Gardner in Jefferson Co., NY and Cuyahoga, Medina and Trumbull Cos., OH, United States

The earliest known Gardner begins with Monroe Madison GARDNER b 24 Apr 1822 in Sackets Harbor, Jefferson, NY who was raised by his uncle, Jonathan GARDNER b ca 1778 in CT/MA. By family lore, Monroe's father was a sailor on the St. Lawrence Seaway and may have served in the War of 1812; his mother's maiden surname was a French version of the name GARDNER, and this family may... a generation or two back...have been Canadian. GORDINIER is most likely her surname. Monroe GARDNER came to the west side of Cleveland, Ohio in the 1840's, became a ship's carpenter and married (1) Ann Eliza SEAMAN in Jan 1849; 3 children were born to them. In December 1851 his 1st wife and a child died and were buried in the Erie Street Cemetery. Monroe remarried in 1852, Martha A. TANNER born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England and moved to Litchfield, Medina, Ohio enlisting in the Civil War in 1862. Ironically they owned a tannery in the center of Litchfield.

His son, Charles Clement GARDNER, a carriage maker, after marrying Eva Louise MCLEAN and the birth of 6 children, purchased a farm in Greene, Trumbull, Ohio. The road on which their farmhouse stands is still called Barclay-Gardner Road. His son, Herbert my grandfather lived till nearly 98, and my father, Ernest saw his 90th year.