He was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, November 25, 1829, and when nearly four years of age was brought, in company with four other children, to Michigan by his father, Joseph Tindall, who located, in the spring of 1833, in Independence township, Oakland County. The trip from New Jersey was made entirely overland, the family coming through with a team, and crossing the Stateg of Pennsylvania and Ohio.

About 1838 they moved into Oxford township, where Joseph Tindall died in 1856, aged fifty-three years. Mrs. Tindall is yet living, at the age of seventy. After the settlement in Michigan five children were born, and of the entire number (ten) eight are now living, all but one in Michigan. The youngest son, M. Luther Tindall, resides in California.

Jefferson K. Tindall arrived at man's estate while living in Oxford township, and in the fall of 1856 engaged in the mercantile business at Holly village with W. B. Arms, under the firm name of "Arms & Tindall." Previous to this he had been three years in a store kept by Mr. Arms at the White Lake settlement. November 19, 1857, Mr. Tindall was married to Mary J. Day, daughter of Eli H. Day, now of Davisburgh. He continued his residence at Holly until 1861, when he returned to Oxford village and engaged also in the mercantile business. In the spring of 1862, having fears lest the high prices which then prevailed should go down so suddenly as to seriously affect his finances, he sold his stock at Oxford and purchased the farm on section 5, in Springfield township, to which he soon after removed, and where he has since resided. As time developed he was in no danger from an anticipated financial crash, and his successor prospered. Mr. and Mrs. Tindall are the parents of four children: Ward Day, born April 20, 1859 ; died July 6, 1860. Grace, born June 20, 1861. Mary, born December 7, 1864, Jay K., born February 27, 1869.

Politically, Mr. Tindall is a Republican, and very popular among his fellow citizens. For seven years he held the office of supervisor of Springfield township, being elected the first time in 1866 and the last time in 1873. In 1864 he was a candidate for county treasurer, and was only defeated by the rejection of the soldiers vote, with which he would have been elected by several hundred majority. Mr. Tindall enlisted in the Union army, and served with distinction during the great civil war of 1861-65, which threatened to "dissolve the Union," but so signally failed.

In his religious views Mr. Tindall takes an independent stand, and instead of acquiescing in the general orthodox opinions of Christianity is exceedingly liberal. Mrs. Tindall's father, Eli H. Day, is one of the pioneers of Springfield, having settled in 1838. For more particular notice of him, see the history of Springfield township.

Mr. Tindall's ancestry were from the lowlands along the river Tyne, in England, and the name as originally bestowed was derived from the locality in which they lived, "Tyne Dale," by general usage brought down to Tyndale, Tyndall, and finally Tindall, the latter being the present spelling.