JAMES M. GARDINER, who for
several years conducted a successful livery business in
Chatham, has been a resident of the County of Kent for
fifity years, during which time he has been a prominent,
useful and highly esteemed citizen. The family is of
Scotch extraction, the grandfather of James M. having
been a native of Scotland, where he passed his whole
life. His family consisted of six daughters and one
son, William Gardiner.
William Gardiner was born in
Scotland in 1806, and was married there in 1828 to Jane
Lee, who was born in 1808, a daughter of Daniel Lee, all
of Scottish birth and ancestry. In his native land Mr.
Gardiner was well educated, and followed the vocation of
bookkeeper, and aftter coming coming to Ontario he
taught school, cultivating a farm during the summer
seasons. His first residence was in the County of
Durham, and later he removed to the County of Essex,
where he died in 1891; his wife passed away in 1873.
Politically Mr. Gardiner was a Reformer. Religiously he
followed the teachings of the presbyterian Church. Ten
children were born to William Gardiner and his wife,
namely: John, of Tilbury township; David, of Harwich
township; Margaret, the wife of James Glanders, of the
County of Essex; William, a retired farmer; Nancy, wife
of Thomas Ervin, of the County of Essex; James M.; Murry
F., of Tilbury township,County of Kent; and three who
died young.
James M. Gardiner was born
August 20th, 1844 in the County of Durham, Ontario, and
when ten years of age went to Tilbury township, County
of Kent, where he assisted his father on the farm until
1865, at which time he began farming for himself, on Lot
12, West C.R., township of harwich. There he continued
for thirty years. In 1896 e came to Chatham and
embarked in the livery business in which he engaged
until 1901 with eminent success, enjoying a large amount
of patronage on account of the excellent service he gave
the public. His residence is on Queen street, in
Chatham.
In 1866 Mr. Gardiner was
married to Miss Agnes Ferguson, a daughter of David and
Ann (Murry) Ferguson, and children as follows have been
born to this union: David Lee, who moved to Detroit,
married Nellie Patterson, and they have one son,
Burton. William, who engages in the manufacture of
brick at Blenheim, is unmarried. Annie Bell married
Fred Brundritt, of Harwich township, and has four
children, Stanley, William, Albert and Harold. james
Malcolm, who resides in Detroit, married Alfy Bass and
they have one son, Earl. John Murry, who married Nellie
Tompkins, lives in Romney township, County of Kent, and
they have two children, Harold and Aggie.. Daniel, who
married Aggie Horeston, has two sons, Robert and
Willie. Aggie Lee is now Mrs. Hough. Arthur Malcolm is
engaged with his father in the livery business. jennie,
Mrs. Bedford, has one son, Charles Herbert; she lives at
home. Murry died when young. Henry Burges and Charles
Lawrence are both at home. It is unusual for so large a
family to have but one vacant chair. All of these
children have been afforded excellent advantages of all
kinds, and are among the respected and intelligent
residents of their various localities.
Mr. Gardiner is connected
with several local enterprises of prominence, notably
the Binder-Twine Co., in which he is a stockholder and
the Chatham Sanitarium. His intersts are centered there
and his influence is directed to the upbuilding and
development of the resources, industrial, commercial and
agricultural, of the County of Kent. Politically he is
active in the Reform party. He and his wife are valued
members of the Presbyterian Church.
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