Gardner, Harry, 1797 - 1856
Born in Stonington, Connecticut in 1797, Henry (Harry) Gardner, a Narragansett Indian, was the son of Stephen and Margaret Gardner, who was most likely an Eastern Pequot Indian. Like his brother Clark and sister Lucinda, Harry continued to live in Stonington, appearing in the 1830 census there, aged 24-36, with four in his household. Ten years later, aged 36-55, he is the head of a household of eleven in North Stonington: three boys (one of which was named Marlborough, another Dwight) and three girls under 10 years old, two young men age 10 through 23, one female aged 36 through 54, and a female aged 55 to 99. It is not clear which one of these women was his wife Ann. It is possible that the elder was his mother, Margaret.
On several occasions, Gardner provided care for Eastern Pequots. In October and November of 1843 tribal overseer Ezra Hewitt paid him for keeping Moses Brushell. From April 1845 until when she died in 1849, he was paid to keep Molly Gardner and reimbursed for food and other expenses after her burial. The relationship between Molly and Harry is unknown. But it is possible that she is a sister or daughter but not a wife since Harry had married Mary Bent of Hopkinton, RI on January 6, 1847.
Harry Gardner died in North Stonington, on February 15, 1856, from an inflammation of the bowels. He was 59 years old, a laborer, and still married at the time.
State of R.I. and Providence Plantations, Narragansett Tribe of Indians Report of the Committee of Investigation, A Historical Sketch, Appendix A, p. 71, 81. Brown and Rose, Black Roots, 155. Federal Enumeration of Connecticut (Stonington, 1830; North Stonington, 1840). North Stonington VR(D) 2:3. Sources for this biography also come from the Related Digital Heritage Items listed below.
Born:
1797Died:
February 15, 1856Tribes
Ethnicity