Youngest son of James Lindsey of White Oak Swamp and his wife Elizabeth Goode Lindsey Irby, who were married in Henrico County on Dec. 18, 1817. William Garthright Lindsey was enumerated in the 1850 census in the household of his elder brother John Thomas Lindsey, who operated a railroad coach workshop in Richmond. Shortly after he left for Lynchburg where he worked as a mechanic's assistant in the railroad shops of that city, and before long he began training as a railroad engineer. By 1856, he was skillful enough to be chosen to make the historic first run of a passenger train into Bristol, which he liked to such a degree he decided to settle there. He was married to Rebecca Josephine Templin in Blountville, Tennessee on Sept. 12, 1860 by Rev. John B. Logan. He enlisted in Company A of the 37th Virginia Regiment of Confederate Soldiers, and is listed as 1st Sergeant of the Goodson Rifle Guards. After the war he continued as a passenger train engineer on the Bristol to Lynchburg run, before becoming the yardmaster for both Bristol railroads for 25 years. In 1868 he built a home in an abandoned pasture of the Susong Plantation northwest of Bristol, and in 1878 built a large two-story addition to the same. He spent the last few years of his life beautifying the grounds around his home, and also traveled extensively by rail to such places as Baltimore, Chicago, and New York. He died at his home and was buried in Bristol's historic East Hill Cemetery.

Grandson of Rev. John Lindsey (d. 1811) of White Oak Swamp, first pastor of Four Mile Creek Baptist Church in Henrico County from 1781 until 1811. Also a grandson of Benjamin Goode (d. testate 1805) of White Oak Swamp, gentleman justice in the Court of Oyer and Terminer at Richmond, and his wife Mary Garthright, who were married in Henrico County on Mar. 1, 1791. Mary Garthright Goode was a great-granddaughter of Miles Garthwaite (1644-1691) of White Oak Swamp, whose name was spelled with many variations.