Maria Gardner

Elysa Wallingford has been helping to fill us in a bit about Maria and her family. 

Photo taken by D. J. Gue, Lyons, IA       Maria Gardner
Born March 5, 1820 in South Kingston, RI -- Died June 27, 1912 in Clinton IA

Mary Louisa Pearce Buell

G Q Gardner mentions Aunt Betsey; this is Elizabeth Gardner Larkin, born 1794   

I have a huge family tree that was put together in 1915 by Mary Easton Gaston King and then reproduced by Roy Miller in 1977, my 2nd cousin.  When Mary Easton did this she had Mary as Elizabeth.  At the bottom of the attachment G Q mentions his sister Lizzie, which I think in Mary E.  

Hopefully this will help us find some one with more info. I think  this might be the only family that dropped the I in Gardiner. Sure makes in confusing though.

I found Mary E. Gardiner and Sarah Gardiner living together in the IA 1880 census for Lyons as follows 

Mary E. Gardiner    self  F  S  W  60  RI  Kindergarten Teacher   MA  RI

Sarah Gardiner       sister  F  S  W  43  MA  at home                  MA  CT

Elysa has sent us copies of a letter written by Maria's brother.  In it he states that Maria was born 07 Apr 1820 and died 19 May 1898.  He writes, "Pity some one could not erect some kind of a tomb stone [sic] to her memory.  She was worthy."  I think he would be glad to know that someone did.

He also tells us that Mary Easton Gardner was Maria's aunt.  Mary was born 14 Mar 1790 and died in Lyons 04 Jul 1879.  She was married to Jonathan Langworthy Pearce who was born 16 Sep 1784 and died 05 Jan 1858 in Lyons.

To read the letter of Maria's brother, please click on the small images below.

Gardener Letter Gardener2 Letter

Maria Gardner is author of the journal designated as 'Daily Journal 1862".  It was used as her diary for the years 1863, 1864 and 1865.  What makes this diary update difficult to transcribe is the fact that Maria often makes entrees for all three years on the same page.  It is all written in pencil and some of it is quite light or smudged.

Maria Gardener tombstoneEvidently, the journal and a ring binder of information were given to the Clinton County Historical Society in 1976 by Mildred Gode.

There is a picture of Maria's tombstone in the front of the book.  Her sister Sarah's name is also on the stone.  Maria was born in 1820, so she would have been 43 when she began writing this diary.

1863

January

February