Benjamin Brown Gardner

We're working on an article about Benjamin Brown Gardner who was the grandfather of Dr. Frank A. and who was married to Lucy Foster Wilson (see image of tombstone, below). While doing the research, we have started to fill an ahnentafel (see draft).

One name that came up was Nathaniel Eaton (#84) whose story has been told many times and ways; these stories, too, lead to even many more interpretations. So, we will have to weigh in, from the position of descendants.

For now, here is a little preview.

Padua 

• Nathaniel was an interesting character who deserves more study. He was the brother of Theophilus Eaton (Deputy Governor of the Eastland Company) and of Samuel Eaton (A.B. Harvard 1649) and a scholar. 
• He was the “first head of Harvard College; removed from office September 1639, fled to Virginia, ... took degrees of Ph.D. and M.D. at Padua in 1647” and was arrested for debt.  
• After the move to Virginia in 1640, he sent for his wife and kids; their ship disappeared, and Nathaniel's family never arrived.  
• Nathaniel's son, Benoni, was left behind, when his mother left for Virginia, in Cambridge under the care of Dea. Chesholme and the Church and has descendants.   

As with many persons who are not around to argue their position, a lot has been said and written without retort or clarification. Per usual, we are gathering all that we can find. However, even in the discovery state, the discussion can proceed.

Remarks: Modified: 11/03/2021

01/21/2015 - All sorts of juxtapositions existed then which can tell us about now (nothing new under the sun?). Nathaniel's life seems a crux of several of these. His accomplishments at the University of Padua denote talent that is beyond the norm. Was his experience "the first witch hunt" as some claim? "Just what are the real tales" and "how we ought to view them?" are still open issues. ... As said, we are gathering all references to Nathaniel that we can find, in order to tell the definitive story (as much as we can, so long after the fact). ... The WSJ, last year, reviewed 'Ebony & Ivy' in which we see that Nathaniel owned a slave who served Harvard students. Too, though, note one student, later, talking of trading slaves from his dorm room. Also, an abolitionist thrown out due to his view in the 1830s? 'Bondage' is the theme, in one sense, as in, are we not all bond servants of something (note: are birds free from the chains of the skyway? - or such, thanks BD). ... One fact? The 400th will be much more interesting than the anniversary a century ago. Have you noticed all of the Magna Charta (800th, this year) mentions coming out of the woodwork? ... Speaking of which: Harvard and Slavery (event).

01/21/2015 -- Nathaniel Knapp, grandson of Benoni Eaton.

01/22/2015 -- Eaton Genealogy. ... Nice writeup on Nathaniel.

01/24/2015 -- February 2015 issue of TEG will have the article on BBG which shows his line to Nathaniel.

02/07/2015 -- In the What-is-new folder, added a mention of a preview of the upcoming TEG issue and of Henry Howland Crapo (Certain Comeoverers Vol II) who is a Nathaniel descendant.

02/27/2015 -- See TEG, Vol. 35, No. 1 (also TGA, Vol. II, No. 1 - pg 6). Discussion continues.

03/12/2015 -- Grave stone, Harmony Grove Cemetery, Dr. Frank's grandmother. See above for her sourced ahnentafel.

11/03/2021 -- Added link to post on Lucy Foster Wilson Gardner with a portrait of her. 

Zouch Phoenix

Note: See this post: In summary. We have new information about the baptisms of the children and are in the process of researching to establish a proper narrative. For now, see comments at the WikiTree profile for Thomas Gardner. We will start with Rev. Hubbard who was there (1680 manuscript). 

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Work until last week, for the most part, used Dr. Frank A.'s 1907 book. Why? It was available on-line at several places. Last week, we found out that the 1933 book is available, too (post on Heather's brick wall - Benjamin Gardner). It was so good to see this book so that we can continue apace.

Here is the link:

babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89066147570;view=1up;seq=1

By this time, Dr. Frank A. had gathered a little more information (26 years of work). He mentions the ship on which the family came. And, the Zouch Phoenix is on the list of ships at the Weymouth, UK site.

Notice that the UK site says that the family of Martock, Somerset. Earlier, we saw a Thomas and Margaret married in Sherborne, Dorset. These two places are only about 14 miles apart.

Also, there is a list of passengers:

Thomas Gardner and his wife, George Gardner, Richard Gardner, Joseph Gardner (all either of Weymouth or of Martock, Somerset), John Balch of Horton, Somerset, Mrs Agnes Balch, Benjamin Balch, John Balch, Thomas Gray, Walter Knight, William Trask of East Coker, Somerset, John Tilley, Peter Palfrey of Horton, Somerset, John Woodbury of Dorchester, Dorset.

Supposedly, there were some people were left at Cape Ann in the fall of 1623 to over winter. This needs a little more attention.

Remarks: Modified: 06/20/2023

02/27/2015 -- Discussion continues.

03/03/2015 -- We have more questions than answers (actually, the preferred state as it motivates more study). Looking at the passenger list, we see Joseph. Dr. Frank has him being born after Samuel. Where is son Thomas who was firstborn (do we have a transcription problem here?)?

07/12/2015 -- Okay, turtle speed. But, we get there. Announcing a new project: Sherborne, Dorset. No doubt, it is about time. When finished with the data collection and analysis, we will present the strongest story (the prerogative of the family) that the facts, and abductive reasoning, will support. As such, we hope to demonstrate some very much needed research viewpoints.

07/12/2015 -- We mention abductive approaches (my career was spent in advanced computing - software and modelling, essentially). Please refer, at least, to C.S. Peirce's (we mentioned him in an earlier post - Benjamin Peirce) work in the area. [Love it: From Ugly Duckling to Swan]

03/14/2019 -- Added image for the index on our portal to truth.

03/19/2022 -- Nice to see research on the family of John Tilly. NEHGR, Winter, 2022 has an article on John and his family by Clifford L. Stott. The title is "Rev. William Tilley of Broadwindsor, Dorset, and His Sons in New England: John, Nathaniel, and William." Identifies his child and more. 

06/20/2023 -- Added note about our research and the expected new narrative. 

Benjamin Gardner

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, descendant of Thomas and Margaret through Sarah Balch, has documented a "brick wall" (see below list, Surname Saturday - 3 Jan 2015) regarding Benjamin Gardner (ca 1720 - 1797) of Boston and Salem (MA) who was known to, and mentioned in the diary of, Rev. William Bentley. The following links summarize, briefly, what has been written so far.

• esog.org (22 Aug 2007) - Post at the Essex Society of Genealogists' site. (3/5/17 - gone stale)
• ...
• Amanuensis Monday - Excerpts from Rev:William Bentley's Diary (20 Sep 2010) - Includes references to the Rev's remarks. 
• Amanuensis Monday - A mystery from Rev. Bentley's diary (27 Sep 2010) - More references. 
• The West End Museum of Boston (12 Oct 2012) - Benjamin was a ropemaker. The post mentions that a large amount of material has been amassed about Benjamin. 
• Surname Saturday ~ HITCHINGS of Lynn, Massachusetts - In generation six, daughter, Mary Gardner, married Abijah Hitchings. 
• My Top Ten Genea-Mysteries (17 Nov 2014) - Benjamin is on the list. 
• Surname Saturday  ~ GARDNER of Salem, Massachusetts (3 Jan 2015) -- Shows line to Thomas and Margaret; also includes two generations related to Benjamin's family.  
•  ...
• Nutfield Genealogy - Gardner label - fifteen posts
• ...

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Links added after the initial post (in chronological order by the posting). 

• Ancestry board (8 Dec 2003) -- Hitchings connection, Benjamin's daughter married into the family.  
• Ancestry board (10 Jul 2007) -- Information about the puzzle. 
• ...

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Gardner Research has a lot of interest in how Gardner families might relate or not.  

Remarks: Modified: 03/05/2017

01/03/2015 - Note, Dr. Frank A.'s Gardner Memorial book is digitized and on-line (Hathi Trust). I have been using the 1907 book since it is digitally available. From a brief review of this later book, I can see that Dr. Frank A. made some additions related to Thomas, specifically, as one would expect given the time lapse from 1907 to 1933. So, expect comments, and articles, on differences (see the table of person in the books, side by side). The latter book, Memorial, followed George's line. The first book detailed Dr. Frank A.'s lineage and a few others. Expect an article soon with information about Nathaniel Eaton, who is in the line of Benjamin Brown Gardner.

01/06/2015 -- Verified that the links were going to the right place. Adding links as I find them during a get-acquainted set of searches.

The Gardner Jonah

The New England Historical Society has an interesting site (powered by WordPress). I ran across it, again, today, and could not resist this story. There are others of interest, too.

A whaler from Nantucket, Captain Edmund Gardner, fell overboard into "the mouth of a sperm whale" and survived to write about the incident. Edmund suffered some injuries, such as a whale tooth "entering his skull."

Edmund is a descendant of Thomas and Margaret, through both John and Richard. John M. Bullard wrote the story of his life (included is genealogical material).

• Bullard, J.M. (1958) Captain Edmund Gardner of Nantucket and New Bedford: His Journal and His Family The Cabinet Press, Milford, NH

The book is offered via "Plough Boy Journals" provided through the facilities of the University of Denver website.

Remarks: Modified: 01/02/2015

01/02/2015 -