Person:Abel Gardner (1)

ABEL GARDNER & SUSANNAH BRYANT

Abel Gardner, son of Benjamin and Rachel Smith Gardner was born 12 February 1763 in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Nothing is known of his youth until he was twenty. When the Revolutionary War broke out. Abel enlisted on the 13th of July 1781 and was a Private in the Regiment Commanded by Colonel Brooks. Abel was in Captain Zebulon King's Company. Abel Gardner, at the time he enlisted, was 19 years of age. He was 5 feet, 7 inches tall with light brown hair and blue eyes. He enlisted from Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He enlisted under the continental Establishment in the Revolutionary War for the term of three years and joined his regiment at West Point in New York and enrolled in the fifth company. He served his country in 1778 at Rhode Island for 8 months in Capt. Lemuel Wood's company and in 1780 he served six months at West Point & in New Jersey in the 14th Regiment, the Massachusetts Line. On 15 December 1785, Abel married Susannah Bryant in Kingston, Plymouth Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Joshua Bryant and Susannah Randall. Their first five children were born in Massachusetts. No recorded records have been found on the births, year or location, but information has been handed down in family records with no sources. Abel, a blacksmith by trade, moved to Temple, Hillsboro, New Hampshire in 1798, and resided there until 1808 when he moved to New Ipswich. Abel and Susannah's last two children, numbers 12 and 13, Mary Jane and George Bryant were born in New Ipswich. At a later date, Abel moved from New Ipswich to Rindge. In 1820 Abel applied for a Revolutionary War Pension and he reported his family consisted of his wife, Susannah, age 55, who was poor in health, and six children, the children included Olive age 18, Sophia age 16, Rachel 14, Emily 12, Mary 10, and George age 7. Susannah and Abel were the parents of thirteen children three boys and ten girls, three of whom joined the Church and came West with the Saints: Penelope Randall, Rachel Smith, and George Bryant Gardner. (George Bryant Gardner is burried in Woodruff, Arizona.) Susannah Bryant Gardner died 19 July 1833, age 66 years old and was buried in Sharon, Hillsboro, New Hampshire. One year later, Abel married Mrs. Mary Mansfield on 4 June 1834 at Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Abel Gardner's death occurred 20 April 1840 in Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts. He was staying a few weeks with his daughter Rachel Smith Gardner, wife of Hosea Pratt, when he died at her home. A grave was dug for him in Fitchburg but it was later filled and his body transported to Sharon, New Hampshire to be buried next to his first wife, Susannah.

NOTE: Susannah is sometimes mistaken for Lusannah because in writing the "S" it was not closed and appeared as an "L". Abel in applying for his Revolutionary War Pension prints her name as Susannah.

Seal to Parents: 26 May 1955 SLAKE - Salt Lake Utah