Description:John Berrien Lindsley in late middle age, with salt-and-pepper hair and full beard and mustache, wearing a grey suit.
History:Donated to the library by Margaret Lindsley Warden Estate in 2007. The portrait was painted by L. (Mrs. Harry) Estes and was placed in the lobby of Lindsley Hall on 22 September 1983. The portrait is a copy of a photograph by W.E. Armstrong that appears in Clayton's History of Davidson County. Another copy of this photograph was painted by Cornelius Hankins and is located at Vanderbilt University.
Notes:Nineteenth-century Nashville educator, physician, minister, and author John Berrien Lindsley was born in New Jersey in 1822. His family moved to Nashville when he was still very young for his father, Phillip Lindsley, to serve as President of the University of Nashville. Lindsley was educated at the University of Nashville and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1843. In 1846 he was ordained by the Presbyterian Church. In 1850 he became the first dean and professor of chemistry and pharmacy at the newly-formed Medical Department of the University of Nashville. Lindsley became chancellor of the university in 1855, and during his tenure the university merged with the Western Military Academy. He married Sarah McGavock, granddaughter of Felix Grundy, daughter of Jacob McGavock, and sister of Randal McGavock, in 1857. Lindsley became superintendent of Nashville Public Schools in 1866. He resigned the chancellorship of the university in 1870 but continued to teach at the medical school until 1873. He served as Secretary of the State Board of Education (1875-1887), Health Officer (1876-1880), Executive Secretary of the State Board of Health (1877-1879 and 1884-1897). Lindsley died 7 December 1897.
