Born near Lexington, Virginia, Lindsay attended the common schools and settled in Clinton, Kentucky in 1854.

[1] Linsay was a member of the Kentucky Senate from 1867 to 1870 during which he supported women's suffrage in the Assembly.

He then served as United States Commissioner to the World's Columbian Exposition, held at Chicago, Illinois, in 1893.

[3] Lindsay was elected to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of John G. Carlisle.

He was appointed United States Commissioner to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1901.