Location: Guilford County, North Carolina

Surname/tag: Gardner
The following are notes from Quaker records for families with the Gardner surname that arrived in the piedmont area of North Carolina, later forming Guilford County, during the latter part of the 18th century. The records are from Hinshaw’s Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy Vol. 1. [1]
The Gardners were part of a large group of Quaker families that migrated to North Carolina from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts Bay Colony, from 1770 to 1775:
- This migration began in 1770, and ended in 1775, as the War for Independence approached. The threat of war with the British had something to do with their coming, for Nantucket was in an extremely exposed position. Perhaps a further reason was that the whaling industry upon which Nantucket Friends depended had declined. As Elijah Coffin put it: "The island of Nantucket being small, and its soil not very productive, a large number of people could not be supported thereon.” (Libni Coffin was the first Nantucket Friend to arrive at New Garden.) During a five year period, 1770-1775, forty-three certificates for Nantucket Friends were received by New Garden. Included were such names as Barnard, Barney, Beard, Bunker, Clasby, Coffin, Coggeshall, Davis, Gardner, Gifford, Macy, Ray, Russell, Starbuck, Stanton, Swain, Sweet, Way and Worth.[2]
These records are from notes taken from Hinshaw’s Encyclopedia for the New Garden Monthly Meeting which was established in 1754 in the Piedmont area of North Carolina.[2] Meeting records show the movement of families between meeting houses, listing of family members and events such as births and marriages.
The notes may contain transcription errors so it is recommended to refer to the original book for specific information and verification.
Events were abbreviated in the meeting records and translations are provided. The common event that was recorded was when families transferred from one meeting location to another which required a “certificate”. For example, rqct, is “requested certificate to…”
New Garden Meeting Records for Gardners
Vol. 1, pg. 540
GARDNER
- 1772, 1, 24. Richard rocf (received on certificate from) Nantucket MM, Mass., dated *1771, 11, 28.
- 1773, 4, 24. William rocf Nantucket MM, New England, dated 1772, 10, 26.
- 1773, 8, 27. Stephen, Jr. rocf Nantucket MM, New England, dated 1772, 10, 26.
- 1774, 2, 26. Barzillai having declared m (marriage) intention, “the monthly meeting was under the necessity and appointed Richard Williams, Zachariah Dicks, William Stanley & Thomas Thornbrugh, Jr. to write the monthly meeting of Nantucket of the disadvantage we are under concerning some of their members that hath come here without certificates.”
- 1774, 3, 2. Barzillai, s (son) Stephen, Guilford County m Jemima Macy.
- 1774, 9, 1. Judith, dt (daughter) Stephen, Guilford County m George Mendenhall.
Pg. 541
- 1774, 11, 26. Barzillai roc. [from Nantucket MM, New England]
- 1774, 11, 26. Stephen (d (died) before cert arrived) & s Isaac rocf Nantuckett MM, New England, dated 1774, 9, 29.
- 1775, 4, 29. Abel recrq (received by request).
- 1776, 5, 1. Rhoada dt Stephen, Guilford County, m John Macy.
- 1778, 3, 4. Deborah, widow, Guilford County, m Micajah Terrell.
- 1780, 11, 29. Isaac, s Stephen, Guilford County, m Eunice Macy.
- 1792, 3, 31. Stephen & fam (family) gct (granted certificate) Deep River MM.
- 1793, 10, 26. Sylvanus & w, Hannah, & ch, Elizabeth, Solomon, Reuben, Libni, Mary & Seth, gcf Deep River MM, dated 1793, 10, 7.
- 1794, 4,26. Barzilla (or Barzillai) s Barzilla gct York MM, Pa.
- 1795, 7, 9. Judith dt Barzillia (or Barzillai) & Jemima, Guilford County, m Frederick Barnard.
- 1796, 2, 27. Barzillai & fam rqct Deep River MM.
- 1799, 6, 29. Elizabeth con (condemned) her mou (marriage out of unity).
- 1800, 6, 28. Elizabeth gct Deep River MM.
- 1801, 3, 4. William, Guilford County, m Deborah Davis.
- 1801, 4, 25. Deborah gct Deep River MM.
- 1805, 11,30. Paul gct Deep River MM to m.
- 1805, 12, 1. Metilda, dt Isaac & Eunice, Guilford, m William Barnard.
- 1806, 10, 25. Rebekah rocf Deep River MM, dated 1806, 10, 6.
- 1806, 11, 29. Reuben rpd (reported) mou.
- 1807, 1, 31. Solomon dis (disowned).
- 1809, 6, 24. Ann con her misconduct.
- 1811, 1, 26. Isaac, Jr. gct Deep River MM to m.
- 1811, 3, 30. Priscilla dis mou.
- 1811, 5, 25. Mary con her outgoings.
- 1812, 1, 26. Elizabeth, dt Silvanus & Hannah, Guilford Co., m Trustrum Coggeshall.
- 1812, 3, 28. Dinah rocf Deep River MM, dated 1811, 11, 9.
- 1812, 8, 29. Jemima Foster (form Gardner) dis mou.
- 1813, 12, 25. Thomas con his mou.
- 1814, 1, 29. Eunice con her mou.
- 1814, 2, 26. Elihu dis mou.
- 1815, 8, 26. Isaac & fam gct White Water MM, Ind.
- 1815, 8, 26. Dinah (with h) & fam gct White Water MM, Ind.
- 1815, 11 25. Jesse, of Deep River, rmt (requested marriage to) Rhoda Bunker.
- 1816, 1, 27. David gct Deep River MM to m.
- 1816, 7, 27. Elizabeth rocf Deep River MM, dated 1816, 5, 7.
- 1817, 5, 31. Rhoda gct Deep River MM.
- 1817, 10, 25. David & fam gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1817, 10, 25. Elizabeth (with h) & fam gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1817, 10, 25. Paul & fam gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1817, 10, 25. Rebekah & fam gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1818, 8, 29. Thomas & w gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1818, 8, 29. Unice, Jr. gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1818, 8, 29. Unice, Sr. & fam gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
- 1818, 9, 26. Isaac & fam gct Silver Creek MM, Ind.
END
Supplement to Vol. 1 page 541
- 1779, 12, 25. Isaac, Barzilla & Stephen Gardner con taking affirmation of Fidelity to present powers.
Vol. 1, pg 498 Birth & Death Records
- Abel Gardner d. 10-12-1776, bur. At New Garden.
- Barzillai Gardner
Jemima Gardner- Ch: Judith b. 12-27-1774
Neomi b. 10-29-1776
Barzilla b. 5-23-1778
John b. 1-26-1780
Ammiel b. 3-24-1782
Elihu b. 3-13-1784
Jemima b. 3-9-1786
Aaron b. 1-27-1788, d. 10-6-1790
Nathan b. 1-27-1790
Eunice b. 6-2-1792
Micajah b. 4-1-1794, d. 7-1-1796
- Ch: Judith b. 12-27-1774
- Isaac Gardner
Eunice Gardner- Ch: Paul b. 11-24-1780/1
Thomas b. 10-24-1783
Matilda b. 9-10-1785
Isaac b. 8-23-1787
David b. 11-19-1789
Aaron b. 2-7-1792
Lydia b. 3-28-1796
Sally b. 10-12-1799?
Eunice b. 11-21-1801
Rhoda b. 11-22-1806
- Ch: Paul b. 11-24-1780/1
- Stephen Gardner
Abigail Gardner- Ch: Abigail b. 1-20-1772, Nantucket
Miriam b. 5-24-1774
Stephen b. 6-10-1776
Shubel b. 6-20-1778
Eunice b. 1-4-1781
Rhoda b. 2-15-1783
George b. 4-9-1785
Abel b. 8-1-1788
- Ch: Abigail b. 1-20-1772, Nantucket
After arriving in the New Garden area near present-day Greensboro, some families began moving to nearby locales in particular Deep River near High Point, NC about 15 miles SW. Stephen Gardner led the move to Deep River in 1792. The following families were listed in the Deep River Monthly Meeting Records, Hinshaw Vol. 1 pg 780:
- Stephen Gardner b. 10-11-1746; d. 3-20-1830
Abigail Gardner d. 10-29-1825 Aged 77 yrs. 18 d.- Ch: Abigail b. 1-20-1772
Miriam b. 5-24-1774
Stephen b. 6-10-1776; d. 8-15-1821
Shubal b. 6-20-1778; d. 9-25-1824
Eunice b. 1-4-1781
Rhoda b. 2-15-1783
George b. 4-9-1785
Abel b. 8-1-1788
- Ch: Abigail b. 1-20-1772
Other Gardner families that settled in Deep River were Eliab and Sarah (8 children), Thaddeus and Eunice (8 children) and William and Susanna (12 children).
The Gardner surname also appear in the nearby Marlborough Meeting House another 15 miles to the south in Randolph County as follows:
Hinshaw Vol. 1 pg 761
GARDNER
- 1817, 2, 1. John (Gardener) dis mou.
- 1824, 2, 7. Jane dis.
- 1824, 3, 6. Stephen dis.
- 1825, 2, 5. Stephen & w rocf Deep River MM dated 1824, 11, 4.
- 1825, 2, 5. Abigail roc dated 1824, 11, 4.
- 1826, 9, 7. Mary dis.
- 1828, 9, 11. Stephen gct Deep River MM.
- 1830, 7, 8. Abigail & Mary gct Center MM (rem)
While some families were moving the short distance to Deep River and Marlborough MMs, others began the long migration west to new “Promised Lands” in Indiana. Certificates were requested for new meeting houses at Whitewater and Silver Creek, Indiana between 1815 and 1820.
Sources
- ↑ Hinshaw, William Wade, 1867-1947, and Thomas Worth Marshall. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards brothers, Inc., 1936), Vol 1. Online: Hathitrust.org
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hinshaw, Seth B. The Carolina Quaker experience, 1665-1985 : an interpretation. (Greensboro: North Carolina Friends Historical Society, 1984), 25. [1]
See also
- Guilford County, NC Quaker Families
- The attached Guilford County map detail is from the 1808 Price-Strother Map of North Carolina.
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