Thomas Gardner and Margaret Frier
Husband Thomas Gardner
Born: 1591-1592 - Weymouth, Dorsetshire, England Christened: Died: 29 Dec 1674 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Buried:
Father: Thomas Gardner (Abt 1579-1635) Mother: Elizabeth White (1578-After 1648)
Marriage:
Other Spouse: Damaris Shattuck ( - ) - 1642 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
Other Spouse: Unknown ( -Abt 1636)
Wife Margaret Frier
Born: Christened: 25 Jan 1589 - Ixworth Parish, Suffolk, England Died: Buried:
Father: Francis Frier ( - ) Mother:
Children
1 M Thomas Gardner
Born: Christened: Died: 1682 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Buried:Spouse: Hannah ( - )Spouse: Elizabeth Horne ( - )
2 M George Gardner
Born: a father in 1644 Christened: Died: - prob Hartford, Hartford, Ct Buried:Spouse: Mrs. Ruth Turner ( - )Spouse: Sarah Shattuck ( - )
3 M Richard Gardner
Born: 13 Jun 1621 - England Christened: Died: 23 Mar 1686-23 Mar 1688 - Nantucket Buried:Spouse: Sarah Shattuck ( - ) Marr: Abt 1652 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
4 M Samuel Gardner
Born: abt 1627 per deposition Christened: Died: Oct 1689 Buried:Spouse: Mary White ( - )Spouse: Widow Elizabeth Paine ( - )
5 M Joseph Gardner
Born: Christened: Died: 19 Dec 1675 Buried:Spouse: Ann Downing ( - )
6 M John Gardner
Born: Abt 1642 Christened: Died: 6 Jul 1706 - Nantucket Buried:Spouse: Priscilla Grafton ( - ) Marr: Abt 1650-1652
7 F Sarah Gardner
Born: 1630-1631 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Christened: Died: 15 Apr 1686 - Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts Buried:Spouse: Benjamin Balch (1628-1715) Marr: 1650 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
8 M Seeth Gardner
Born: 24 Oct 1636 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Christened: 25 Dec 1636 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Died: 17 Apr 1707 Buried:Spouse: John Grafton ( - ) Marr: 1 Dec 1659Spouse: Joshua Conant ( - ) Marr: 1655-1656
9 F Miriam Gardner
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1664 Buried:Spouse: John Hill ( - ) Marr: Bef 1657
General Notes (Husband)
I appear to have my Thomas Gardner's completely scrambled up.
TAG 30:165-168 for claims wife was Mgt. Friar. , and for Damaris Shattuck.
Son Richard b England 13 Jun 1621.
CAme to New England 1624. Freeman of MBC May 1637. Inkeeper.
The First Governor of Massachusetts
The Gardner family history dates back to early colonial America when Thomas Gardner sailed from England to Cape Ann in 1623, only three years after the arrival of the Mayflower. He was dispatched - and sailed - from Weymouth, England, by the Dorchester Company and was appointed as the overseer of the Plantation at Cape Ann. Unfortunately, this area proved to be unsuited for farming due to the predominantly rocky and unfertile soil. Those that remained did so “to the hazard of their lives,” and most died in the first three years. In 1626, the survivors of the colony under the direction of Roger Conant relocated to the mouth of the Naumkeag River and founded present day Salem. Yet the title of Massachusetts’ first governor belongs to Thomas Gardner because he was the first man of authority over what developed into the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Salem and the Witch Trials
Thomas Gardner left nine children, two of which became prominent figures in their own rite. Samuel was born in 1627, one year prior to the official renaming of Naumkeag to Salem. He was a merchant by trade and built a corn mill in town. In later years he became a member of the board of selectmen and general court.
He came from Weymouth,Dorsetshire,England, spring 1623-4. He was one of two people who successively were in charge of Cape Anne colony before the half dozen people who remained behind went and founded Salem. He was well-to-do, but I haven't been able to learn anything about his background. No reason to connect him to well-to-do London Gardner's, which was full of Thomas Gardners, or to a Thomas Gardner intterrelated with the family of Edmund Rice's wife in Suffolk, England. The other person in charge of that economic but relgiously motivated Puritan colony was Roger Conant, father of Mary who married John Balch's son John.
He appears to be one of the people who stayed behind and helped found Salem even though not on most well known list of the original planters; he is confusingly on some lists and not others, and some lists contain counts that make it clear there were more people and families there than listed.
Thomas Gardner husbandman from Weymouth, Dorsetshire, spring 1623-4 superintendent of planting of the colony sent by Western Adventurers of Dorchester, Entl. Succeeded by Roger Conant also for one year. Settled at Salem. Juryman, town officer, deputy to General court.
m (1) unknown. m (2) 1642 Damaris, widow of ___ Shattuck, who was prominent among the Quakers of the town. (A Shattuck was one of the main accusers in the witch trials, this "dour Quaker" had a son with epilepsy, and he successfully accused each of his neighbors who he didn't get along with of causing it!) Geneal in prep by Frank Augustine Gardner, MD. Sarah APPEARS to be daughter of wife 1. Another version has Sarah daughter of Thomas, merchant, and son of Thomas. But the first version gives Thomas I's will as his source.
This probably came from a web site - but Google cannot find it.
Thomas Gardner, b abt 1592, is said to have emigrated in late 1623-24 or early 1624, sailing from Weymouth, England with an appointment ofrom teh English "Dorchester Company", of which the Rev. John White was leader, to act as overseer of planting operations at Cape Ann while some of the members of that group carried on fishing. He acted as head of the plantation for a year, having thirteen men under him, but the place was so poorly chosen for agricultural purposes, being rocky and unfertile, that failure was ceratin before they began and even the fishing under the direction of John Tilly was not a success that year. The English Company, in discouragement, sent word to Roger Conant then at Nantasket asking him to take over the management of the plantation, bot fishing and planting, which he did but he also found success at that location an impossibility and the Cape An experiement was given up. Conant searched out a locality of fertile soil on the mainland and advised the English Company to authorize a simlar effort at Naumkeag. This plan was carried out in 1626 and Thomas Gardner and his family were among the few who made this removal with Conant as did also our John Balch and John Woodbury. The name of the place was presently changed to Salem and in time Thomas received several tracts of land including one hundred acre farm located at or near what is now Peabody. Thomas became a freeman on May 17, 1637, and was a representative to the General Court that year. His church membership had of course pre eded 1637 and his acquirement of freemanship; and a Margaret who was undoubtedly his wilfe joine dSalem Church in 1639. As early as May, 1639, Tomas received the grant of "a banke of vpland nere the strongwatter brook to his marshh paying 5_ per acre... The locatoin of this in latter day terms places it at the junction of Grove and Main Streets in Peabody and here the Gard ers were buried for several generations. In 1677 the statement was made in court that it "was always called Mr. Gardiner's Hill for this thirty years". But when Grove Street was laid out and the hill cut down such stones as were still standing were remvoed to Harmonh Grove Cemetery and placed in a triangular lot just inside of the Peabody gate.
In March, 1672, Thomas had leased a house and about thirty acres of land to one John Pudney for a seven year period at an annual rental of 11 pounds and two barrels of cidar. Gardner was to furnish the casks for the cidar. Of the 11 pound rental, 4 pounds were to be paid and delivered in wood at eight shillings per cord; forty shillings thereof were to be paid in butter and cheese, of which there was to be one firkin of butter; a se ond forty shilling portion was to be paid in god pork and the remainder of the 11 pounds was to be paid in corn at price current. After the death of Thomas in 1674, Pudney was said to have run behind with his rent adn in 1677 Geroge and Samuel Gardner, the executors of their father's estate, brought suit against him and attached some of Pudney's goods but he rendered an account showing over 19 pounds paid in produce and the jury cleared him. In the meantme a child of Pudney's had died and he took down the fence adn dug a grave for it on Gardkner's Hill. Samuel Gardner rebuilt the fence, filled up the grave, and forbeade the burial there. Pudney defied him by re-digging the grave and completing the burial. The result was several lawsuits in ?April, 1677, in June, 1677, and a third on ein November of that year. Much of testimony was given but the main point of interest at this later date seems to be taht William Trask, one of the "Old Planters", testified that "he never heard that old Mr. Gardiner hindered any from burying their dead there, but he (Gardner) said at several funerals "friends and neighbors doe nott buerey your dead by such a young tree for I Doe desire to be burried there my selfe" and added that Thomas Gardner had been buried by that young tree.
Wife Margaret died at an unknown date and Thhomas married secondly widow Damaris Shattuck (not her maiden name). With the advent of this second wife into the Gardner family, a certain sort of controbersy entered, for she and her children had become either active Quakers or at least favorable to that sect and were frequentoly under criticism for failure to attend the approved religious services, or were before the court and fined for being present at Quaker gatherings. Tehre is no evidence that Thomas was peronally concerned in this tendency but it could not have added peace to his home life to have his wilfe and one or two of his own sons concerned. For Richard Gardner who had married Sarah Shattuck came into disfavor on this score and by 1668 removed with his family to Nantucket; whlie by 1672-3 his brother John and family followed him there. The permanet removal of George Gardner to Hartford, Ct and the death of Joseph in King Phillip's War left only Samuel to carry on the Gardner name in Essex County.
Scattered items of information about Thomas show that in 1660-1 he employed Hugh Jones who referred to Thomas as his "master". After the death of Joshua Conant in England Thomas, his father in law, was appointed administrator of the estate. In April, 1674, he sold his land in the North Neck to Hugh Jones.
The death of Thomas on December 29, 1674, just one month after that of his wife Damaris, suggests the probability of an epidemic of some osrt. The will of Thoams Gardner dated as early as Dec 7, 1668, was not proved untilMarch 29, 16785. The inventory disclosed an estate of over 274 pounds, with but 6 pounds indebtedness. The document provided for his second wife Damaris, who was then living, for his six sons, gave 15 pounds apiece to his daughters Sarah Balch and Seeth Grafton and 5 pounds apiece to the two daughters of his deceased daughter Miram Hill.
The children of Thomas and probably Margaret (Fryer?) Gardner, several of whom were born in England but at unknown dates.
"In the Commonplace Book" ketp by ?Samuel Sewall he recorded between the dates of NOvember 11 and 12, 1682, that "...Wednesday... Mr. Gardner of Salem, who lives p. the Meeting House, going into his Shop after Lecture to open it, as he was hanging up a net of Cotton-wool, fell down dead over his Threshold: which made a great Hubbub". This was apparently Thomas.
Notes:
It is an odd fact that we have two ancestors bearing the name of "Thomas Gardner", one of Essex County whose blood comes to us through the Cutlers and the other of Roxbury whose descnet blends into the Dawes family.
It is stated that the and his wife and three sons probably came in the "Zouch Phenix" with John Balch, Peter Palfrey, John Woodbury et al who settled at Cape aAnn.
Tehre are those who laboriously claim for Thomas the honor of being the first governor of Massachusetts but taht is stretching the truth. He was admittedly the first man given official authority over a small portion of what later became Massachusetts Bay Colony. He served thus for one year, without satisfaction either to himself or his sponsors. His successor Roger Conant had no better success and they were both honorable conscientious men.
The claim has also been made that Thomas Gardner was related to Rev. John White of Dorchester who was so active in planning the colonization at Cape Ann, as well as later similar efforts, but no dependable evidence substantiates a relationship between them, though the reverend gentleman did have a sister who married a Thomas Gardner of England. There are publications which state taht Thomas Gardner (c1592-1674) was the second generation in New England, that an older man of the name came to Xape Ann in 1624 and died in 1635 but diligent search by various students has shon no justification for such a theory.
Margaret, first wife of Thomas Gardner, has persistently been called Fryer or Frier but no evidence to justify the statement has yet been seen nor is the date of her death recorded. Hs second wife was widow Damris (___) Shattuck who died as wife of Thomas at Salem on Nov 28, 1674.
http://bobshannon.org/genes/pafg20.htm and http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~kenzie/GenGardner.htm
2. THOMAS2 GARDNER (THOMAS1) was born 1591 in Dorsetshire, England, and died October 29, 1674 in bur Gardner buring ground, Salem MA (Source: Thomas Gardner Planter and Some of His Descendants, compiled and arranged by Frank A Gardner, MD, 1731, Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., this source mentions the death date as given in the Town Records). He married (1) DEMARIS SHATTUCK. He married (2) MARGARET FRIER, daughter of FRANCIS FRIER.
Notes for THOMAS GARDNER:
Govenor
Thomas Gardner 1591-1674 Governor of Cape Ann Colony 1623 Deputy 1637, Daggett & Skiffe & Butler History of Martha's Vineyard Vol.3
Thomas Gardner and John Tilley were the chief rulers of the Cape Ann Colony during the time which preceded the appointment of Roger Conant as Governor.
Source: Thomas Gardner Planter and Some of His Descendants, compiled and arranged by Frank A Gardner, MD, 1731, Essex Institute, Salem, Mass
Thomas Gardner married twice. We know this from the fact that in his will he mentions his wife as the mother-widow of his sons. The Margaret Gardner, who united with the first Church in 1639, is supposed to have been his wife. Various writers, including Rev. Joseph B. It, have stated that her maiden name was Fryer (or Frier), but the writer has thus far failed to find the authority for this statement.
Rev. Charles Henry Pope, in his "Pioneers of Massachusetts" suggests that the Margaret who united with the Salem Church in 1639, may have been the wife of Edmund Gardner of Ipswich.
While Edmund's wife may have been named Margaret, it seems improbable that she was the one above mentioned as uniting with the Salem church, for the following reasons: Edmund is mentioned in the Ipswich Town Records as early as 1635, and very frequently thereafter. The Ipswich church was organized in 1634 and the wife of a man so prominent in local affairs would, in all probability, have united with the "home church."
His second wife was Damaris Shattuck, a widow, who was admitted to the church in Salem in 1641. She had several children by her first husband, one of whom, Sarah, married Richard Gardner son of Thomas. She, like most of her Shattuck relations, evidently favored the Friends, as she was called into court many times for being "present at a Quaker meeting," and for absence from her own church. In the 9th Mo. 1667, and the 4th Mo. In the year following, "Old Mrs. Gardner was fined 5 shillings for absence from public worship. She had no children by Thomas Gardner. The date of her death is given in the Salem Town Records, as 28, 9, 1674.
Thomas Gardner died the 29th 10th Mo. 1674, and was buried in the Gardiner burying ground, a hillock described as lot III.
The following extract from a deposition made by William Trask in 1677 is of interest in, this connection : "I never heard that Old Mr. Gardiner did hinder any from burring there dead there butt said att severall funeralls to friends & neighbours doe not burrey your dead by fuch a young tree for I doe defire to be burried there my felfe & accordingly to my knowledge he was buried there himselfe."
Thus ended his long and useful life. The writer feels that no eulogy can add to the glory of one who throughout his lifetime was so greatly honored by his fellow pioneers, and filled acceptably so many positions of trust and responsibility. Those were trying times, and Thomas Gardner well earned the high place which he has always held among the Old Planters.
Source: "Early Settlers of Nantucket , Their Associates and Descendants", compiled by Lydia S Hinchman, Pub., Ferris & Leach, 1901
WILLIAM C. FOLGER, in his notes on the Gardner family, makes the following entry: " Farmer, in his Register, says, 'Thomas Gardner came from Scotland;' a Nantucket tradition says he came from Sherborne, in the northern part of the County of Dorset, and that the former name of Nantucket (Sherburne) was given through the influence of his family. There is no question of the fact that they exercised considerable influence over the affairs of the town."
There are few natives of Nantucket who do not claim descent from Thomas Gardner.
From New England History and Genealogical Register, vol. xxv., pp. 48, 49, we learn that "Thomas Gardiner, the first of the Salem stock, came over in 1624 from Dorsetshire, England, near which the name had flourished for more than three centuries, and settled under the auspices of the Dorchester Company and Rev. John White, with thirteen others at Gloucester, Cape Ann, upon the grant of Lord Sheffield to Robert Cushman and Edward Winslow, made in January of that year.
Thomas Gardner, the common ancestor of the Salem-Nantucket Gardners, was born about 1592. He sailed from Weymouth and received an appointment from the Dorchester Company. He came to America in 1624 From Dorchester, England, landing at Stage Point in what is now Gloucester Harbor. Initially settling at Gloucester on Cape Ann, he was an overseer of a plantation. In 1626, the Dorchester Company moved from Cape Ann to the mouth of the Naumkeag River (Salem?). The Massachusetts Bay Colony admitted him as a freeman March 17, 1637. He died in Salem on Oct. 29, 1674. He was a prosperous merchant, a member of the General Court in 1637 an a holder of many town offices. he married twice, first to Margaret, the mother of all his children, and second to a Mrs. Damaris Shattuck. His son married a Shattuck likely the daughter of this woman. His name is listed in the register of the Society of colonial Wars, Connecticut Register. ("Thomas Gardner and Some of his Descendants" by Frank A. Gordon, MD., 1907: Ancestral Records and Portraits, Colonial Dames of America, Chapter 1, page 71).
According to "Passengers and Ships", a Thomas Gardner sailed on the Zouch Phenix with his wife (name not given in 1624. Also sailing on that ship were George Gardner (his son?), Richard Gardner, and Joseph Gardner.
Notes for DEMARIS SHATTUCK:
Source: "Memorials of the Descendants of William Shattuck, the Progentor of the Families in America that have Borne His Name," by Lemuel Shattuck, Pub. Boston: Printed by Dutton and Wentworth, 1855.
THOMAS GARDNER, was born in England about 1592. His place of birth has been given as being Sherborne, Co. Dorset, Eng. however Anderson ascribes his origin simply as the West Country of England. He died on 29 Dec 1674 in Salem, Essex Co., MA.
There is a great deal of confusion concerning the wives of Thomas Gardner. Most older sources assign only two wives with the first, the mother of his children, given as Margaret Fryer. However Robert Charles Anderson in his highly respected "The Great Migration Begins" assigns three wives to Thomas as follows: the name of his first wife, the mother of all of his children is unknown. She came with him to New England, (while Anderson doesn't say when it probably wasn't when Thomas first arrived at the Cape Ann Colony, but later, after he had removed to Naumkeag (Salem)). Wife #1 died, probably in Salem, before 1639. Thomas married (2) Margaret (_____) by 1639; and after her death married (3) the wid. Damaris (_____) Shattuck.[6]
Thomas arrived first on Cape Ann in 1624, as part of the Cape Anne Colony, and removed to Naumkeag (Salem) in 1626. He was an innkeeper in Salem and was apparently literate as he signed his name to several petitions and inventories.[6] Tradition holds that Thomas was the Governor of the Cape Anne Colony, at least for a time.
Farmer confused Thomas with his son Thomas Jr. and mistakenly stated that he came from Scotland. He says of him in part, "an overseer of the plantation at Gloucester 1624, and removed thence Salem, was admitted freeman 1636, representative 1637.." "united. with the Church 1639, freeman 1641, was a selectmen, and d. 1674. His last wife was Damaris Shattuck"[5/117]
" In ordinary affairs Roger Conant next to Endecott, was perhaps still the most important,,and held a more important position in the community than any of the other old Planters, though John Woodbury, Thomas Gardner and Peter Palfrey were sent as deputies to the General Court"[4]
Thomas was a selectman in 1636.[4]
"In 1640 Mr. Hathorne, Robert Moulton and Thomas Gardner furnished bulls to go with the Salem Herd at 20 shillings a season."[4]
"In 1658 Thomas Gardner was on a jury to hear complaints of a disorderly meeting at which two Quaker missionaries were present. Most of the people present were women. The Shattuck family was represented. Samuel Shattuck was fined and imprisoned. He was whipped in Boston where he was imprisoned."[4]
-----
SOURCES:
James Savage, "A Genealogical Dictionary of New England" V.2 p. 228-230
New England Historic and Genealogical Register, v.38, p. 199
Mass. Colony Records, V5 p.517
James Duncan Phillips, "Salem In the 17th Century"
John Farmer, "Register Of The First Settlers Of New England", p. 117
Robert Charles Anderson, "The Great Migration Begins," Vol. 2, pp 731-737, NEHGS, Boston, 1995.
Benjamin Church, "Diary of King Philip's War, 1675-76"
"Nantucket Town Records"
"Macy Genealogy"
Lydia S. Hinchman, "Early Settlers of Nantucket" pp. 78-79, 260
Allen Coffin, LL.B., "YE COFFIN FAMILY", p. 56, 1962
Florence B. Anderson, "A Grandfather For Benjamin Franklin"
General Notes (Wife)
Her name may have been Friar or Fryer and is widely found recorded that way according to Dawes-Gates no evidence has been found to substantiate it.
Notes for MARGARET FRIER:
Source: "Coffin Family Newsletter," Vol. XIII, No.3, Aug. 1997, Whole No. 51
A Father for Margaret Frier, wife of Thomas Gardner
Subscriber Cece Bibby sent us a photocopy of a page from "Batchelor Family Correspondence", that was a letter from Edgar Batchelor. Dated August 2, 1978. Edgar wrote the following:
"I believe I have found the Margaret Frier who married Thomas Gardner. She was baptized 25 Jan 1589, daughter of Francis Frier, in Ixsworth parish, Suffolk England."
The record was located at the Society of Genealogist in London.
[I wonder how Thomas who lived in Dorsetshire on the southwestern coast would have married this woman of common name in Suffolk on the eastern coast maybe thirty to fifty miles north of London; this is not addressed.
Notes (Marriage)
Thomas Gardner married twice; the dates of birth and the mothers of his children is not known; I'm entering unknown and Damaris Shattuck as wives 2 and 3 and the children as children of not known.
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