Henry D. Lindsley

Henry D. Lindsley
Henry D. Lindsley
32nd Mayor of Dallas
	In office; 1915–1917
Preceded by	William M. Holland
Succeeded by	Joe E. Lawther
Personal details
Born	Henry Dickinson Lindsley; February 29, 1872; Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	November 18, 1938 (aged 66); Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Ruth H. Bower; Marguerite Berwick;
Children	3
Alma mater	Cumberland University
Occupation	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1917-1919
Rank	Colonel
Unit	War Risk Insurance Bureau, France
Battles/wars	World War I; Defensive Sector;
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal; Officer of the Legion of Honor (France); Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium);

Henry Dickinson Lindsley (February 28, 1872 – November 18, 1938) was an American businessman who served as the 32nd Mayor of Dallas from 1915 to 1917.

Early life and career

Henry Dickinson Lindsley was born on February 28, 1872, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Philip and Louise Gundry (née Dickinson) Lindsley.^[1] He studied law at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, and was admitted to the Texas bar in 1893.^[2]

Lindsley bought a controlling interest in Southwestern Life Insurance; served on the boards of Dallas Bank & Trust Company, City National Bank, U.S. Bond & Mortgage Co., and Dallas Title & Guaranty. He worked with others in Dallas to establish Southern Methodist University and obtain funding from the Rockefeller Foundation.^[3] With Stephen J. Hay, then mayor, and Charles Bolanz, he approached Adolphus Busch to build a hotel. The Busch Estate invested in Dallas by building the Adolphus Hotel. He bought and subdivided large tracts in North Texas^[4]

World War I

Lindsley was commissioned a colonel, serving as Director of the War Risk Insurance Bureau in France. General John J. Pershing awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal for his services as Director of the War Risk Insurance Bureau in France.^[5] For his service there, Lindsley was awarded the Commander of the Belgian Order of the Crown by King Albert of Belgium and the Officer of the French Legion of Honor of Marshal Ferdinand Foch.

The American Legion

Along with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Lindsley helped organize The American Legion and was honored by the organization with the honorary title, Past National Commander.^[4]

Death

Lindsley died November 18, 1938, in Dallas and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.^[6]^[7]

Personal life

Lindsley's father was a judge and his maternal uncle, Jacob M. Dickinson, the Secretary of War in President Taft's Cabinet. He married Ruth H. Bower, daughter of Edwin G. Bower, Emily Virginia Scott on December 3, 1892, in Dallas. They had two children: Henry D., Jr. and Kathryn. Lindsley later married Marguerite Berwick, daughter of Oscar E. Berwick and Emma Knauss on May 14, 1936, in Dallas. His grandson, Henry D. Lindsley III, married the granddaughter of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ruth Chandler Roosevelt.

References

^ Philip Lindsley
^ "TSHA | Lindsley, Henry Dickinson". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
^ "S. M. U. Drive Gets $60,172 on First Day." The Dallas Morning News. April 28, 1936, p. 12
^ ^a ^b "H. D. Lindsley, Former Mayor, Found Dead." The Dallas Morning News, November 19, 1938, I-3.
^ The Standard: A weekly insurance newspaper, Vol. 84, April 5, 1919, p. 369 (accessed through Google Books, December 31, 2010)
^ Texas State Board of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Standard Certificate of Death Henry D. Lindsley. November 18, 1938. No. 49685
^ "Burial detail: Lindsley, Henry D". ANC Explorer. Retrieved March 1, 2023.

Political offices
Preceded by William M. Holland	Mayor of Dallas 1915–1917	Succeeded by Joe E. Lawther

[1] Philip Lindsley

[2] "TSHA | Lindsley, Henry Dickinson". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2022-01-22.

[3] "S. M. U. Drive Gets $60,172 on First Day." The Dallas Morning News. April 28, 1936, p. 12

[H._D._Lindsley,_Former_Mayor,_Found_Dead.-4] "H. D. Lindsley, Former Mayor, Found Dead." The Dallas Morning News, November 19, 1938, I-3.

[5] The Standard: A weekly insurance newspaper, Vol. 84, April 5, 1919, p. 369 (accessed through Google Books, December 31, 2010)

[6] Texas State Board of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Standard Certificate of Death Henry D. Lindsley. November 18, 1938. No. 49685

[7] "Burial detail: Lindsley, Henry D". ANC Explorer. Retrieved March 1, 2023.

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