GARDNER

Thomas Gardner, called the Planter, the common ancestor of the Salem & Nantucket Gardners, was born in England in 1592 but where is not definitely known. He came to America in 1624 in the ship Charity and settled at Salem, Mass. In 1637 he was appointed to survey "all ffences west of the meeting house". In 1636 he was a member of the First Church. He was also engaged by the projectors of Cape Ann settlement to oversee the fisheries. By his first wife Margaret Frier he had nine children of whom two interest us; Richard and John. He married for his second wife Damaris Strattuck, a widow and Richard, son of Thomas married her daughter by her first husband, her name being Sarah. She was a Quaker and had considerable trouble with the authorities on account of her belief. Richard Gardner and his wife therefor decided to shake the Salem dust off their feet and repaired to more congenial surroundings. They married in 1652 and in 1666 the following resolution was passed at a meeting of the inhabitants of Nantucket:

" A grant was made to Richard Gardner halfe accommodacons according to the grants made to Seamen and Tradesmen upon condition that hee exercise himselfe as a sea man & that hee come to inhabitt here with his ffamily before the end of May 1688 and after that his entrance here not to depart the Island in Point of dwelling for the space of three years upon forfeiture of the grant aforsaid"

In 1672 chosen by the town to act as Towns messenger to proceed to New York and dispose of the town fish. April 15, 1673 he was appointed Chief Magistrate by Governor Lovelace according to Folger. Richard was a man of very good abilities, he was called long headed by his brother John from his sense of the profoundness of judgement. Richard & Sarah had ten children, five of whom are connected with our ancestry:

Now James seems to have been unfortunate or shall we say fortunate. He had four wives. Not all at one time but consecutively so to speak and then he gloried in "Widders" for his second wife Rachel Brown, widow of John and the daughter of his Uncle Capt. John so she was a cousin. Thirdly he tries Patience Harker, daughter of Peter Folger and lastly Mary Pinkham, widow of Richard Pinkham and daughter of James Coffin and Mary Severance, and then died at the early age of 59. Wether his last wife survived him is not known.

Captain John Gardner, son of Thomas & Margaret and brother of Richard, of whom I have just written was born in 1624 and was invited by the Nantucket authorities to come to the Island and "Sett up trade for the taking of Codfish". He was granted a share on his agreement to stay there three years. John Gardner was a man of strong and forceful personality and he soon became one of the most prominent men in the settlement. In 1673, Governor Lovelace appointed him "Captain" and Chief Military Officer of the Ffort Company and he was at various times Selectman, Treasurer, Judge of Probate, Chief Magistrate and Deputy of New York.

Before Gardner arrival, Tristnam Coffin had been the leading spirit politically and little was done by the settlers without his sanction and approval. Soon there was trouble between Tristnam & Captain John Gardner and they locked horns.

He was the Chief Magistrate for the years 1680-82 & 1684. It was said of him "In the history of Nantucket John Gardner stands as the greatest of all men who had to do with the beginning of Nantucket. He had genius as a leader and his ability was recognized by the Governor in appointing him Chief Magistrate".

In front of the ancient site of the Old Friends Meeting House lies the Old Friends Burial Cemetery and there stands today one single stone which marks Captain Gardner’s Burial with the following inscription:

"Here lyes Buried ye body of John Gardner age 82. Who died May 1706"