John Cyrus Lindley was born in 1852 in Dade County, Missouri, where he lived his entire life. His parents, John and Mary Lindley, settled in the county in 1833, and John Lindley became the largest tax-payer in the county before his death during the Civil War. J.C. Lindley received only a basic education, as he had to care for his aged mother and take over the family business after his father’s death. He married D.F. Hailey in 1877, and they had six children. Lindley was a successful farmer, owning 1,600 acres of land and handling stock, and he was a deacon in the Church of Christ. Although he was once a political candidate, his true ambition was to be a minister.
John Cyrus Lindley, the subject of this sketch, was born in the northeast corner of Dade County, Missouri, September 11, 1852, where he has resided since his birth. He is the son of John and Mary Lindley, who came to this county from Kentucky at a very early day. In the year 1833, they settled on the place where J. C. Lindley now lives and have never moved from it. John Lindley, who was born August 9, 1809, was shot by some unknown person, while in his field sowing wheat, October 7, 1864, from the effects of which he died October 18, 1864. He came to this country poor, but, by industry and good management, acquired considerable property. At the commencement of the late Civil War he was the largest tax-payer in Dade County, Mo. His wife, whose maiden name was Brasher, was born February 25, 1811, and is now living on the old homestead with her son, J. C. Lindley. Although seventy-eight years old, she is hale and hearty, and our subject cannot remember the time when she was sick enough to call in a physician. She is the mother of three children, all living. One son, J. R. Lindley, living at Ridgeway, Hopkins County, Texas, is one of the large land and stock owners of that part of Texas. A daughter lives in Jerico Spring, Cedar County, Missouri. Both were married, and left the old home before the third child, J. C. Lindley, was born. Mr. J. C. Lindley received only a moderate English education in the district schools of Morgan Township, his circumstances being such that he could not attend higher schools, his father’s death leaving him the charge of an aged mother, and the business devolving upon him. January 25, 1877, Mr. Lindley was united in marriage to D. F. Hailey, who was born in Dade County, Mo., November 23, 1854, and is the daughter of Allen and Eva Hailey. Mr. Hailey was shot at his home during the late war. The mother is still living on the farm where her husband was killed. Mrs. D. F. Lindley is an amiable, even-tempered lady, of whom her husband is very proud. To them have been born six children-four boys and two girls: James Walter, John Elmer, Mary Eva, Laura Jane, Albin Rollo, and Frank Lee. Mr. Lindley is the owner of about 1,600 acres of land, divided into three improved farms; two are in Cedar County, Mo., and the old home place, where he lives, is about equally divided in Dade and Cedar Counties. Mr. Lindley is one of the stockholders in the Dade County Bank; handles considerable stock, among them some short-horn cattle, jacks and stallions, and is the largest tax-payer in his township. He, wife and mother, are members of the Church of Christ, and he is a deacon in the same. In politics, he is a Democrat. Although having no political aspirations, he was unanimously chosen a candidate for representative in 1888. Owing to the large Republican majority in Dade County, he was defeated. Dade County has a Republican majority of 360 odd, and Mr. Lindley was beaten by only 146 votes. He disclaims any intention of ever entering politics again, and only consented this time at the earnest solicitation of his “true and tried” friends. His only ambition, as a public man, has been to be a minister of the “gospel of the grace of God.” Although not an ordained minister, he has preached some. He say: “In a quiet way, I expect to spend the remainder of my days at the dear old homestead, where my sainted father sleeps, and the roof of which has been my shelter ‘mid all the vicissitudes of life.”