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 () Lindsley. He studied law at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, and was admitted to the Texas bar in 1893. 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. 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

World War I

Lindsley was commissioned a colonel, serving as Director of the War Risk Insurance Bureau in France. General

John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...

awarded him the

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

for his services as Director of the War Risk Insurance Bureau in France. 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 The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

of Marshal Ferdinand Foch.

The American Legion

Along with

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Theodore Roosevelt III ( ), often known as Theodore Jr.Morris, Edmund (1979). ''The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt''. index.While it was President Theodore Roosevelt who was legally named Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the President's fame made it simple ...

, Lindsley helped organize The American Legion and was honored by the organization with the honorary title, Past National Commander."H. D. Lindsley, Former Mayor, Found Dead." ''The Dallas Morning News'', November 19, 1938, I-3.

Death

Lindsley died November 18, 1938, in Dallas and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.Texas State Board of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Standard Certificate of Death Henry D. Lindsley. November 18, 1938. No. 49685

Personal life

Lindsley's father was a judge and his maternal uncle,

Jacob M. Dickinson Jacob McGavock Dickinson (January 30, 1851 – December 13, 1928) was United States Secretary of War under President William Howard Taft from 1909 to 1911. He was succeeded by Henry L. Stimson. He was an attorney, politician, and businessman ...

, 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

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lindsley, Henry D. 1872 births 1938 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople United States Army personnel of World War I American Freemasons Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Commanders of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Cumberland University alumni Mayors of Dallas Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Organization founders Politicians from Nashville, Tennessee Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) United States Army officers