Benoni Gardiner (abt. 1644 - 1729)

Born about 1644 in Newport, Newport, Rhode Island [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Nov 1729 at about age 85 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island

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Biography

This profile is part of the Gardner Name Study.

Benoni was born about 1644. He was the son of George Gardiner.^[1] He passed away perhaps in 1731, perhaps in Portsmouth, at the home of his daughter, Bridget.^[2]

He married Mary ^[3] at Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, USA^[4]

Burial at Job Sherman's Family Farm Cemetery, Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island, United States

Mary died at the home of her son-in-law, Job Sherman.

Note: From Gardner History and Genealogy 1907, " Benony gave his age in testimony in 1727 as upwards of ninety. In 1671 he took the Oath of Allegiance. In 1679 he, with forty one others of Narragansett, signed a petition to the King, praying that he would put and end to these differences about the government.

On 6 September 1687 he is cited on Gov. Andros' tax roll at Rochester, (Kingstown) Rhode Island owing a “pole” (poll) tax of 1 s, and a property tax of 4s 3.5d, which places him as an adult resident and a property landholder in Kingstown, RI on this date. ^[5] This tax roll identifies a sum total of 136 heads of house living in the roughly 22.5 square mile area associated with Kingstown, RI on this date in 1687; one consequence of this sparse population is that he would have been well acquainted with many, if not all, of the individuals identified on this list. The list is a defacto definition of the people who were available to be his friends, neighbors, and allies; it would be essential to cultivate strong working relationships with these neighbors in order to survive on this frontier landscape. This cross reference tool provides hot links to peruse most of the 136 Wikitree families identified in this tax roll; families who were very frequently interconnected, or became interconnected, by marriage over the course of their lives and throughout the ensuing generations, further binding a network of neighbors into extended families. ^[6]

In September, 1715, he and his wife Mary deeded son Nathaniel land, being the westernmost part of the farm where Benony now dwells, and on the same day deed son Stephen, dwelling house, orchard, etc. In 1713, he and Mary deed land to son Isaac. "

From Gardner History and Genealogy, p 31. "1671: took the oath of allegiance. 1679: he, with 41 others of Narrgansett, signed a petition to the King, praying that he would 'put an end to these differences about the government thereof,' &c. Sept. 1785, he and wife Mary deeded son Nathaniel land, being westernmost part of farm where Benony now dwells, and on the same day deeded son Stephen dwelling house, orchard, &c. 1713: he and wife Mary deeded land to son Isaac."

Disputed Items

Various published and online account about Benoni Gardiner contain conflicted information about his birth, parentage and the ancestry/origins of his wife. Reports vary, too, regarding his death.

Benoni's reported testimony in 1727 claimed he was then "aged 90 years and upwards,"^[7] but this would suggest he was not the son of Herodias, which is otherwise controverted because Benoni is included with her other children in conveyances to her Gardiner children.^[8] In his work on the family, G. Andrews Moriarty (1944) provided still further reasoning and placed Benoni's birth as "1643-1645, and about 1644."^[9]

An earlier genealogy by Mrs. Clara Gardner and John Milton Stanton placed Benoni's birth earlier (than 1644), calling his mother Sara Slaughter and suggesting the father, George Gardiner, the George Gardiner baptized 15 February 1599/1600 at Great Greenford, Middlesex, England, in turn a son of Rev. Michael Gardiner.^[10] G. Andrew Moriarty found this association to be unsupported by the evidence the authors had presented and inconsistent with information about the New England immigrant. (Moriarty did not attribute parents nor an English marriage in his 1944 account of the Rhode Island immigrant, George Gardiner.^[11])

Further as to his birth, WikiTree profiles have attributed various other dates, including one as "November 1, 1644" (at Newport) for which no corresponding reference was found. A bulletin board post seeking a reference for this birth vital data was made 20 July 2014, to which there was no response.

As to his death, WikiTree profiles have attributed a range of dates as 27 January 1731, 16 November 1729, and 1731. His place of death has been reported on WikiTree as both Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island, and Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. A survey of AmericanAncestors and FamilySearch historical records for supporting references was unsuccessful. (A bulletin board post will be created.)

Finally, WikiTree attributes two different ancestries to the wife of Benoni Gardiner. (Yet other conflicted ancestries are noted in print.) Benoni's wife reportedly died 1729/1730 "^[12]

In one of the conflicted WikiTree accounts, she is Mary Jane Eldred, daughter of Samuel Eldred and Elizabeth Miller. This marriage was disputed by Gardner and Stanton in 1937 who noted "recent research by an Eldred genealogist" saying this "reveals the fact that Mary Eldred was born in 1646 and died in 1712, years before the death of Benoni's wife."^[13] The Gardiner-Eldred marriage association is also disputed in a 1983 work by George C. Davis (published by Pettaquamscutt Historical Society). Davis reported Samuel Eldred's daughter Mary probably married Rouse Helme.^[14]

The alternate conflicted marriages reports Benoni's wife as Mary Stanton, without further reference. Any number of Gardiner genealogies report Benoni's wife's maiden name is unknown. Until documentation is provided and/or more is provided regarding this marriage and/or ancestral connection, the report she was a Stanton seems suspect.

Sources

1. ↑ G. Andrews Moriarty, "The Parentage of George Gardiner of Newport, R. I.," The American Genealogist 21 (1944):198, 199 (in particular parts); digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
2. ↑ Clara Gardner Miller and John Milton Stanton, Gardiner-Gardner genealogy, including the English ancestry of George Gardiner, immigrant ancestor of Newport, R.I., & many of his descendants, especially his grandson, Stephen Gardiner of Gardner Lake, Connecticut (1937), p. 33 (n particular part); digital images, Hathi Trust (accessed 2014)
3. ↑ From Gardner History and Genealogy 1907
4. ↑ Source: #S-2112487797 Page: Source number: 15433.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: BFO. Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=worldmarr_ga&h=450178&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: APID: 1,7836::450178
5. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd; Genealogies of Rhode Island Families, Vol. II, Niles - Wilson; Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore 1989. RI Taxes under Gov. Andros pages 592- 594.
6. ↑ Randolph Beebe;Cross Reference: Gov. Andros 1687 Rochester RI Tax Register to Wikitree profile; Wikitree Free Space Profiles, 2024.
7. ↑ G. Andrews Moriarty, "The Parentage of George Gardiner of Newport, R. I.," The American Genealogist 21 (1944):196 (in particular part); digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
8. ↑ G. Andrews Moriarty, "The Parentage of George Gardiner of Newport, R. I.," The American Genealogist 21 (1944):197 (in particular part); digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
9. ↑ G. Andrews Moriarty, "The Parentage of George Gardiner of Newport, R. I.," The American Genealogist 21 (1944):199 (in particular part); digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
10. ↑ Clara Gardner Miller and John Milton Stanton, Gardiner-Gardner genealogy, including the English ancestry of George Gardiner, immigrant ancestor of Newport, R.I., & many of his descendants, especially his grandson, Stephen Gardiner of Gardner Lake, Connecticut (1937), pp. 23, 33; digital images, Hathi Trust (accessed 2014).
11. ↑ G. Andrews Moriarty, "The Parentage of George Gardiner of Newport, R. I.," The American Genealogist 21 (1944):191-200; digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
12. ↑ Citing "'Vital Records of Rhode Island' Vol. III, p. 103" in Clara Gardner Miller and John Milton Stanton, Gardiner-Gardner genealogy, including the English ancestry of George Gardiner, immigrant ancestor of Newport, R.I., & many of his descendants, especially his grandson, Stephen Gardiner of Gardner Lake, Connecticut (1937), p. 33; digital images, Hathi Trust (accessed 2014)
13. ↑ Clara Gardner Miller and John Milton Stanton, Gardiner-Gardner genealogy, including the English ancestry of George Gardiner, immigrant ancestor of Newport, R.I., & many of his descendants, especially his grandson, Stephen Gardiner of Gardner Lake, Connecticut (1937), p. 33; digital images, Hathi Trust (accessed 2014)
14. ↑ George C. Davis, The American Family of John Watson of the Narragansett County Rhode Island, Jean Adams Bradley, editor (1983), 7 (in particular part); digital images, via Family History Library Catalog (accessed 2014).

• G. Andrews Moriarty, "The Parentage of George Gardiner of Newport, R. I.," The American Genealogist 21 (1944):191-200; digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).

• "Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700," entry for Benoni Gardiner; database, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014). Marriage of Benoni and "Mary [Dyer?] as "by 1667, by 1671" with location reference as "Newport/Kingstown, RI/Wickford, RI." He d. 1731 +/- she lived "1645-1730, 1729." AmericanAncestors version cites several works consulted as "Gardiner (1937) 31; Austin's Dict. 81; Noyes-Gilman 80; Shotwell 27; RI VR 7:103; Reg. 63:Adv. xxxiii; Swansea Hist. 157."

• Source: Abbreviation: FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC Title: FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC Subsequent Source Citation Format: FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC BIBL FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC. TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE FamilySearch Ancestral File LDS FHC.

• Source: Repository: #R-2144324172 Title: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls Note: APID: 1,2204::0 Repository: R-2144324172 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:

• Source: Repository: #R-2144324172 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=9773793&pid=678
• Gardner Family, History & Genealogy

• Source: Repository: #R-2143129220 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Page: Ancestry Family Trees Note: Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=13226668&pid=1288 Repository: R-2143129220 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:

• Source: #S-1992164786; Ancestry Family Trees Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=23981878&pid=1495138152

• Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio|Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio]]</i> (J. H. Beers, Huron County, Ohio, 1894) Page 7

• Robinson, Caroline E. The Gardiners of Narragansett (Providence, Rhode Island, 1919). Page 4.

• May, Lillian & Charles Morris Gardner. 1907. Gardner History and Genealogy. Boston. www.archive.org

• * Jo Ann Butler; Resurrecting Pettaquamscutt;

Notes

Benoni's year of birth is contested. It is often written as 1647. But, according to "The Gardiners of Narragansett," in 1727 Benoni stated his age to be "ninety and upwards," indicating his birth to be about 1637 instead of 1647. However, as the author points out, his parent were not married at this time, his mother being married to her first husband, John Hicks.

His last name shows up as Gardner, Gardiner, or Gardener in most records.

• Gardiner, Benoni. Gardiner-Gardner Genealogy. Rutland, VT: Tuttle Publishing company, 1937.

pgs 33-37

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile was created by Leslie Newell on Saturday, February 28, 2015.