John Lindesay
Encyclopedia
John Lindesay was the founder of the settlement of Cherry Valley
, in Otsego County, New York
. He was a native of Scotland
, and in December, 1730, he was commissioned as a Naval Officer of the port of New York
by Governor John Montgomerie
.
From 1732 to 1739 he served as Sheriff of Albany, New York
. By patents dated from 1736 to 1741, Lindesay acquired about 20,000 acres (80 km²) of public land throughout the Province of New York
. In 1740, he moved to his land at present-day Cherry Valley with his wife, her father Lieutenant Congreve, and their servants. He named the place Lindesay's Bush.
Being inexperienced at farming, and with the French and Indian War
at hand, Lindesay returned to the military and in 1744 was sent as a reinforcement to Fort Oswego
on the western frontier.
He was in Schenectady, New York
in the winter of 1746-47. On October 17, 1747, the Council taking into consideration several petitions of the Oswego traders, praying his Excellency the Governor to continue Lieutenant Lindesay in the command of the garrison at Oswego, and the request of the Indians of the Six Nations to the same purpose; and being also of opinion from their own knowledge of Mr. Lindesay, that he is well qualified for that command, and the more so on the account of his engaging Address to the Indians, unanimously resolved to recommend his Excellency to order Lieutenant Lindesay to repair to Oswego, to take the command of the garrison there. He was commandant at that post until February, 1749, when he was appointed Indian commissary and agent there. He retained the latter situation until his death, which occurred in 1751. His widow, Penelope Lindesay, survived him, but they had no children. At the time of his death, Mr. Lindesay was a lieutenant in Captain Clarke's company of Independent Fuzileers
.
Cherry Valley
Cherry Valley may refer to:Places in the United States:* Cherry Valley, Arkansas* Cherry Valley, California, in Riverside County* Cherry Valley, Illinois* Cherry Valley , New York, site of:...
, in Otsego County, New York
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
. He was a native of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and in December, 1730, he was commissioned as a Naval Officer of the port of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by Governor John Montgomerie
John Montgomerie
Colonel John Montgomerie was colonial governor of New York and New Jersey from 1728 to 1731.Montgomerie was born in the parish of Beith in Scotland and served as Member or Parliament for Ayrshire between 1710 and 1722....
.
From 1732 to 1739 he served as Sheriff of Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. By patents dated from 1736 to 1741, Lindesay acquired about 20,000 acres (80 km²) of public land throughout the Province of New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
. In 1740, he moved to his land at present-day Cherry Valley with his wife, her father Lieutenant Congreve, and their servants. He named the place Lindesay's Bush.
Being inexperienced at farming, and with the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
at hand, Lindesay returned to the military and in 1744 was sent as a reinforcement to Fort Oswego
Fort Oswego
Fort Oswego was an important frontier post for British traders in the 18th century. A trading post was established in 1722 with a log palisade, and New York governor William Burnet ordered a fort built at the site in 1727. The log palisade fort established a British presence on the Great Lakes....
on the western frontier.
He was in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
in the winter of 1746-47. On October 17, 1747, the Council taking into consideration several petitions of the Oswego traders, praying his Excellency the Governor to continue Lieutenant Lindesay in the command of the garrison at Oswego, and the request of the Indians of the Six Nations to the same purpose; and being also of opinion from their own knowledge of Mr. Lindesay, that he is well qualified for that command, and the more so on the account of his engaging Address to the Indians, unanimously resolved to recommend his Excellency to order Lieutenant Lindesay to repair to Oswego, to take the command of the garrison there. He was commandant at that post until February, 1749, when he was appointed Indian commissary and agent there. He retained the latter situation until his death, which occurred in 1751. His widow, Penelope Lindesay, survived him, but they had no children. At the time of his death, Mr. Lindesay was a lieutenant in Captain Clarke's company of Independent Fuzileers
Fusilier
Fusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later developed into a regimental designation.-History:...
.