1st Generation

Charles had married Olive ____ on 1 Mar 1838, in Brownville, Jefferson Co., NY. They were living in Watertown of the same county in 1850 and had 3 sons�Henry (b. cir. 1838), Paschal (b. cir. 1841), and Brayton (b. 1843). They have not been located in subsequent censuses, but in 1862, Olive Gardner, of Freeport, IL, applied for the pension of her son, Elijah H., who enlisted in 1861 and died in the Civil War. In her affidavit, she states that she was abandoned by Charles in 1856 while living in Ridott, Stephenson Co., IL. She said that she had three other sons still living and serving in the U.S. Army. An 1860 census record was found for a Pasco Gardner, 19 NY, living with another family in Ridott, IL.

It doesn�t seem as if her deceased son, Elijah H., would have been born after 1850, because he would be, at most, 11 years old at enlistment. My assumption would be that Elijah H. is the same as Henry, and that another son was born after 1850--but that is just speculation.

A Charles W. Gardner of the right age and born NY has been found living in 1860 Lewis Co., NY with Clarissa Gardner. They are found again in 1870-1880 in Juneau Co., WI. In 1870, he is listed as Wesly Gardner. This is likely him; Olive's pension file states that he is living in NY in 1863.

Henry, Paschal and Elijah have not been found in any census other than the records mentioned. In 1870, an Olive Gardner, age 53, born NY is living in Jefferson Co., MO with a Graff family (this may be her, but it is unknown who the Graff family is). In 1880, Olive, age 65, is living with son Brayton D. Gardner in Denison (Grayson) TX. She collected her pension until January or June 1889.

2nd Generation

He married Addie S. McMurtry on 13 Oct. 1867, in Green County, WI and is described on that record as a carpenter of Freeport, IL. Addie was born in Green Co., Wisconsin on 8 May, 1852, the daughter of Robert Ogden McMurtry & Catherine L. (Hager) McMurtry. Brayton apparently left his young wife for a period, for he is enumerated in Ozark, Franklin Co., AR in 1870 (in his pension file, he mentions living there for 2 years). And, she is listed still living in Green Co., WI, with her young son, Henry, 2, and her supposed adoptive family, William and Mary Baxter (Read about the Robert McMurtry Family here.)

Also, according to Brayton's pension file, shortly after 1870, they moved (together) to Denison, Grayson Co., TX, along with his mother, Olive, where they were enumerated in 1880. But, they must have made a stop in Chetopa, LaBette Co., Kansas along the way, for their daughter Lillian Estelle was born there in 1871. They were listed on the 1880 census with 3 children, Henry, 11, Lillie, 8, and Edgar, 5.

At least by 1887, and maybe as early as 1881, they had made their way to California. In 1900, the last census that Addie is found on, they are both living in Perris, Riverside County, CA, but in separate households. Per her gravestone in Perris Valley Cemetery, Addie died in 1910--a death certificate has not been located. Cemetery records show that she was originally buried in an unnamed cemetery on 7th and G streets in Perris, and was later moved to the current location.

Their son, Henry, predeceased her in 1906 at age 38; he was buried in the same original cemetery and his stone was moved as well. Son Edgar died 29 Dec. 1938, and is buried in the Liberty Veteran�s Cem., Fresno, CA.

In his pension application, Brayton says that he suffered two strokes of paralysis years ago, paralyzing the optic nerve, leaving him almost blind, and that he moves with great difficulty because of rheumatism, and heart and kidney conditions. In 1918, he began living in the soldier�s home in Los Angeles and, in 1920, was said to be suffering from senile dementia. He died there on 8 June 1922 and is buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery.

3rd Generation

LILLIAN ESTELLE GARDNER, MARTIN P. CUTLER and WILLIAM T. NOONAN of CA

Check out the graves of some of these people on my virtual "Cutler Cemetery" with Cutlers, Belyeas, Bishops, Gardners, McMurtrys and others on www.findagrave.com

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