Washington W Gardner

GARDNER, SIMAR, BURR

Posted By: Don Gardner (email)
Date: 6/24/2003 at 20:43:35

Rock Rapids, Iowa, Thursday, April 3, 1913

CAPTAIN GARDNER DEAD
ROCK RAPIDS REPORTER

Old Time Resident of Rock Rapids Called Saturday - - Was a Veteran of Famous Vicksburg Campaign.

Captain W.W. Gardner, one of the best known of the old time residents of Rock Rapids, and one of the earliest of the grain dealers in this county, passed away at his home in this city Saturday morning at 5 o’clock following a long illness of kidney trouble and complications. The funeral was held from the late home Sunday afternoon, services being conducted by Rev. Amos Burr pastor of the Christian church. At Riverview cemetery members of the G.A.R. and W.R.C. were in charge, and burial was with military honors. The casket was draped with the national flag, a bugler blew “Taps”, and a parting salute was fired over the open grave. A large number of friends attended the service at the home and despite the most unpleasant weather; a large number accompanied the remains on their last journey.

Washington W. Gardner was born at Howard, Center County, Penn. On the 12th day of September, 1839. His father was engaged in the lumber business and Mr. Gardner’s earliest work was as his father’s assistant. In the year 1855 the family moved to West Union, Iowa, and engaged in farming. Here Mr. Gardner passed through the various grades and finally graduated with honors from the high school.

At the breaking out of the civil war he was one of the first to respond, enlisting in Co. C. 1st Battalion, 13th United States Regulars in the infantry branch of the service, and was assigned to Missouri, with Jefferson barracks as headquarters. With this regiment and later with the 100th U.S. Colored Infantry, he served faithfully throughout the whole period of the war. From Private he was promoted successively through the various grades until he was given a commission as captain. The regiment in which he served passed through some of the fiercest battles of the war, and the 13th regulars were accredited with being the first to plant their colors upon the ramparts of Vicksburg when the city capitulated on the 4th of July, 1863. So severe was the fighting about this city that in one charge the 13th lost forty-four per cent of the men in line. Throughout the whole period of Mr. Gardner’s service he was kept actively engaged and always at the front.

At the close of the war Captain Gardner returned to Auburn, Iowa, where he engaged in the milling business and where on the 8th day of April, 1866 he was united in marriage with Emma C. Simar. In 1873 he removed to Elgin and engaged in the grain business, and in the year 1880 he located in Rock Rapids, where he erected the first grain elevator on the line of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railroad, later building elevators in other towns near this place. About twelve years ago he assumed charge of the city scale of this place, which position he occupied until his eyesight failed about the middle of last November. About the first of January of this present he was taken to his bed with the illness that culminated in his demise, and from that time he has gradually failed until the end came last Saturday morning, March 29th, when he passed peacefully away.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardner were the parents of eight children, four of whom are deceased. Those who remain besides the faithful wife and mother, are Clint, Dan and Kittie, of this place, and Don of Makoti, N.D.