William L. Lingley, son of John and Frances (Chandler) Lingley, was born in Eastport, Maine, November 30, 1831.  His father was a native of Long Island, New York, and his mother a native of Nova Scotia.  They made their home in Eastport, and both died in St. John, New Brunswick, the former in May, 1854, and the latter in 1867.  William lived at home till ten years of age, when he went up the St. John’s River and lived with a man named George Scribner for four years.  He then went to Nova Scotia and remained a year.  At the age of fifteen he became a sailor.  He shipped at St. John, New Brunswick, on an English vessel in the coaling trade, running from St. John to Pictou on the English side to Nova Scotia, and from there to Boston.  After making the trip twice, he shipped on board of an American vessel and followed sailing for about twelve years, during the summer months plying along the coast, and in the winter making trips to the West Indies.  After this he went back to Eastport and was married to Harriet Maria Lincoln, a native of Perry, Maine, March 24, 1853.

            In 1855 he went to Pembroke, Maine, and began teaming for the iron works there, being in the employ of William E. Coffin & Co. till February, 1864, when he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-first Maine Infantry, and was discharged on account of disability in March, 1865.  Returning to Pembroke, he made that his home till September 15, 1875, when he left for California and located at Felton, Santa Cruz County.  He was there until May, 1878, when he removed to Klikitat County, Washington Territory, and remained there till 1880, when he returned to California and located in Los Gatos, where he still lives.  They reared one daughter, Effie Z., who died at Stoughton, Massachusetts, February 27, 1876, in her twenty-first year.  She was the wife of Eben F. Williamson.  Mr. Lingley is a member of E. O. C. Ord Post, No. 82, G. A. R., of Los Gatos; also of Los Gatos Lodge, No. 76, A. O. U. W.

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 305-306
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Proofread by Betty Vickroy