Isabella (Stewart) Gardner (1840 - 1924)

Born 14 Apr 1840 in New York, New York, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John Lowell Gardner II — married 10 Apr 1860 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Died 17 Jul 1924 at age 84 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

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Preface

There many books, newspaper and magazine articles, and now a Netflix mini-series^[1] on the life and legacy of Isabella Stewart Gardner. The following is a very concise biography focusing on key events in her life.

Biography

Isabella (Stewart) Gardner is Notable.

Isabella Stewart was born on 14 Apr 1840;^[2] she was the daughter of David Stewart and Adelia Smith.^[3][4]

In Apr 1860 in New York,^[4] Isabella Stewart married John Lowell Garnder, II.

On 8 Sep 1860 in Brookline, Massachusetts,^[5] Isabella S. Gardner gave birth to an un-named, premature son, who died within the day. The father was her husband, John L. Gardner.

From 1860 - 1924,^[6] Isabella Stewart Gardner and John Lowell Gardner (until his death) had a summer residence (mansion) at "Green Hill, Brookline".

On 18 Jun 1863 in Boston, Massachusetts,^[7] Isabella Gardner gave birth to John Lowell Gardner, III, son of John Lowell Gardner, II. Sadly, John L. Gardner, III died on 15 Mar 1865, with cause of death stated to be "lung fever" & "pleurisy".^[8]

Beginning in 1867 and continuing over 3 decades,^[4] Isabella S. Gardner made numerous trips to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. During these trips, she began collecting art works and other rare objects, which she initially displayed in her mansion, and later in what is now called the Gardner Museum.

In 1870,^[2] Isabella S. Garnder (age 30, born New York) was living in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts in the household of her husband, John L. Gardner, Jr. (age 32, born Massachusetts). Also in their household were 3 women employed as domestic servants. John's occupation was a merchant.

In 1880,^[9] Isabella S. Gardner (age 40, born New York) was living in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts in the household of her husband, John L. Garnder, Jr., (age 43, born Massachusetts) with the following orphaned Gardner nephews (children of her brother-in-law, Joseph Peabody Gardner), all born in Massachusetts: i) Joseph P. (19), ii) William A. (17), iii) Augustus P. (15). Also in the household were 3 women employed as domestic servants.

Subsequent to the death of Isabella's father in 1891 and her receiving a large inheritance,^[4] Isabella increased the purchase and collection of great art works. This subsequently led to the idea by Isabella and her husband to consider building a museum to house their expanding collection. Land was purchased in 1899, and construction of the building was completed by 1902.

In 1902 in Boston, Massachusetts,^[4] Isabella S. Gardner began inhabiting the 4th floor of the museum that she and her late husband had built to hold the collection of art and rare manuscripts/books.

Isabella Stewart Gardner died on 17 Jul 1924, and she was buried in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.^{[3] [10]}

Sources

1. ↑ Christopher Weston, "Who is Isabella Stewart" Garnder Museum Netflix Documentary, HITC.com, 4 Apr 2021 (https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/04/08/isabella-stewart-gardner-museum-netflix/); accessed 17 Aug 2021,
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-63L7-4JH?cc=1438024&wc=KPJL-BZ9%3A518657101%2C519510801%2C519557601 : 12 June 2019), Massachusetts > Suffolk > Boston, ward 06 > image 274 of 304; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2838/isabella-stewart-gardner : accessed 17 August 2021), memorial page for Isabella Stewart Gardner (14 Apr 1840–17 Jul 1924), Find a Grave Memorial ID 2838, citing Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} "Isabella Stewart Gardner: An Unconventional Life", Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts (https://www.gardnermuseum.org/about/isabella-stewart-gardner); accessed 17 Aug 2021
5. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9975-96P?cc=2061550&wc=Q4D6-JWP%3A353350401%2C353366201%2C1006000901 : 22 October 2020), Suffolk > Boston > Deaths 1860-1861 > image 353 of 677; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.
6. ↑ National Gallery of Art, Image Collections Rare Digital, Green Hill, Brookline, Massachusetts, available online (https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/puoc5q/alma991605413804896); accessed 17 Aug 2021
7. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67V7-17S?cc=1536925&wc=M61J-KTP%3A73562001 : 27 October 2020), 004212567 > image 101 of 486; Massachusetts Archives, Boston.
8. ↑ "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6S6Q-9D?cc=1463156&wc=MJCR-929%3A1043009101 : 22 May 2019), 0960187 (004220477) > image 392 of 676; State Archives, Boston.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBW-6KM?cc=1417683&wc=XW6F-929%3A1589405656%2C1589405860%2C1589397775%2C1589405899 : 24 December 2015), Massachusetts > Suffolk > Boston > ED 658 > image 38 of 61; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., n.d.)
10. ↑ "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPB7-B9B3 : 18 July 2020), Gardner and Isabella Stewart, 1924.

• Family Search profile for Isabella Stewart

• The historic genealogy of the Lowells of America from 1639 to 1899, by Delmar Rial Lowell; Vermont, USA; 1899, p. 61.

• Gardner Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society, 1772-1915, index online (https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0201); accessed 17 Aug 2021

• Wikipedia: Isabella Stewart Gardner

See also:

• Madeline Bilis, “Throwback Thursday: When the Gardner Museum Opened to the Public,” Boston Magazine, February 23, 2017, https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2017/02/23/gardner-museum-opening/.

• “February 23, 1903 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Opens,” Mass Moments, accessed July 4, 2020, https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/gardner-museum-opens.html.