Caleb Graham Gardner1,2

b. 20 February 1838, d. 23 February 1915
FatherJeremiah Caleb Gardner3 b. 1 Nov 1799, d. abt 1872
MotherMargaret Montgomery Edmiston3 b. 7 Mar 1804, d. abt 1866
Birth20 Feb 1838 Caleb Graham Gardner was born in Washington County, Virginia. Caleb's date of birth is not consistent across available records, however Feb. 20, 1838 appears to be the most likely date. His brother's family Bible recorded the date as Feb. 20th 1834, but the data was copied from another record and the year is clearly incorrect. Caleb's death certificate uses Feb. 20th, 1837. However, the 1900 census uses Feb. 1838 and Caleb's headstone uses 1838.4,5,6,7 
Cens-185023 Aug 1850 In 1850 Caleb was enumerated in his parent's household in Smyth County, Virginia. Also present were 5 older siblings and 3 younger ones.8 
Cens-186025 Jul 1860 By 1860 the family had migrated to Texas where they briefy spent time in Lamar County before settling in Hunt County.9 
Military30 Apr 1862  Early in the Civil War Caleb enlisted in Company A, 1st Battalion, Texas Sharpshooters. By 1863 he was listed on muster rolls as a corporal. In 1864 the company was involved in skirmishes with the Choctaw Indians in present day Oklahoma, during which Caleb's brother, Walter, lost an arm. In 1927 Caleb's sister Jenny [Gardner] Johnson wrote that she and another brother [Walter] rode horseback from Greenville to Paris, Texas [present day Lamar County - near the Oklahoma border] to see "Gray" as the family called him. "I saw him in his uniform as a Confederate soldier. Never saw him again until war ended, but we heard from him. Am sure he made a good soldier, he came home barefoot."10 
  Another letter in the pension application file was written by a Tom Rattan who titled it, "A tribute and memory". He wrote: "The memory carries me back to the late 50s [1850s] in the then St__ [?] little town of Greenville, Hunt Co. and we as boys at school - happy boys, oh so happy - well we grew up together - our fathers in affluent circumstances and then the war came on and we went to the war in the same company.... both got home safely after many, many hardships.. never knew of Gray Gardner doing a mean [thing]...was a fine scribe.. my best friend..."11 
Marriage24 May 1866 Caleb married Olivia Ann Smith on 24 May 1866 in Tarrant County, Texas.1 
Residence1867  They first settled in Glen Rose (then Hood, now Somervell County, Texas) but moved to the new community of Granbury (Hood Co.) in 1867. Caleb's brother-in-law, Alexander McCamant was the county clerk and had surveyed 40 acres for the new town in 1866. Caleb and Olivia built a log cabin near present day East Bridge Street, on the Lambert Branch of the Brazos River.1 
  There Olivia gave birth to the couple's first child in Dec. 1868. They named him Ralph. He was the first white child born in Granbury. 
Cens-187028 Sep 1870  The 1870 census noted that Caleb was a farmer and stated that he owned land worth $700. Caleb was recorded as "Gray", a variation on his middle name that he appears to have used throughout his life.12 
  At some point the family moved to farmland closer to the town of Acton.13 
Cens-18803 Jun 1880  That may have been where they were living when the 1880 Hood Co. census was enumerated. Four children were listed that June: Ralph (11), Walter (8), David (5) and Samuel (1).14 
  An additional son died at birth in 1877 and was not named.15 
Cens-19001 Jun 1900  When the 1900 federal census was enumerated for Hood County, Caleb was recorded as "C.G. Gardner", a 62 year old male who had been married 34 years and owned his own farm. Olivia, enumerated as "Ollie", was 53 and had also been married 34 years. She reported that she was the mother of 9 children, but that only 6 were living.5 
  This reflects the loss of the infant in 1877, as well as a son Chauncey who died at age 2 in 1893. The 3rd child has not been identified. 
Cens-191022 Apr 1910  By 1910 Caleb was 72; Olivia was 63. They had been married 41 years. Caleb owned his own farm which he ran with the help of sons Samuel (31) and Conrad G., [Pete] age 22.16 
Death23 Feb 1915 Caleb died on 23 Feb 1915 in Acton, Hood County, Texas, at age 77.17,1 
Burial He was buried at Acton Cemetery.6 

Related Links and Images:

Monument in Acton cemetery for Caleb (C.G.) and Olivia (Ollie) Gardner
Memorial to Confederate veterans buried at Acton Cemetery
Find Lamar County on the Texas map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page). Caleb's family spent time here when they first migrated to Texas. They also lived in Hunt County which you can locate on the same map.
Caleb and Olivia married in Tarrant County in 1866. Find it on the Texas map along with Hood County where they spent most of their married lives.

Family

Olivia Ann Smith b. 22 Dec 1846, d. 26 Aug 1933
Children
ChartsDescendants of Jeremiah Gardner and Margaret Edmiston
Last Edited13 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S1656] Ollie Gardner - Texas Confederate Widow's pension application no. 43538, Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas.
  2. [S2981] Ellen Eliza (Lansdown) and Thomas Edmondson Gardner Family Bible, The New Testament (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1859); held in 2012 by the Smyth-Bland Regional Library, Marion, VA. The Bible included a list of children (all in the same script and apparently copied from an earlier record) for Jeremiah Caleb Gardner and Margaret Montgomery Edmondson which contained this entry: Caleb Graham Gardner was born Feb 20th, 1834 [sic], married Olivia Smith.
  3. [S2981] Ellen Eliza (Lansdown) and Thomas Edmondson Gardner Family Bible, The New Testament (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1859); held in 2012 by the Smyth-Bland Regional Library, Marion, VA. Birth data for Caleb Boudish Gardner and Elizabeth Graham, as well as for Jeremiah Caleb Gardner and Margaret Montgomery Edmondson was recorded in the 1859 Lansdown-Gardner Bible. A list of children followed under the title: "Children and grandchildren of the above". The list included (surname Gardner): Mary Elizabeth Graham, Thomas Edmondson, Margaret Jane Buchanan, Sallie Lizalier Lucinda Beach, Susan Wells Sanders, Caleb Graham, India Campbell, Hattie Virginia Montgomery and Jeremiah Walter Clark.
  4. [S1644] Mary Taylor, "Susan Wells Gardner" in History and Families of Somvervell Co., Texas, 1875-2001, p. 310-11. This source lists Caleb's date of birth as 20 Feb. 1838.
  5. [S1556] C.G. Gardner household, 1900 U.S. cens., Hood Co., Ohio, pop. sched., ED 95, sheet 1A (p. 282 stamped), dwelling 9, family 9, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 1 of 30. Enumeration includes: C.G. Gardner, 62, b. Feb. 1838, marr 34 yrs, b. VA, farmer, owns own farm; father b. NY, mother b. VA; Ollie, wife, 53, b. Dec. 1846, marr 34 yrs, b. AL, mother 9 children, 6 living; Sam T., son, 21, b. Aug. 1878 TX, farm laborer; Maggie, dau, 16, b. Apr. 1884; cont. next page: Pete, son, 12, b. Aug. 1887; all children b. TX with father b. VA and mother b. AL.
  6. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Sept. 2012). C.G. Gardner entry, Acton Cemetery, Acton, Hood Co., TX (entry includes photo of stone: "Gardner, C.G. 1838-1915" (Ollie Smith on same stone).
  7. [S1564] "Texas Death Index 1903-2000", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). C.G. Gardner data, viewed Sept. 2006 (cert #3602). Informant: Dave Gardner. Date of birth: Feb. 20, 1837.
  8. [S465] Jeremiah C. Gardner household, 1850 U.S. cens, Smyth Co., VA, pop. sched., District 60, p. 199 stamped (following), dwelling 573, family 580, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 88 of 169. Enumeration reads: Jeremiah C. Gardner, 50, b. NY, farmer; Margaret, 42; Mary E., 24; Thomas E. 22; Margaret J., 20; Sallie L., 18; Susan W., 16; Caleb G., 14; India C., 11; Virginia, 9; Jeremiah W., 4; all b. VA.
  9. [S1551] Jerima C. Gardner household, 1860 U.S. census, Hunt Co., Texas, pop. sched., Beat 4, p. 315 stamped (next page after), dwelling 354, family 354, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 28 of 35. Enumeration includes: Jerima C. Gardner, 60, b. NY, farmer, owns land val $3,000; Margaret, 58; Suasun [sic], 24; Gray, 21, farmer, owns land val at $80; Virginia, 17, Walter, 14; all b. VA.
  10. [S1656] "Affidavit of Mrs. Jennie Johnson, dated 28 Dec. 1927 at Hood Co., TX", Ollie Gardner - Texas Confederate Widow's pension application no. 43538, Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas.
  11. [S1656] "Tom Rattan letter, undated", Ollie Gardner - Texas Confederate Widow's pension application no. 43538, Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas.
  12. [S1645] Gray Garderner household, 1870 U.S. census, Hood Co., Texas, pop. sched., Granbery Post office, p. 42 (original script, dwelling 334, family 340, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2007, image 42 of 65. Enumeration includes: Gray Garderner, 33, farmer, owns real estate of $700, b. VA; Alevia, 28, b. VA; Ralph 1, b. TX.
  13. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address ; Mr. Gardner cites an article titled "First White Baby Also First Agent" written by Phyliss DeRoos for the June 2, 1977 issue of the Hood County News. Ms DeRoos interviewed Margaret (Gardner) Donathan [1884-1981], daughter of Caleb Gardner and Oliva (Smith) Gardner, for the article.
  14. [S1555] Graham Gardner household, 1880 U.S. cens., Hood Co., Texas, pop sched., 4th Justice District, ED 144, page 48 (stamped), dwelling 24, family 20, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 3 of 12. Enumeration includes: Graham Gardner, 41, farmer, b. VA, father b. NY, mother b. VA; Olivia, 33, b. Alabama, father b. NC, mother b. Ga; Ralph __, 11, son; Walter __, 8, son; David G., 5, son; Samuel T., 1, son; all children b. TX, all children's father b. NY, mother b. NC [this was actually the birth place of children's father's father and mother's father].
  15. [S1641] Mildred Thorman and Gayle Murphy, Hood County, Texas Cemetery Inscriptions, p. 213. Stone reported to read: infant son of G.C. and Ollie Gardner, Jul 7, 1877.
  16. [S1557] Caleb G. Gardener [sic] household, 1910 U.S. cens., Hood Co., Texas, pop. sched., Justice Precinct 4, ED 40, sheet 5A (p. 271 stamped), dwelling 79, family 79, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 3006, image 1 of 19. Enumeration includes: Caleb G. Gardener, 72, marr #1, marr 41 yrs, farmer, owns farm, b. VA, father b. NY, mother b. VA; Olivia, wife, 63, marr #1, marr 41 yrs, mother 9 children, 6 living, b. AL; Samuel _, 31, sgl, b. TX, farmer; Conrad G., 22, sgl, farm laborer; Eliza Mauck, sis-in-law, 72, wid, b. AL.
  17. [S1564] "Texas Death Index 1903-2000", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). C.G. Gardner data, viewed Sept. 2006 (cert #3602). Informant: Dave Gardner.
  18. [S2250] "Texas State Death Certificates", database with digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed Jul 2012). Ralph J. Gardner certificate #32582 (digital image); family information provided by Grady Jones.
  19. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address ; Mr. Gardner visited Hood Co. and Acton Cemetery in Oct. 1950. His notes from that trip report an infant daughter born to Caleb Graham Gardner Olivia (Smith) Gardner who was born in 1876 and who died 7 July 1877. She was buried in Crocket Memorial [Acton] Cemetery.
  20. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address.