Henry Augustus Gardner (1836 - 1931)

Born 12 Sep 1836 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States [uncertain]

Died 26 Sep 1931 at age 95 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Henry Augustus Gardner was born on 12 September 1836, probably in Swansea, Massachusetts.

He married Caroline Cole Mason.

The 29 August 1924 edition of the Fall River Globe identified Henry A. Gardner as the holder the Boston Post Cane for Swansea, Massachusetts.^[1] The tradition of presenting a cane began when Mr. Edwin A. Grozier, the publisher of the Boston Post Newspaper, shipped 700 canes to various towns throughout the Post's readership area in 1909 with instructions to present it to the oldest man residing there. The initial gift was a publicity stunt to increase circulation for the newspaper. Yet, from that act grew a tradition that continues in many New England communities today.^[2] To see a list of other recipients of Boston Post Canes, click here.Space:Boston_Post_Canes

Henry Augustus Gardner passed away on 26 September1931. He was laid to rest beside his wife Caroline at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Swansea, Massachusetts.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Local Lines", Fall River Globe, Fall River, MA, August 29, 1924, Page 11, Column 5. http://fallriver.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011924-12312000&e=boston%20post%20cane&m=between&ord=e1&fn=fall_river_globe_usa_massachusetts_fall_river_19240829_english_11&df=1&dt=2&cid=2892
2. ↑ https://bostonpostcane.org/origins-of-the-tradition
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135080496/henry-a-gardner : accessed 25 February 2022), memorial page for Henry A Gardner (12 Sep 1836–26 Sep 1931), Find a Grave Memorial ID 135080496, citing Mount Hope Cemetery, Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Michael Silvia (contributor 47250029) .

• "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHVF-MQ2 : 24 January 2020), Henry A. Gardner, 1864.

Census:

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD9N-QLS : 4 April 2020), Henry A Gardner in household of William Gardner, Swansey, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States; citing family 168, NARA microfilm publication M432

(Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZH4-C4N : 18 March 2020), Henry A Gardner in entry for William Gardner, 1860.
• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDSG-4FP : 19 March 2020), Henry A Gardner, 1870.
• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH69-WG2 : 15 August 2017), Henry A Gardner, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district ED 74, sheet 230C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,523.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M955-QTX : accessed 5 October 2020), Henry A Gardner, Swansea Town, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 216, sheet 1A, family 6, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,637.