John Murray Murdoch (Uncle, Captain and late Father-in-law)

John Murray Murdoch

Source: James and Mary Murray Murdoch Family History

William Lindsay was related through marriage (twice) to John Murray Murdoch's niece Mary Mair and after her death to his widowed daughter Sarah Murdoch Rasband. Perhaps being related to John Murray Murdoch isn't unique considering that Mr. Murdoch had 22 children and numerous other descendants with his two wives. However, John Murdoch housed William's future wife Mary upon her arrival into the Heber valley from Scotland. Later, William Lindsay was part of the infantry under John Murdoch's command in the Blackhawk Indian War. William Lindsay participated in the many celebrations held amidst the Murdoch family in the following years and spoke at some of their funerals.

For the occasion of the John M. Murdock's 46th wedding anniversary in 1894, a surprise party was thrown where William Lindsay spoke and "was followed by singing, recitations, and other forms of amusements, also an excellent picnic supper was served." Sounds a lot like a current Lindsay family get together.

This account is from the Wasatch Wave, 2/27/1894.

Finally, after William's wife Mary died in 1916, William Lindsay married John Murray Murdoch's widowed daughter Sarah Murdoch Rasband in 1918 and they lived together for another 16 years in Heber.

John Murray Murdoch and his wives
Painting by: Clark Kelley Price
Available for purchase here.

For more information about John Murray Murdoch, see the book "The Scottish Shepherd" that was recently published regarding his life.

Early life: Right eye accident

Slightly noticeable in photographs but never mentioned in his own writing, William Lindsay suffered an accident in 1848 that left him partially handicapped his whole life.

"When he was about fifteen months old he lost the sight of his right eye by being struck with a sharp piece of a broken dish. His parents were members of the LDS Church at this time. He screamed and cried with the severe pain of his injured eye, so they had the elders lay their hands on his head and give him a blessing. He stopped crying and the pain left him. This special blessing strengthened the Lindsay's faith in the gospel they had recently embraced a month or so before."

Source: James and Mary Murray Murdoch Family History

Marks and brands. William Lindsay the romantic?

Below we have a record of the symbol used to brand cattle belonging to William Lindsay. I'm not sure if there would have been a different mark for the sheep or not. Anyway, how did he get lucky enough to secure the upright heart brand and on the right cheek? Happy Valentines day!

from: Record of marks and brands from the state of Utah. Embracing all marks and brands recorded to June 1st, 1901. By C.S. Tingey. 1901.

Birthday: February 11th, 1847

William Lindsay, the second of nine, was the only member of the William Geddes Lindsay family born in Lanarkshire and not Ayrshire. This occured in or near Petersburn and Chapehall [Chapelhall] near Airdrie on undoubtedly a cold winter day. I have seen both sites mentioned in his reports, and they aren't more than a mile apart from each other. I am not aware if William Lindsay was christened, if christening records exist, familysearch might have a good source here, the parish was probably in Airdrie. It was very near this time that William's parents along with his grandparents Robert Mcqueen Lindsay began investigating the Mormon Church.

1864 map from: http://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html

I found this to be an interesting description of the mining villages in New Monkland, Lanarkshire that provides context to where William Lindsay was born in 1847.

Early life: Stay out of other people's business

This short event written by William's younger brother James may be the only record we have of William Lindsay being a kid and doing things that kids do. All the other instances in his life prior to Utah revolved around mining, brief schooling, or his eye accident.

"Gatehead is the first place I can remember, because of an incident
that happened in my younger life. Brother William and I were playing
when he found a large black bug. He wanted to kill it, I interfered,
and as he raised the hatchet to strike I received the blow on my nose .
I had a scar all my life to remind me to stay out of other people's
business."

Source: James Lindsay's Autobiography

Picture mystery

The Deseret museum has received a portrait of Brigham Young in a fram made by William Bell, cabinet maker to President Young in the early days. It is said the frame was made in the fifties. It contains 130 separate pieces, stained and gilt mounting. The portrait is tinted. The picture measures 8x10 inches and the frame 20x22 inches. It was left by William Bell's wife, Mrs. Jane Laidlaw Bell, in her will, to William Lindsay of Heber City, who in turn presented it to the museum.

Source: Salt Lake Telegram, 10/29/1913

Jane Laidlaw Bell was from Scotland, she arrived in Utah a widow. Her marriage was arranged by Brigham Young to William Bell, a furniture maker. She moved with him to Heber in 1870. She died in 1887 (obituary November 12, 1897, death November 8, 1897). The connection between her and William Lindsay is unknown, other than she lived in Heber for many years prior to her death.

I emailed the Church History Library (formerly the Deseret Museum) and asked if the frame portrait exists, not because it has great value to us as a family heirloom, but out of curiosity. They were unable to locate it, saying that record keeping in 1913 was that great. They are still looking.

Early life: Schooling

Childhood and a chance for education was brief for children among the many mine fields in Scotland during the Industrial Revolution were the drive for coal was insatiable. Yet were it not for the Mines Act of 1842, there likely would have been no schooling.

The following accounts tell of the Lindsay boy's schooling experiences. There seems to be agreement between the boys accounts in terms of a certain punishing instructor. Yet the location doesn't align since William liked the instructor in Neephill while James did not. This brief schooling which taught basic literacy, was a benefit for us as well as William, for without this education, much of this history would be non-existent.

There was a schoolhouse here & I went to it with my brother Robert a few times. We then lived at Craighall near the river Ayr. Soon after this we moved to Gatehead about two & a half miles from Kilmarnock & while living here I went a very short time to a school but the teacher was very cruel & whipped the children unmercifully so I learned scarcely anything from him. Then we moved to Thornton row & Robert & I attended school a few months at Neephill John Smith teacher & he was a good teacher & at his school I learned very fast & got practically all the
schooling I ever did get which I think was less than a year.

Source: William Lindsay Autobiography, pg 270

I was nine years old, and was going to the Neep Hill school, which was two or three miles away. The schoolmaster was a very large man, but he was a cripple. This handicap didn't seem to bother him when it came to being stern with his students. When you were unprepared he could dress you down with his cane to sort of brighten your memory. The next time you were prepared. Now I am not an advocate of harsh treatment, but at the same time I am sure there is something wrong today when children go to school until grown and in many cases are not much farther along in eduction than many of us at the ages of ten and twelve.

Source: James Lindsay's Autobiography, pg 1

Apparently those precious months of schooling paid off, one time quite literally.

I will relate an incident that happened about this time. Mr. Finnie the mine owner came down to look over the new mine & Mr. Landels the government inspector accompanied him. It was against the law for any boy under ten years of age to work in a mine unless it could be shown that he could read spell & write. As soon as the inspector saw us he called Mr. Finnie's attention here are two boys under age & you are liable for allowing them in your mine. Mr. Finnie then questioned me I being the youngest. What is your age? I answered nine. Can your read? I said yes. Read from this book. Which I did. Spell Carmel bank. Which I did. I then read some writing in a book he carried with him & he of course was much pleased at my being able to answer correctly as that released him from any trouble.

He looked in his purse but said he had nothing less than half a crown but said I will give you a shilling some day as you are a clever little fellow. But the inspector said Mr. Finnie I have a shilling, I'll give it to the boy & you can pay me later. So I got the shilling the first time I ever had so much money & I think I felt richer than I have ever done since. I took the shilling & gave it to my father who was also very much pleased.

Of course after passing that examination I was free from any more trouble & other boys came to work in the mine usually with their fathers till in time there were forty to fifty boys nearly all of the same age.

Source: William Lindsay Autobiography, pg 270-271