Gardner, Antone F. 1834 -1894

GARDNER, HANSE, DEBOLT, MEYER

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/25/2014 at 21:01:23

ANTONE F. GARDNER

Although nineteen years have passed since Antone F. Gardner died in his home in Festina, there are many who yet remember his many sterling qualities of mind and character and who cherish the memory of his honorable and upright life. He was a native of France, born on the 2d of February, 1834, and he was sixty years of age at the time of his death. He spent his childhood in his native country and in 1844 came to America, locating first in New Orleans where he learned the coopering trade, afterwards working at it in that city until 1856. In that year he took up his residence in Old Mission, Winneshiek County, among the early settlers in that section and there for many years he followed his trade, making butter tubs and barrels. He became well and favorably known in that part of the county and witnessed a great deal of its early development, assisting in the work of progress and growth to the extent of his ability and his opportunities. Eventually, however, he moved into Festina and in that city established a brewery which under his able management became one of the largest industries of its kind in this section of the state, each year witnessing its further expansion, development and growth. The victory of the Prohibition Party in Iowa spelled almost complete ruin for Mr. Gardner who had invested his entire fortune in his enterprise, in the failure of which he lost over thirty thousand dollars. He did not allow this disaster to darken his life, however, but to the end of his days remained a highly honored, esteemed and respected resident of Festina, where his death occurred on the 6th of March, 1894.

Antone F. Gardner married Miss Mary Hanse, a daughter of Frank A. and Catherine (Debolt) Hanse, natives of France who spent their entire lives in that country and there died. Mrs. Gardner crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel in company with her brother when she was twenty-one years of age and landed at New Orleans, Louisiana, where three months later her marriage occurred. With her husband she came as a pioneer into Iowa, braving the hardships and difficulties of frontier life, and she has many interesting memories of those early times when the Indians were plentiful around Old Mission and wild game abounded in the forests. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner had no children of their own but adopted a daughter, Dora, now the wife of Martin A. Meyer of Fort Atkinson.

Living in Winneshiek county from early pioneer times, and identifying himself closely with the general interests of this part of the state, Antone F. Gardner became widely and favorably known, his important accomplishments winning him prominence in the field of business and his many sterling qualities of mind and character gaining the esteem, respect and confidence of all who were in any way associated with him. At all times he took an intelligent and active interest in community affairs, supporting with his cooperation many measures and projects of advancement and growth and thus it was that a life of genuine and unostentatious usefulness was brought to a close when on the 6th of March, 1894, he passed away.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark publishing Company 1913