William Lindsay, 13th U.S. Marshal, District of Montana (ref: 943-503)
Photograph courtesy of Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives
William Lindsay, 13th U.S. Marshal, District of Montana
William Lindsay was born in Poland, Ohio on April 20, 1852, the son of William M. and Elizabeth J. (Bebout) Lindsay. He was educated in the common schools in Ohio and then moved to Pennsylvania to work in the hardware business, before moving to Montana in 1884. At Glendive, he started into the wool growing business as a sheep rancher, eventually becoming one of the most extensive land owners in the state, having large interests in the vicinity of Glendive, where he made his home and in the Clark Fork valley near Bridger.
In August 1886, Lindsay was married to the former Miss Alice M. Reehl. Alice Lindsay died in 1907 and he was married again in Cleveland, Ohio, to Mrs. Audrey Hughes, January 1st, 1912.
Lindsay was active in Republican in politics for many years. He was elected to the board of county commissioners in Dawson County in 1892, and was a member of the House of Representatives in the state legislature from that county for two terms. Lindsay was the alternative delegate to the Republican National Convention from Montana in 1900. He was the nominee of the Republican Party for governor in 1904 but was defeated by Joseph K. Toole.
Marshal Lindsay was appointed (recess) United States marshal by President Taft on March 7, 1911 and confirmed by the senate on May 1, 1911. He was succeeded in office by Roundup cattle rancher and fellow legislator, Joseph L. Asbridge on April 16th, 1915.
Marshal Lindsay was a thirty-third degree Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He was a member of the Lambs Club of Helena and the Dawson County Club in Glendive.
Marshal Lindsay died Tuesday afternoon, January 29th, 1924 at his home in San Diego, California, due to heart trouble. His body was interned at Glendive, beside his first wife and his daughter. The services were under the direction of the Masonic order; he was 61.
Sources:
-Billings Gazette: 1/31/1924:1
-Newspaper Reference Work: Men of Affairs &
Representative Institutions of the State of Montana,
Butte Newswriter’s Association, 1914