Contra Costa County
Biographies
WILLIAM LINDSY
To the citizens of San Francisco the name of William Lindsy is a household word, being indissolubly associated in the mind of the public with enterprises which have not only added to the city's greatness, but have placed comfortable homes within reach of the industrial classes. His was the second real estate business to be established in San Francisco, dating from 1864, and no one in the state has a wider knowledge of real estate interests than has been provided by his forty years of ceaseless activity in this direction. At present he makes his home in San Pablo, and has an office in Point Richmond, being associated in business with his son, Basil Lindsy.
William Lindsy is a type of the '49er who has passed unscathed through the pioneer days of the state, and to-day is the practical business man, enjoying the confidence of his associates and having no peer in his particular line of effort. He was born in London, England, April 22, 1840, and comes of seafaring people, both his father, Edward Lacklin Lindsy, and his grandfather having been owners and captains of ocean craft. The grandfather sailed the seas at a time when pirates were in evidence and relentlessly appropriated everything within their path. He fell a victim to one of those invasions of his domain, and was killed by them. Edward Lacklin Lindsy was born in Stepney, England, and for many years was the agent of Lloyd's in London. He was captain and owner of the vessel that took the first female prisoners from England to Botany Bay, Australia, in 1847, two years later, in 1849, bringing his ship, Palmyra, to California. He was taken ill on board his ship in San Francisco bay, and died in 1851, and is buried on Goat Island, where his grave can be seen at this time. His wife, who was formerly Maria Linden, was born in England and died in San Francisco in 1886. There were five sons and two daughters in the family, of whom William of this review and a sister, Catherine Lindsy, survive.
William Lindsy was nine years old when he completed the long voyage in his father's sailing vessel, and the balance of his youth was spent in San Francisco, where at an early age he began to be interested in real estate business in 1864. For the four years previous he had been interested in a hotel and real estate business in San Rafael, where he owned four lots upon which some of the important buildings of that city have since been built. In 1880 he removed to Belmont, San Mateo county, and engaged in contracting and building and continued in the real estate business. He became prominent in Republican politics, filling various offices within the gift of the people, including that of deputy sheriff of San Mateo county. Returning to San Francisco in 1897, he soon after went to San Pablo, where he established his home and real estate office. He was elected on the independent ticket to the office of justice of the peace, and also opened an office in Point Richmond. Mr. Lindsy and his son still continue to handle a large amount of San Francisco real estate, doing a large commission business. In 1898 he was elected justice of the peace of the tenth township in Contra Costa county, and at the present time is deputy sheriff of Contra Costa county. For four consecutive years he served as secretary of the United States grand jury. Mr. Lindsy is secretary of the Merchants' Association of Richmond and is one of the best known dealers in real estate in central California; he is also agent for Bradstreet's commercial agency in Richmond.
In 1867 Mr. Lindsy was united in marriage with Augusta Bachelder, a native of Bangor, Me., and daughter of John W. Bachelder, an attorney. Mr. Bachelder crossed the plains in 1849 and in 1850 started the first steam sawmill in Redwood canyon, near what is now Brooklyn. He went east for his family and upon his return settled in Marin county and started the first steam sawmill at Lagunitas. After leaving that place he went to San Francisco and opened a law practice with his brother, T. F. Bachelder. Upon retiring from business he located in Belmont, where he lived with his son-in-law, Mr. Lindsy, until his death in 1889. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lindsy, of whom Edward L. is deceased, John B. is foreman carpenter of the Giant Powder Company; Maud is the wife of William Janke of San Francisco; Gertrude is the wife of H. G. Biggs, a lumber merchant of San Francisco; Basil is in business with his father; and Mabel and Georgina are attending high school in Berkeley.
Transcribed
2-25-16 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
Source: History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 995-996. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Marilyn R.
Pankey.
Contra Costa County Biographies