California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 JOSHUA LINDSEY was born near South Bend, Ind., May 18, 1818, a son of John and Nancy (Shields) Lindsey, the former born in Scotland and the latter in Indiana. John Lindsey served in the war of 1812 and engaged in farming in Indiana until his death. Joshua Lindsey, who was the eldest of five sons, was reared on a farm and educated in the pioneer subscription schools of his native state, that were held in the log houses and furnished with slab benches. As a young man he learned the blacksmith's trade, following it in Indiana and Iowa, to which latter state he removed in 1843. Settling in Muscatine county, he continued his trade until April 15, 1855, at which time he started to cross the plains to California in wagons drawn by oxen and horses, and arrived at Downieville in October of that year. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Lindsey located in Gilroy and remained until 1859. Locating then on one hundred and sixty acres of land that he entered, five miles west of Visalia, he remained there six years, then purchased a ranch at Rocky Ford, on the St. Johns river, now owned by his widow. There he engaged in the sheep business, meeting with success and acquiring a competency, and remained there until his death, which occurred September 13, 1887. In an early day Mr. Lindsey, with two others, built the ditch known as the Moffett, Curtis and Lindsey ditch and when this was acquired by the Wutchumna Ditch Company they gave him a perpetual water right, free from assessment, for granting the company the right of way through his farm. In 1844, at Moscow, Muscatine county, Iowa, Mr. Lindsey was united in marriage with Sarah Jane Hughes, who was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, October 30, 1826, daughter of Asa and Sarah (Smith) Hughes, both natives of Kentucky. Asa Hughes followed farming in Indiana and Michigan and he and his wife were early settlers of Moscow, Muscatine county, Iowa. From there they removed to a place near Ft. Des Moines. The Indians were hostile and it was nearly two years before they could safely locate on their farm. There the father died, and the mother came to California and spent the remainder of her life, dying in her eightieth year. They had twelve children, eight of whom grew to maturity, Mrs. Lindsey being the eldest daughter. She was reared to frontier life and early experienced the hardships of pioneer existence. She became the mother of ten children, nine of whom are living, viz. : Asa Wayne, of Nome, Alaska; Sarah J., Mrs. Sterling, of Portland, Ore. ; Amanda E., Mrs. Eledge, of Visalia ; Mary D., Mrs. Baker, of Los Angeles; Clara Alice, Mrs. DeLong, of Visalia; Lucy, Mrs. Mathias, of Los Angeles ; William Mark, of San Francisco ; Dora, Mrs. Lee, of Mountainview ; and John, of Visalia. After the death of Mr. Lindsey his widow remained on the home ranch engaged in the stock business and in the manage- ment of her six hundred and forty-acre ranch until 1901, when she located in Visalia, where she is surrounded by a host of loving friends. In religious matters Mrs. Lindsey adheres to the doctrines of the Christian Church, and in politics, though not able to cast a vote, wields an influence with those who are, in the support of the Republican party's principles. Mr. Lindsey was a Mason and a Republican. He met with success in his various business ven- tures, was much respected for his sterling qualities and did much to improve the county he se- lected for his home. In all matters that he thought would advance the moral, social and in- dustrial welfare of the county, he always gave his liberal support. At his death Tulare county lost one of her progressive supporters.