George Gardner (1620 - 1679)

Born 1 Jan 1620 in Sherborne, Dorset, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Allen) Gardner — married 1665 (to 20 Aug 1679) in Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 20 Aug 1679 at age 59 in Hartford, Connecticut

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George Gardner migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

George Gardner immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

There is a baptismal record of a George Gardner on 1 Jan 1619/20 at Sherborne, Dorset, England.^[1] Father's name on record appears to be Thomas.^[2]

There is a George Gardner listed on the passenger list of the Zouch Phoenix that arrived in 1624.^[3]

George Gardner was the son of Thomas Gardner, one of the Cape Ann Planters. George was probably born in England. The earliest mention of his name in the Town Records of Salem was on the "8th of the 9th month 1637" when, along with his brother Thomas, he was granted ten acres of land. By this, we assume that he was an adult and calculate his birth year about 1616.^[4][5]

George became a member of the First Church in Salem in 1641.^[5]

Civic Duties and Court Transactions

On Dec. 27, 1642, George Gardner was admitted a freeman at Salem.

From 1642 to 1671, George Gardner often appears in the Court Records as plaintiff, jury member, witness to wills, an appraiser to estates, assigning his indentured servant Baldwin House over to John Southwick, assigned to mend the "caseway," etc.^[5]

The court granted him a license on 10:10:1661 to retale strong waters out of the Jarrs."^[6][5]

On Sept. 11, 1662, George was appointed Lieutenant of the foot company of Salem. This appointment was confirmed by the court on the 24th day of the 9 mo. 1663.^[5]

George also served the town as selectman and was appointed on the 9th day of the 9 mo. with Henry Bartholomew to take the constables account. On the 22nd day of the 10th mo., the town paid him 5:00:00 for "Mr. Goold," the tenant on his farm. He served on the committee to lay out land in the last month of the same year.^[5]

In 1664, John Pickering sued George and Samuel Gardner and others, owners of the mill on South river, for damages as the results of the flooding of his land and was allowed 20 pounds. That year, George was also one of the appraisers of the estate of Henry Harwood. In June, he was the plaintiff in a case in court against Joseph Williams, who was accused of stealing 41 pounds of wheat from George Gardner. On the 23rd of the 11 mo. 1664, the town paid him a bill of 5:00:00.^[5]

George witnessed the will of Robert Moulton, Sr. on Sep. 5, 1665 and in that year, served on a jury of inquest in the case of James Prist who was found dead. In 1667, George was one of the selectmen of Salem and was appointed with John Corwin, to lay out the small lot of land "that belongs to the Widow Reade." He was also one of the appraisers of the estate of Job Hilliard in Nov. 1670.^[5]

On Mar. 3, 1670, George was again chosen as selectman at the town meeting and was also appointed with others to lay out land for William Adams. His name appears as one of the witnesses to the will of Thomas Browning in June 1671.^[5]

The following year, George removed to Hartford, Connecticut to live.^[5]

Amongst the County Court Papers at Salem is a letter dated Jul. 14, 1677 in which George Gardner, "somtime of Sallem, now of Harford in Conniticot" gives power of attorney to his brother, Samuel Gardner, to represent him as the executor for his father's will.^[5]

In Hartford, Connecticut

In King Philip's War, George was a member of a committee to provide "Flankers" for the defense of Hartford.^[5]

At a meeting of the Council at Hartford held May 1, 1676, George was granted permission to pass to Boston and Salem "upon his necessary occasions and to return with all conveniencie they can."^[5]

George was granted 15 pounds in consideration of damage by non-payment of money due him from the country, etc. "Mr. George Gardner allowed 5 pounds additional."^[5]

George owned over two hundred acres of land in Connecticut, as shown by the inventory of his estate in that colony and mny items in that document show that he had varied and commercial interests there.

Property Owned

George Gardner had extensive land holdings. His first grant of land received in 1637 was for 10 acres. In 1649, he and his brothers Thomas, Samuel and Joseph, were ordered to survey land, "for which they shall have allowance in part of the medow for theire paynes."^[5]

On the 30th day of the next month, George was granted "4 acres of medow... at the 7 mens bounds," and forty acres of upland to be laid out near his meadow." This land was in West Peabody, near the Lowell road, between the Phelps' Mill station and the Lynnfield line. At an angle in the line, a short distance to the south of the road, there still stands a heap of stones placed there in early colonial times to mark the seven men's bounds.^[5]

In the town records on the 27th day of the 2nd mo. in 1654, "Upon the request of Sergeant George Gardner for a small layne of upland containing about six acres lying and scituate neare to Robert Moultons jun his medow & to the round hill neare mr. Humfres farme and soe to that land that is granted to Frances Perries: Accordingly it is granted."^[5]

in 1662, "Granted to Sergeant George Gardner that he shall have a lott next to the land that runeth to his house by those lotts alredie laide out and of the same size he paying five pounds as others have done."^[5]

George's name appears in the records on the 24th of the 12 mo. 1662, "Town Credit 5:00:00, for a house lott. and on the 27th day of the 11th mo., "granted to Sergt. George Gardner to have a lott next to that lott laide out for a tailere lining at good wollans hie paying for it 5 pounds as others have done."^[5]

In the Book of Grants, p. 155, "By virtue of an order from the Selectmen of Salem, directed unto Jeffrey Massey, Lit George Gardner, and myself or unto any two of us to lay out unto Several persons several parcells of land between Humphries Farm & the farm formerly belonging to Phelps on this side Ipswich River so called near the seven men's bounds: We accordingly laid out unto Lt. George Gardner One hundred & ninety acres of said lande which was for several grants, which he bought of several persons amounting unto soe much adjoining unto his own land and is bounded as followeth viz: to the widow Pope, Geoyles Corey, Humphres Farm and to Lynn bounds and the Seven Men's bounds; Lt. Gardner Forty poles by the river unto Samuel Gardner's bounds; Samuel Gardner and John Robinson's land on the East unto a Pine Tree on the head of John Robinson's land and a little red oak & a great White Oak, between John Rubton & John Robinson & Lt. Gardner's a little walnut, John Rubton on the East, an oak standing near Lt. Gardner's meadow. The return of the laying out of this land I formerly gave in unto the Selectmen of Salem. Attest Nathaniel Putnam, Salem, 24th of Sept. 1697."^[5]

The above record was certified to by John Croade, Clerk, as being a copy of an entry of laying out of land which was entered in the year 1665 and ordered to be entered on Feb. 8, 1697/8. By the time of George Gardner's death, this great farm contained about four hundred acres. His son, Capt. Samuel Gardner inherited it, and upon his death, left it to his grandchildren. Grandson Daniel Gardner had deeded to him by his brothers John and Samuel, two hundred acres of land, "being 1-3 of the real estate of grandfather Samuel Gardner, bounded," etc. In his will dated July 25, 1759, Daniel gave this farm to his sons John and Samuel. This property stayed in the Gardner family until Oct. 18, 1871. The old lean-to farm house was still standing in an excellent state of preservation in 1907.^[5]

George Gardner's house in the town was on what is now Daniels Street in the eastern side of that street, at the lower end. He left it to his son Samuel, describing it in the will as the house in which his oldest son, Samuel "now dwelleth." In 1701-2, Samuel sold it to his "sonne John Higginson, Tertius, of Salem and to his daughter Hannah Higginson, his wife." In this deed Samuel described it as "my dwelling house in Salem in which my cousin John Buttolph now dwelleth together with ye bakehouse, warehouse and outhousing and about three quarters of an acre of land."^[5]

Marriages and Children

George's first wife, not named, was convicted in the 5th mo. 1658 of "being at a disorderly quaking meeting & alsoe of her frequent absenting her selfe from the publike worship of God upon the Lord's Day; to pay 5sh. costs." She was fined again in 1658 and in 1669 for non-attendance at church.

See Research Notes for discussion of the identities of George's wives.

Children of George Gardner were:^[7]

by first wife:

1. Hanna, dau. George, bap. 15 Dec 1644; m. Lt. John Buttolph 18 Oct 1663.
2. Sam[ue]ll, s. George, bap. 14: 3m: (May) 1648; d. Salem Apr. 24, 1724; m1. Apr. 24, 1673 Elizabeth (Browne) Grafton; m2. Susanna (Baxter) Daniel.
3. Mary, dau. George, bap. 10: 5m: (Jul) 1653; m1. Apr. 30, 1670 Habakkuk Turner; m2. Sep. 15, 1686 John Marston.

by (second?) wife Elizabeth:

1. George, s. George, bap. 24: 7m: (Sep) 1654; s. Georg and Eliza, d. 21: 6m: (Aug) 1662.^[8]
2. Bethiah, dau. Georg and Elizabeth, b. 3: 4m: (Jun) 1654; not mentioned in father's 1679 will.
3. Ebenezer, s. Georg and Eliza, b. 16: 6m: (Aug) 1657; s. G., bap. 2: 2m: (Apr) 1665;^[9] s. George, d. abt May 1685;^[8] m. 7 Nov 1681 Sarah Bartholomew.
4. Hittabell (Mehitabel), dau. Georg and Eliza, b. 23: 2m: (Apr) 1659; dau. George and Eliza, d. 8 May 1659.^[8]
5. Ruth, dau. G., bap. 2: 2m: (Apr) 1665;^[9] m. 21 Mar 1674, John Hathorne.

George and Ruth, in particular, must have been baptized as older children rather than newborns (because George's baptism was three months after Bethiah's birth, and Ruth was married just nine years after her baptism).

No mother is named in the records for Hannah, Samuel, Mary, or Ruth.

George Gardner's wife at the time of his death in 1679 was Elizabeth (Allen) Stone Gardner. This is proved by the widow Elizabeth Gardner's will, dated 16 Jun 1681, which names her former husband Samuel Stone and several of their children and grandchildren.^[10] A letter from Rev. John Whiting of Hartford to Rev. Increase Mather of Boston dated 23 Jan 1681/2 mentions "Mrs. Garner (sometimes Stone) also, gone to heaven," and later court records by her Stone children refer to her as Mrs. Gardner.^[5]

Death and Will

George Gardner died on Aug. 20, 1679. His will was written on Jul. 21, 1679 and the inventory of his estate was presented on Oct. 17, 1679.^[5]

He made the following bequests:^[5]

1. To his wife Elizabeth, he left the income of his part of the mills in Salem, during her life. He also left her the rent of the land bought of Mr. Joseph Fitch, or the use of the money if he pay for it according to contract. She was likewise to receive the rent of the land he bought of John Terry and two cows, two calves and the swine at home. In addition she was to have the use of his household furniture during her life.
2. To Samuel, his oldest son, he left the house in "which he now dwelleth at Salem," with all the upland and meadow in the South field. After his mother's decease he was also to have the mill property and the farm and meadow upon which Thomas Gould was at that time a tenant.
3. To Ebenezer he gave his houses and lands at Hartford, Windsor, and Simsbury in Connecticut, after his mother's decease. He was also to have "that land lyeth by Mr. Babadg, etc. that acre of salt marsh I had of my father."
4. To his daughter Buttolph he left 300 pounds of debts due him at Connecticut "when they are got in" and to her husband "thirty pounds he was indebted to me at our last reckening."
5. To his daughter Turner he gave the house and land in which they lived, "to him and her, their natural lives, & then to whome of her children he shall give it after him," also three hundred pounds of debts at "coneticott, as it can be got in."
6. To his daughter Hathorne, he left a like amount of Connecticut debts.

George provided that in case his son Ebenezer should die before he married, the estate should be divided "Equally amongst the rest" of his children. Ebenezer was also to have the rent of "that farme Thomas Gold liveth on, during his mother's life."^[5]

George further gave his brother Thomas Gardner twenty pounds in provisions. He remembered his "cozens, Miriam Hascall & Susana Hill," as follow: "five pounds now in household stuff to Miriam & five pounds to Susana Hill at her marriage."^[5]

Samuel and Ebenezer Gardner, his sons, were named as his executors and he specified that after his debts and legacies were paid, what remained should be given to his two sons, two parts to Samuel and one part to Ebenezer.

His negro servant was remembered as follows: "To my servant Arrah (Arrow) I doe give five pounds, when he hath Served my Son Samuell five yeares & then his time to be out."^[5]

He named his friend Capt. John Allen of Hartford as overseer and left him five pounds in token of his love. Then came the following: "And likewise I do intreat my friend Caleb Stanley to oversee the performance of this my will, whoe liveth at conetticott to whose two daughters I give fifty shillings apiece."

"And I desire my two loving brothers, Thomas & Samuell Gardner to oversee the performance of my will at Salem." The witnesses were Thomas Gardner, Samuell Gardner Sen., and Joseph Williams. The will was proved Sept. 1, 1679.^[5]

Research Notes

Since Elizabeth (Allen) Stone's husband Samuel died in 1663, she could not have been the Elizabeth recorded as the mother of George's children born and baptized between 1654-1659; George must have had an earlier wife, also named Elizabeth.^[10]

George did not marry Elizabeth Horne, daughter of Deacon John Horne, who was named as "Elizabeth Gardner," still living, in her father's Oct 1679 will; George had died in Aug 1679 and his widow Elizabeth was known to have been Elizabeth (Allen) Stone Gardner. Elizabeth (Horne) Gardner was probably the second wife of George's brother, Thomas.^[5][10]

George did not marry "Mrs. Ruth Turner," widow of John Turner of Barbados; no such woman existed.^[10]

George McCracken argues that the name "Freestone Hathorne" given to George's grandson by his daughter Ruth (Gardner) Hathorne must indicate that Freestone was the surname of an ancestor of Ruth's. An Elizabeth Freestone married Robert Turner, shoemaker, who died in Boston in 1651. Elizabeth (Freestone) Turner's children are later found at Salem, and their son Habakkuk Turner married George's daughter Mary Gardner. Combining the prior oral history of George's second wife being a widow Turner with the use of Freestone as a given name, McCracken argues that George married the widow Elizabeth (Freestone) Turner and she was mother of George, Bethiah, Ebenezer, Mehitabel, and Ruth. She could not have been the mother of Mary, since Mary could not have been the half-sibling of her husband.^[10] George and Elizabeth probably married about 1652, since their second child Bethiah was born in June 1654; their son George, baptized in September 1654, must have been older. Mary, baptized in 1653, could have been born earlier and baptized as an older child, as two of George's other children were known to have been.

In this scenario, there must have been another, earlier wife who was mother of Hannah, Samuel, and Mary. McCracken argues that she must have been named Hannah, since their eldest known daughter was Hannah, but there's no other evidence to support any given name. McCracken further argues that the 1666 will of Joseph Pope, which names "brothers George and Richard and Joseph Gardner, and cozen Samuell Shatok the elder" as overseers, along with other family naming traditions, indicates that George Gardner was related to Joseph Pope by marriage and therefore (it's complicated) George's wife could have been a daughter of the widow Damaris Shattuck.^[10] In a subsequent article, McCracken calls her "almost certainly Hannah Shattuck".^[11] However, this is very far from proven.

Sources

1. ↑ Dorset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Sherborne parish. (Ancestry.com online database, original images). George Gardiner, 1 Jan. 1619/20. Image 427 of 834.
2. ↑ Dorset History Centre; Dorchester, England; Dorset Parish Registers; Reference: PE/SH:RE1/1
3. ↑ http://www.weymouth-dorset.co.uk/ships.html
4. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration Begins, Boston, MA: 1995, p 734; George, b. say 1616 (adult when "bretherin" Thomas and George Gardiner were given ten acres in Salem 8 November 1637 [STR 1:59]); made free 27 December 1642 [EQC 1:48]); m. (1) by 1644 Hannah ____; m. (2) by 1654 Elizabeth (Freestone) Turner, bp. Horncastle, Lincolnshire, 17 October 1619, daughter of Richard and Margery (Freestone) Fresstone, and widow of Robert Turner, shoemaker, of Boston; m. (3) after 1663 (inventory of her previous husband [Manwaring 1:242]) Elizabeth (Allen) Stone, widow of Rev. Samuel Stone. (For the identity of these three wives we follow the work of George E. McCracken [TAG 30:158-66]).
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29} Gardner, Frank A., Thomas Gardner, planter (Cape Ann, 1623-1626; Salem, 1626-1674) and some of his descendants: giving Essex County, Massachusetts, and northern New England lines to the eighth generation and Nantucket lines through the fourth generation (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1907), pp. 28-40.
6. ↑ County Court Records, 10:10:1661, Case No. 29.
7. ↑ Vital records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, vol. 1: births (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1916), pp. 337-43.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Vital records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, vol. 5: deaths (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1925), pp. 269-73.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Ebenezer's birth (p. 338) and baptism (p. 337, under "Gardiner") are listed separately, and Ebenezer and Ruth were baptized on the same day.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5} McCracken, George E., “The Salem Gardners: comments and clues,” The American Genealogist, vol. 30 (1954): pp. 155-68.
11. ↑ McCracken, George E., “Lieutenant John Buttolph's second wife,” The American Genealogist, vol. 40 (1964): p. 50.

See also:

• Salem Town Records
• First Church of Salem Records
• County Court Records, book 2, leaf 119
• Records of Mass. Bay Colony, also NE Hist. Gen. Reg. V.III, p. 189
• County Court Papers, book 3, leaves 14, 16, 17