Person:John Garde (2)

b. 1618 Bideford, ENGLAND - Arrived in America: 1637 - Merchant in Bath, Later moved to Newport, Rhode Island, later of Boston, Massachusetts. Alive in 1688 when he sold a ship to his Brother-in-law William TETHERLY. John may have had a son: William GARDE - a sea Captain from Boston 1660-1680's.

Rachel (GARD) CARTTER of Milwaukee, Wisconsin wrote that John GARDE of Rhode Island did indeed marry Martha BRENTON. (No Reference). Twice in will of William BRENTON he speaks of John GARD deceased (will made 9 Feb 1673) and he also speaks of land in "Conanicut".

3. John Gard was baptized on 8 Nov. 1618 at Bideford, Devon. Based on a deed dated 1668 he married a sister of William Tetherley, jr., possibly Mary, baptized 3 Feb. 1627 at Northam, Devon, daughter of William and Christian (Thorne) Tetherley. Northam is a parish adjacent to Bideford. Prior to 1664, when he sold his ship, John Gard was evidently a mariner and ship's master. He first appears in New England in 1662 when he took a quit claim to Roger Gard's land in Maine from John and Mary Davis. In this record he is called a merchant of Boston. By 1664 John Gard had settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where from 1664 to 1667 he served as deputy for the town to the Rhode Island government and as an Assistant to the Governor. When he sold his ship Exchange to William Tetherley at Boston in 1664 he is described as a merchant of Rhode Island [Suffolk Co., Mass. Deeds (SD), Vol. 7, p. 71]. On 4 June 1668 he discharged the bill of sale for the Exchange to William Tetherley of Bideford, Devon, "now in Boston" who is described therein as his "brother-in-law" [SD Vol. 7, p. 72]. Since William Tetherley apparently never married, this is taken to mean that John Gard married Tetherley's sister [GDMNH, p.252]. The sale of the Exchange was recorded in Sept. 1671 immediately following a deed in which William Brenton sold land in Scituate to John Man [SD Vol. 7, p. 70]. The fact that these deeds were recorded sequentially in the record book is significant because it supports the conclusion that the John Gard who called William Tetherley his brother-in law in 1668 is the same John Gard who was described by William Brenton as his son-in-law in 1667. On 16 Dec. 1667 William Brenton, Governor of Rhode Island, deeded land to John Gard, stating that Gard had been married to Brenton's daughter Martha, deceased. [Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island (GDRI) by John Osborne Austin with corrections and additions by G. Andrews Moriarty, 1969]. The conjecture that Martha Brenton's husband John Gard might have been an otherwise unknown son of the older John Gard of Newport [TAG Vol. 20, p. 109] clearly has no evidence to support it.

How is it possible that John Gard was both the son-in-law of William Brenton and the brother-in-law of William Tetherley in records dated less than six months apart? Since William Tetherley was not married to a sister of John Gard or to a daughter of William Brenton, the only reasonable explanation is that John Gard had been married twice. Based on a comparison of the ages of William Tetherley's sister vs. William Brenton's daughter Martha, John Gard undoubtedly married Tetherley's sister first, probably in the early 1640's. Martha Brenton was significantly younger than John Gard and he probably married her in the early 1660's. So then, if William Tetherly's sister was deceased, why was John Gard still calling Tetherley his "brother-in-law" in 1668? Also puzzling is Brenton's gift of land to his "son-in-law" John Gard after the decease of Brenton's daughter Martha. The most reasonable explanation for the continued use of these terms describing family relationships between John Gard and these other two men is that he continued to be related to each of them through the otherwise undocumented children which John Tetherley's sister and William Brenton's daughter Martha must have had by John Gard Sadly, it is clear from William Brenton's will of 9 Feb. 1673/74 [GDRI] that John Gard's child or children by Martha must have died prior to the date of the will. In his will, William Brenton gives the property he had previously given to Mr. John Gard, deceased, to his daughter Mehitable. If this property had been an unconditional gift from Brenton to Gard it would not have reverted to Brenton's ownership upon the death of Gard. Therefore, the inheritance of this property must have had restrictions such as "to the bodily heirs of Martha, daughter of William Brenton". Just as the original gift of the property implied that John Gard had, by Martha, a child who was living on 16 Dec. 1667, so the reversion of the property to Brenton implies that the child had died by 9 Feb. 1673/74. It is unfortunate that one noted genealogist concluded from the reversion of this property to William Brenton that John Gard died without issue [TAG Vol. 32, p. 38]. The proper conclusion is that he had no surviving issue by Martha Brenton. As for John Gard's children by (Mary?) Tetherley, the logical candidates are William Gard of Boston, Massachusetts and John Gard of New London and Stonington, Connecticut. His connections with Boston are apparent from the foregoing discussion, and there is at least one record which connects him with New London, via his father-in-law. "In 1661 a vessel was built by John Elderkin on the account of William Brenton, of Newport", [History of NewLondon (HNL) by Frances M. Caulkins, 1895, p.231]. An interesting but indirect connection between John Gard and New London comes from the fact that John Lamb, to whom John Gard sold his Maine property in 1662, moved to New London by 1666 [GDMNH, p. 408].

Some confusion has arisen in connection with John Champlin's 1673 inheritance of a house in Newport, RI formerly belonging to one of the two John Gards of Rhode Island. Although it is not certain, it seems likely that since the younger John Gard was a resident of Portsmouth, it was the older John Gard of Newport from whom John Champlin received this inheritance.

Probable children of John Gard by his first wife (Mary?) Tetherley: 5. i. William, born 1642-1643; married Maria Jameson. 6. ii. John, born about 1645; married Isabel/Isabella _____. Two additional children, baptized at Bideford, Devon as children of John "Gord" or "Goorde", may actually belong to this John Gard: (iii.) Christian, bpt. 28 Aug. 1646 (iv.) Isaac, bpt. 13 March 1650/51

John Gard probably had only one child by his second wife Martha Brenton (Burton): v. (name unknown), born before Dec. 1667; died before Feb. 1673/74.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~patmount/Gardregister.html

BIRTH: 1) Parish registers of Alvington Co, Devon, England http://www.angelfire.com/wa3/gardline/html/fam00267.htm

IGI Lists:

    Joseph GARD   Sex:  M
Event(s):
Misc:  Abt. 1648
 Of, Stonington, New London, Connecticut

Parents:

Father:  John GARDE
Mother:  Mary FITHERY

Source Information:

 Batch number:   F500916 Source Call No. 1396475  Type:  Film   Sheet: 32

In Stonington, CT "First Congregational Church 1674-1874" by Richard A WHEELER (Pub. 1875) the following baptisms by the Reverend James NOYES are recorded:

6 Aug 1699 Mary, Wife of Joseph GARD (baptised)
6 Aug 1699 Joseph and Mary, Children of Joseph and Mary GARD, baptised 25 Aug

1700 Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph GARD, baptised. 18 Apr 1703 Elisha, son of Joseph GARD, baptised. 19 Apr 1705 William, son of Joseph GARD, baptised. 13 Oct 1707 Joseph GARD, an adult, baptised.

9 Nov 1707 Daniel GARD, an adult, baptised.

15 May 1709 Judith, daughter of Joseph GARD, baptised. 15 May 1709 Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph GARD, baptised. (1st Elizabeth Died?) 10 Jun 1711 Daniel, son of Joseph GARD, baptised.

This church was organized 67 Mar 1674 by nine people. The name of GARD is not among them.

"The American Genealogist" Whole Number 123, Volume 31. Number 3 July 1955:

p.144 - John COLVER of Groton conveyed 20 Jan 1724/5 (which was shortly befoe his death) to his son David of Groton all his rights in the town. (Groton Deeds, Vol?:155) David sold 19 May 1725 a wood lot that belonged to Joseph GARD late deceased of Groton; and the 26 Apr 17-- Mary GUARD, Elisha GUARD, William GUARD, Elizabeth GUARD, and David and Mary COLLVER, conveyed an acre which had been bought by Jospeh GARD, dec'd. (ibid 2:169,384) David CULVER was a cordwainer (shoemaker).

From a letter by Nellie A GARD dated 25 Oct 1970: "THE LYONS MEMORIAL" 2 Volumes says the parents of Jeremiah were Joseph & Mary of Stoningtown, Connecticut. Joseph the son of John and John the son of Roger GARDE, recorder of York, Maine. That has not been proven, and I doubt if it can be proven. I have researched fairly extensively on the name (GARD) at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society library and elsewhere. I recently sent a carbon of my typed notes to Dr Claude BARLOW, F.A.G.S. at Norcest, Mass, who has worked with me for two years to see if he could unearth anything I haven't found. There were several GARD immigrants to N.C., VA, N.Y.

City, Mass, R.I. and Maine 1623-1850 (or so).

New and Complete Gazetteer of the U.S. (1854), p.1115 STONINGTON, a post-borough and port of entry of New London county, Connecticut, on the seacoast, at the southern terminus of the Stonington railroad, 63 miles E. from New Haven, and 50 miles S. S. W. from Providence. It is built on a peninsula somewhat more than half a mile in length from N. to S., and contains 5 churches of the various denominations, several flourishing schools, 2 banks, with an aggregate capital of $160,000; a savings' institution, with $46,182 on deposite, and about 20 stores. Manufactures have recently been introduced; one large establishment has gone into operation here the present season, (1853.) Stonington is much resorted to during the summer months as a watering-place, and a first-class hotel has been erected for the accommodation of visitors. The harbor of Stonington is capacious, and partly protected by a national breakwater, constructed at a cost of $100,000. Previous to 1835, the inhabitants were extensively and profitably engaged in various enterprises of navigation, principally in the sealing and whaling business. Some years as many as 100,000 seal skins were brought into port. The fleet of whalers at one time numbered 27 ships and barques. Sealing has of late been discontinued, but the whale fishery is still carried on to advantage. The borough has also an important coast trade. The shipping owned in the district which includes Stonington borough, Pawcatuck, and Mystic, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 15,106 46/95 tons registered, and 8055 56/95 tons enrolled and licensed?l, 23,162 7/95 tons. Of the registered tonnage, 10,031 38/95 tons were employed in the whale fishery, and of the enrolled and licensed, 5798 81/95 tons were employed in the coast trade, and 1784 73/95 tons in the codfishery. The foreign arrivals for the year were 10, (tons, 2489;) and the clearances for foreign ports, 19, (tons, 5329,) of which 18 (tons, 5248) were by American vessels. During the year, 15 vessels, (3 of them ships,) with an aggregate burthen of 3259 26/95 tons, were admeasured. The Stonington railroad, which commenced its operations in 1835, was the first constructed in the state. Stonington has steamboat communication with New York, Providence, and other places along the coast. The town is celebrated for the spirited and successful resistance it made against the attack of Sir Thomas Hardy, during the war of 1812. Settled in 1649, and incorporated as a borough in 1801. Population of the township in 1840, 3898; in 1850, 5431, and of the borough in 1853, about 2800.