's estate.

Daniel Lindsey, born circa 1800, may have been a son of Ezekiel and Hannah Lindsey. Daniel married Elizabeth Wisdom in Lawrence County in 1821.  The ceremony was performed by Jeremiah Bentley, with Starling Lindsey as the bondsman. Elizabeth died, and Daniel remarried, to Sarah "Sally" Daulton, in 1836. Jeremiah Bentley also performed this marriage, with Ezekiel Lindsey as the bondsman.

The 1830 census did not include Daniel Lindsey, who may have been living with extended family members.  Daniel was on Lawrence County tax lists in 1826 and 1836, so it seems he probably was living in Lawrence County in 1830.

The 1840 census for Lawrence County listed Daniel Linsey next door to Mary Linsey (widow of Elliot).  Daniel was age 30 to 40 with a wife age 20-30 (Sally).  There was a male age 10-15, and two males age 15-20 in the household who may have been sons from Daniel's first marriage. Also in the household was a female age 0-5, two females age 5-10, and one female age 10-15.  Of these it appears that the youngest might have been Hannah, who was age 12 in 1850.  So it is possible that Daniel had three sons and three daughters from his first marriage.

The 1850 census for Lawrence County listed Daniel Lindsey, age 49 (born in SC).  His wife, Sarah, was age 34.  They had children: Angeline age 23, Hannah age 12, Mary age 7, Kesiah age 5, Samuel E. M. age 3, John age 1, and Ezekiel, an infant.  The younger children were from Daniel's marriage to Sarah Daulton.  Angeline was from Daniel's marriage to Elizabeth Wisdom, who had probably died by 1834.  Daniel and Elizabeth also had a son, Starling M. Lindsey, who was born circa 1827.  Starling married Martha Ann Kelly in Lawrence County in 1847. 

There were probably other grown children from Daniel's marriage to Elizabeth Wisdom: 

Andrew J. Lindsey died in Lawrence County in 1846, and Daniel Lindsey administered his estate.  Andrew had married Tabitha Sullivant/Sullivan in 1844, and they had a son, John Daniel Lindsey. 

Dorcas Lindsey married Benjamin Crews in Lawrence County in 1849.  Dorcas and Benjamin lived near Daniel Lindsey in 1850. Later Lawrence County census data (1880 and 1900) showed that the father of Dorcas Lindsey Crews was born in South Carolina, and that Dorcas was born in February of 1834. An obituary for Dorcas Lindsey Crews stated that she was born in 1832 and died in 1902.

Elizabeth Lindsey married Augustin Crews in Lawrence County in 1849.  Census data (1860-1900) places Elizabeth's birth year as circa 1833, with a father born in South Carolina.  Elizabeth died sometime after the 1900 census.

Matilda Rackley, who married William K. Lindsey (son of Elliot), may have been Matilda Lindsey, a daughter of Daniel.  Matilda Rackley was a 23-year-old widow on the 1850 census.  She lived next door to Daniel Lindsey in the home of Ann Bentley.  As noted above, Ann Bentley may have been Hannah Lindsey Bentley, Daniel's mother, who had married Jeremiah Bentley as a second husband.

By 1860, Daniel Lindsey had moved to Independence County, Arkansas. He was listed on the census there as age 60, wife Sarah D. was 43, and they had the following children: Mary age 18, Kizgiah age 16, Samuel age 12, John age 11, Clark age 10 (must be Ezekiel from 1850), Tennessee age 6, and Martha J. age 2.  Starling M. Lindsey appeared in his own household, next to Daniel Lindsey, in Independence County.

Daniel Lindsey died sometime after the 1860 census was taken.  He did not appear on the 1870 census, but his widow did, with 20-year-old son, Clark Lindsey.

Starling M. Lindsey is represented in Lindsay International Surname DNA Project Group 2 by L0223. Starling was born circa 1827.  He was most likely a son of Daniel Lindsey.  In 1860, Starling lived next to Daniel Lindsey in Independence County, Arkansas.  Both Daniel and Starling M. Lindsey had children, age 6 and under, who were born in Arkansas, and both had children age 9 and over, who were born in Tennessee.

Starling M. Lindsey married Martha Ann Kelly in Lawrence County in 1847.  Family information states that Martha was the daughter of Samuel Kelly and Sarah Johnston.

The 1850 census for Lawrence County listed Sterling M. Lindsey, age 22.  Sterling's wife was Martha A., age 21.  They had a daughter, Sarah E., age 2.  Starling lived near Sarah Kelly, age 64.  Sarah Kelly was the mother of Martha Ann Kelly.

The 1860 census for Independence County, Arkansas listed Sterling M. Lindsey, age 33.  Sterling's wife was Martha A. Lindsey, age 30.  They had children: Sarah C. Lindsey age 11, George J. Lindsey age 9, Mary J. Lindsey age 6, and William M. Lindsey age 3.  All of the children were born in Tennessee, except Mary J. and William M., who were born in Arkansas.

The 1870 census for Independence County, Arkansas listed Starling M. Lindsey, age 42.  His wife was Mahala J., age 29.  Starling had children: George J. age18, Mary J. age 15, William S. age 12,  Samuel L. age 9, and John W. age 2.

Family information states that Starling M. Lindsey married Mahala Jane Martin in Independence County, Arkansas in 1864. Starling is said to have died in 1873.

Matilda Lindsey was born circa 1800.  She is a documented daughter of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  In 1802, Ezekiel Lindsey of Laurens County, South Carolina made a deed of gift of a brindle cow and calf to Matilda Lindsey, daughter of his brother, Edward. This deed proves that Matilda was Edward's daughter.

Matilda married Daniel Bentley in Lawrence County in 1822. The 1850 census for Daniel and Matilda Bentley of Lawrence County listed Matilda as age 50, born in South Carolina. Daniel Bentley was 62.  Daniel and Matilda had  the following children living in their home: Lafayette M. age 20, Martin V. age 17, Ferdinan(d) F. age 15, Andrew W. age 13, and Valleria age 9. Other children from family information are Lycurgus M., Leonidas M., and Milton L. Bentley.

Matilda was listed on the 1860 census.  Two children, And. W (Andrew), and Leonelia V.(Valleria), lived with her. Family information states that Daniel Bentley died in 1860, and that Matilda died in 1862.  They are buried in Lawrenceburg City Cemetery.

Ezekiel Lindsey was born circa 1800, and died about 1846. Ezekiel may have been a son of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  He married Mary Ann McAllister in Lawrence County in 1829. Ezekiel Lindsey purchased items at an estate sale in Lawrence County in 1834, and he appeared on a tax list in Lawrence County in 1836. Ezekiel Lindsey was enumerated on the 1840 census for Lawrence County, which listed Ezekiel as age 40-50, with a 30-40 year old wife.  An older woman lived with Ezekiel Lindsey.  She may have been his mother, Catherine. 

Ezekiel Lindsey left Lawrence County to move to Tippah County, Mississippi  around 1843-1845.  Ezekiel posted bond for title to a lot in Tippah County in 1844. He died in Mississippi about 1846.  Ezekiel's widow then returned to Lawrence County.  The 1850 census for Lawrence County listed Mary A. Lindsey, age 39, born in South Carolina.  Her children were Samantha T. Lindsey, age 17, born in TN; Sereptha J. Lindsey, age 11, born in TN; William Lindsey, age 8, born in TN; Solona A. Lindsey, age 4, born in MS.  Ezekiel probably died around the time that Solona was born.  John McAllister, age 72, also lived with Mary Ann Lindsey in 1850.  He was Mary Ann's widowed father.  A married daughter of Ezekiel and Mary Ann Lindsey had remained in Mississippi.  She was Evaline, who had married Joseph E. Rogers in Lawrence County in 1847.  Joseph E. and Eveline Rogers (age 26) were on the 1850 census in Tippah County, Mississippi.

Jefferson Lindsey was born between 1800 and 1804.  He was probably a son of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  Jefferson married Nancy Wisdom in Lawrence County in 1824, with Ezekiel Lindsey posting the bond.  Nancy divorced Jefferson in 1831 because he had abandoned her, leaving her with two young children, and had moved to White County, Illinois with Lucinda Hinton.  Jefferson Lindsey was on the 1830 census for White County, Illinois.  He was listed as age 20 to 30, with a 16-20 year old wife.  Nancy remarried, to James P. Monday, and they moved to Dallas County, Missouri.

One of the children whom Jefferson Lindsey may have abandoned was Ethalinda.  In 1826, William Wisdom, father of Nancy Wisdom Lindsey, was appointed guardian of Ethalinda Lindsey to ensure that she received an education.  Nancy had stated in her divorce record that two years after they married in 1824, Jefferson had abandoned her, then he returned about 18 months later before abandoning her again.  Ethalinda later lived in Dallas County, Missouri where she married James Southard, so it appears that Ethalinda went with her mother to Dallas County.  Census data in Dallas County (1860 and 1870) for Ethalinda Lindsey Southard showed that she was born ca. 1825 in Tennessee.  Ethalinda's Find-A-Grave memorial (# 30431205) states that she was born Feb. 25, 1825, and that she died Sept. 18, 1878.

 
Green Lee Lindsey was born circa 1803 in Georgia.  He was most likely a son of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  Green Lee Lindsey married Elizabeth Crisp in Lawrence County in 1824.  Elizabeth divorced Green Lee in 1825.  Elizabeth stated that Green Lee Lindsey had mistreated her, and then he left her.  She asked that her name be restored to Elizabeth Crisp.

Green Lee later married a woman named Mary.  He was enumerated on the census in Perry County, Tennessee in 1830, and he paid taxes on 9 acres of land in Perry County in 1837. Green was enumerated in Decatur County, Tennessee in 1850, 1860, and 1870.  Green Lee, his wife Mary, and daughters Indiana and Keziah, were members of the New Hope Baptist Church in Decatur County, and they appeared in the church minutes in 1842 and in 1850.  Green Lee Lindsey probably died in Decatur County some time after 1870.

Isaac Lindsey was a documented son of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  He was named as a son of Edward Lindsey in 1828, when Isaac B. Lindsey (brother of Edward) sold some of Edward's personal property to Isaac for one dollar.  Edward had been put to death in 1815, so it seems that his brother, Isaac B. Lindsey, held on to the property until young Isaac came of age.  This would give an estimated birth year of 1807 for Isaac.

Little is known about Isaac Lindsey. In 1829, Isaac purchased a cow and calf from the estate sale of Henry Brashears.  In 1835, he purchased tin pans and a meal bag at the estate sale of Thomas Estes.  He was referred to as Isaac W. Lindsey in the 1835 record.  Isaac did not appear on the 1830 census in any Tennessee county, so he must have been living in someone else's home. In 1836, Isaac W. Lindsey paid a poll tax.  He was listed as owning no land in Lawrence County. I have no further records for Isaac Lindsey.

Rebecca Elizabeth Lindsey was probably a daughter of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  Rebecca was born circa 1797-1802.  She married James Kelly in 1820, with Elliot Lindsey as the bondsman. The 1850 census for Lawrence County listed James Kelly age 52, Elizabeth Kelly age 47 (born in NC?), Daniel age 16, Samuel age 14, Martha age 11, Ezekiel age 8, Martha T. age 3, and John age 2. Elizabeth Kelly died in 1849, according to her Find A Grave memorial (#30874764).  Obviously, the memorial is incorrect.  Elizabeth died some time after 1850 and before 1860.  James Kelly was on the 1860 census in Lawrence County without a wife.  He had children: Samuel age 23, Ezekiel age 17, and Texas age 13.  Texas must have been Martha T. from the 1850 census.

Family information names some other children for James and Rebecca Elizabeth Lindsey Kelly:

Thomas E. Kelly, b. ca. 1821, who married Cary Ann Crews in 1848.
Pernecia Kelly, b. ca. 1823, who married John M. Bailey in 1842.
Hannah Kelly, b. ca. 1826, who married Abraham Whitworth in 1845.
Mary Ann Kelly, b. ca. 1829, who married Robert N. Warren in 1847.

Keziah Lindsey was most likely a daughter of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  Keziah was born circa 1800.  Keziah may have had a "common law" marriage with George Cockburn, with whom she had three children: George Wesley (b. ca. 1819), Felix, and Louisa A. (b. ca. 1830).  In 1832, George Cockburn of Franklin County, Alabama had the surname of the three children changed from Lindsey to Cockburn.  George Wesley Cockburn married Harriet J. Goff.  Louisa A. Cockburn married George T. Goff (brother of Harriet J.), and after he died, she married his brother Thomas B. Goff.

Keziah married Tannehill Tracy in Lawrence County in 1830. They had children: Granville Blount, Emily, Notley F., and Americus D. Tracy.  Keziah had a daughter, Eliza Ann Tracy, who was born circa 1830, and who may not have been a daughter of Tannehill Tracy.  The 1830 census for Lawrence County showed that Tannehill Tracy and his wife had two young daughters, who could not have been from their recent marriage.  Eliza Ann Tracy married William Edward Kelly, a son of Samuel Kelly and Sarah Johnston.  Family information states that Keziah Lindsey Tracy died in 1845.

Elizabeth Lindsey was born ca. 1807.  She may have been a daughter of Isaac B. Lindsey and his wife, Elizabeth.  She married Jesse Terry in Lawrence County in 1825.  Elizabeth named a son Isaac, and she later lived in Anderson County, Texas (1850).  Elizabeth died sometime after 1870.

Sarah "Sally" Lindsey may have been a daughter of Ezekiel, Edward, or Isaac B. Lindsey.  Little is known about Sarah.  She married Harvey Cowan in Lawrence County in 1824.  Jefferson Lindsey was the bondsman.

Edward Newton Lindsey was the youngest son of Edward and Catherine Lindsey.  He was born ca. 1811 in Lawrence County.  Edward married Salinah/Solinah Bailey in 1837.  According to the memoir of Alonzo Lindsey, a son of Edward Newton Lindsey, Edward and Salinah had a child who died shortly after birth, then Alonzo in 1841, and then a child, Pisarro, who died at the age of four.  The 1840 census for Lawrence County listed E. N. Linsey, age 20-30, with a wife, age 15-20. Edward Newton Lindsey wrote his will on August 5th, 1845, and died shortly afterward.  His will was proved in the September, 1845 session of court. Solinah remarried in 1847, to Rufus Ramsey.

Alonzo Lindsey was born in Lawrence County on June 12, 1841.  He was the son of Edward Newton Lindsey and Salinah Bailey.  Alonzo married Etha Hagan in Lawrence County in 1870.  Alonzo and Etha Lindsey had childen: Edward Allen (1871), Daniel Alonzo (1873), Eugene Corbett (1874), Etha Maizie (1876), William Henry (1878), and Elizabeth Bailey (1885).

Alonzo was very interested in learning about his family history, and as he matured, he spoke to older, extended family members to try to learn about his ancestors.  Alonzo wrote a memoir in which he shared what he had garnered about the family of Edward Newton Lindsey.  Much of Alonzo's information was flawed, but it gives us insight into Alonzo's Lindsey ancestors.  Click here for a copy of Alonzo's memoir.

Alonzo Lindsey died on February 14, 1932.  He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.

 This page was updated on
7-5-2013
Susan Grabek