In 2019 a picture of Leonard Gardner and Harriet Russell's tombstone was posted via FindaGrave.com, which had his birth date as 1815. I went back through baptismal records in Quebec to see if I could find a match with this date, and I found one for 1815 in Lachine, Quebec with a possible set of parents:
Francios Gagne dit Gagnier and Marie Louise Duquet.
With this information I know now that Pierre Gagne (son of Louis Gagne and Marie Launay, born in 1610 Perch, France), his wife Margarite Rouzee and his son Louis Gagne are our family's first immigrants, arriving in Quebec in 1653.
Louis Gagne married Louise Picard in 1673. Her father Jean Picard arrived in 1645 from France, and her mother Marie Caron was born in Quebec in 1638; a year after her parents arrived from France. They married in Quebec in 1656.
Leonard Gagne dit Gagnier emigrated from Quebec, Canada to New York sometime after 1825 but before 1842, for it was then that he married a woman named Harriet Russell. This was around the time that he changed his name to Gardnier. Harriet was born in Canada and immigrated to New York in 1830 at the age of 7. Her mother, Elizabeth, was from Ireland, and her father, James, was from England.
Leonard Gagne dit Gagnier emigrated from Quebec, Canada to New York sometime after 1825 but before 1842, for it was then that he married a woman named Harriet Russell. This was around the time that he changed his name to Gardnier. Harriet was born in Canada and immigrated to New York in 1830 at the age of 7. Her mother, Elizabeth, was from Ireland, and her father, James, was from England.
Leonard and Harriet’s first residence on record is in the Town of Rome, Oneida
County, New York. The Town of Rome, New York is the place the Erie Canal
began in 1817; one crew digging towards the Hudson River in the east and one
digging towards Lake Erie in the west, until in 1825 the canal opened
for business. This
was about the time Leonard came into the United States. In those early days, it
was often sarcastically referred to as "Clinton's Big Ditch". When
completed, however, the Erie Canal was an engineering marvel of its day, and
some called it the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. The rivers from Canada into Lake
Erie were how the Canadians traveled, and the new canal brought people inland
to Albany, New York.
Per the 1855 State Census they had lived in that particular home since 1848.
Leonard declares, on that Census, that he was a Naturalized citizen that he
could read English, but was not able to write, and that he was a Shoemaker as his
occupation. Leonard was also a member of the Freemasons.
Francis “Frank” A. Gardner was born to Leonard and Harriet in October of 1853.
He and five of his brothers and sisters were baptized at the St. Peter’s
Catholic Church of Rome, Oneida, New York between the years of 1849 to 1861.
After that time, the family moved to the Town of Deerfield, Oneida County, New
York and bought a house on Deerfield Road. This area later became part of Utica
County. In 1870, Frank turned 17 and was working as a Grocery Clerk. In 1874, at the age of 21, he married Mary E.
Mandeville.
Leonard died on the 24th of January in 1891 in Deerfield, Utica, New
York. By the time of the 1900 Census, Harriet had moved and owned a new house at 247 N.
Genesee St. in Utica, New York. She was living with her spinster daughter Mary,
age 44, her eldest daughter Harriet Mills, age 57, and her grandson, Daniel
Mills. She declares that she had given birth to a total of twelve children in her
life (I can only find record of nine), but by that time only five were living.
Harriet passed away in this home on the 18th of September in 1905.
Gilles’
eldest son, Hendrick was born about 1650 in Holland. He was the one who eventually
moved from Manhattan Island to New Jersey around 1700. There in Pequannock, New
Jersey is found the historical site of the Mandeville Farm / Rochambeau. It was
here that General Rochambeau's troops camped while en route to the Battle
of Yorktown. On a boulder at this site is a plaque that reads:
"King Louis XVI's French Army under the command of
General
Count de Rochambeau camped here on the Mandeville Farm in
August 1781.
The troops were marching from
Rhode Island to join General Washington
and the Continental Army, prior
to the crucial Battle of Yorktown in Virginia."
In 1780 and 1781 the American
troops went into winter quarters at Pompton Falls while the French troops were
encamped on the meadows overlooking Pompton Plains Village. The baggage wagons
of the French were stationed on the site of what is now Gillis Mandeville’s historic
home.
Gillis
was born in 1765 (Hendrick’s great grandson) to William and Elizabeth (Jacobus)
Mandeville. At the Newark Pompton
Turnpike, Pompton Plains, New Jersey is the site of the historical marker of
the Gillis Mandeville House. In January of 1788, two years after the marriage
of Gillis Mandeville and Sarah Roome, the historical house was built. The Gillis
Mandeville house is one of the few remaining examples of the small stone houses
that abounded in this area the second half of the Eighteenth Century. The
Mandeville Family originally settled primarily in the Preakness area and lower
Pequannock, but after Gillis' marriage to Sarah, his father-in-law Peter Roome,
gave him the land. It became the site of Pompton Plains’ first Post Office,
which eventually became the Manse of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Mary
Mandeville’s mother was Margaret Van Valkenburg. Margaret was born in New York
in 1828. The Van Valkenburgs were instrumental in the developing of the Dutch
community in New Netherlands/New Amsterdam: later to be known as New York. The
first to America was Lambert Jochemse from Valkenburg on the Guele River, Limburgh
Province of the Netherlands.
The Valkenburg Castle stood on a hill
looking over the Geule River. Van
Valkenburg translated literally means Van (from) Valken (Falcon’s)
Burg (walled fortress). The Dutch had the castle blown up in 1672 during
the French-Dutch War, to prevent it from falling into French hands. The ruins,
however, still stand today.
Lambert
Van Valkenburg married Annetje Jacobs in 1642, before sailing across the
Atlantic for New Netherlands. On July 29, 1644 he is found in records as having
bought 50 acres of land. The land was on the west side of the Bowery from Canal
to Broome Streets. On February 16, 1647 he received a grant from the Dutch West
India Company for a lot south of Fort Orange. On May 15, 1649 he was granted 50
more acres of land. He was appointed a minor officiating role at the Fort in
July of 1659. He moved his family to Beverywyck at some point (these areas are
now the County of Albany, New York - due to the conquest of the province by the
English in 1664). Lambert and Annetje had six known children. Some branched out
from the colony to purchase lands in Kinderhook, the Catskill Mountains, and
Schenectady, New York.
Mary’s
parents lived in Utica City, New York in their final years at 378 Whitesboro.
Thomas Mandeville died in 1883, and his wife Margaret passed away in 1897.
The Mandeville’s and their children, other than Mary, are buried in the Forest
Hill Cemetery in Utica, New York: Tier 32.
 | |||
| At their home in Syracuse, NY circa 1912 Frank and Mary Gardner with their grandchildren. |
Back
to our story about the Gardner’s: Frank Gardner was working in a Shoe Factory
like his father, and living in Utica City, Oneida, New York by the time of the
1880 Census. Sometime after 1883 he and Mary moved to Seymour Street in
Syracuse, Onondaga, New York. By the year 1900, Frank and Mary had four children,
Harriet age 25, Leonard Francis age 23, Harry Thomas age 17, and Clifton age 4. His occupation during that time was a Stock
Keeper in the “Typewriter Industry”, but in 1915 he had moved up to a Manager in a “Gear
Factory”.
 |
| Mary Mandeville Gardner circa 1900 |
 |
| The Mandeville sisters 1927: Mary, Lydia, Etta |
Frank, like his father Leonard, was a member of the Freemasons,
Syracuse Lodge #301 AF & AM, and part of the Masonic Veterans Association.
Mary was also active at the Syracuse Lodge as part of Chapter 70 OES (the Order
of the Eastern Stars), and a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church.
Their daughter, Harriet, was a matron of the Fralick Chapter, OES in Syracuse; a member
of the Acrirema Council, and the past district Deputy Grand Matron. She died in
1958. Their son, Leonard F., was a member of Emory Methodist Episcopal Church
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the Hailman Lodge AF & AM Scottish Rite
Bodies; the Masonic Veteran’s Association; the Syria Temple; the Royal Order of
Jesters; and, the Alcoma Country Club. He died in 1933. Their son, Harry
T., was a lifelong member of the Syracuse Masonic Lodge #501. He died in 1962
in Los Angeles. Two of their sons, besides Clifton, had worked in the Automotive
Industry and were involved in the Automobile Dealers Association.
Clifton Stewart Gardner was born to Frank and Mary on the 13th of
August in 1896 in Syracuse, New York.
 |
| Clifton Gardner |
In 1915 he was 18, working as a Salesman,
and still living at home. Soon after, he met a Scottish lass named Isabella Grimmond, and
they were married around the year of 1917.
She was born in Banff, Banffshire,
Scotland in September of 1897. She immigrated to America with her mother and four of her sisters in September of 1911.
Go here to read her story: https://ancestraltides.blogspot.com/p/the-grimmond-duncan-family-narrative.html
On the World War I Draft Registration card,
1918, Cliff listed his occupation as working for the H.C. Roberts Electric
Supply Company. On the 1920 US Census she and Cliff were living with his
parents and their first child, Robert Francis. Robert was born May of 1919. In
April of 1921 they had their second child, a daughter named Betty Jane.
Image on the right is maybe Clifford's brother, Bella and Clifford
 |
| Betty Jane as a toddler |
 |
| Robert and Betty |
Far left Robert, fourth from left is Betty, behind her is Clifford, next to her is Frank, next to him is Bella.
Clifton “Cliff” and Isabella “Bella” Gardner, in 1925, were living in
a new city: Compton, California. He is working as a Salesman. Cliff’s mother,
Mary (Mandeville), passed away in 1928 at her home on Seymour St., Syracuse,
New York. Mary is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery (Section 10, Lot 139) with
her daughter-in-law, Agnes (Harry Thomas’ wife), and their children.
Francis “Frank” Gardner, came to live with Cliff and Isabella after Mary's death. By
the time of the 1930 US Census, Cliff is working as a Salesman for the Kellogg’s Cereal Company, and they
are living in Inglewood, CA.
Frank passed away in March of 1938.
On the 1940 US Census, Cliff is still employed
with Kellogg’s as a Salesman, and his daughter, Betty, is now 19 years old working as a Candy
Packer in a Confection Factory.
 |
| Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Best |
In the years of 1940 to 1941 Betty met and fell in love with Gordon
Best (his family history is on a separate page). They were married around
September of 1941.
 |
| In-laws: The Best's and The Gardner's |
Between
the years of 1940 through 1957, I am not sure what happened with Cliff, but the family
says that he ended up in a prison in San Diego due to writing bad checks (his
wife, Bella, said “he spent money he did not have“). He died of a heart attack in
March of 1957 while serving time.
 |
| Betty, Ronnie and Jerry |
Their first child, Ronald B. Best, was born on April 24, 1942
in Los Angeles, California. Gordon went into the Army in August of 1942,
and he returned in October of 1945. Their second child, Gerald D. Best, was born on April 21, 1946. Eventually Gordon sold his father's Barber Shop in Los Angeles, and the family made their way north to Santa Cruz, California.
 |
| Isabella, Betty, Ronnie and Jerry |
 | |
| Ronnie and Jerry |
In Santa Cruz, Ronald and Jerry attended Soquel High School. Jerry is seen here in this newspaper clip, 4th from the left.
 |
| Betty with Ronnie's son around 1976 |
Gordon and Betty divorced at some point during 1962, and Gordon remarried an Aris Hamblin in 1966. He died soon after in June 21, 1967. Betty never re-married. She worked for the Sears Company, and lived in Capitola, California just up the hill from the beach.
Bella lived with Betty for a while in the late 70’s, until Betty’s passing. Betty lost her battle with cancer in March of 1979.
 |
| last photo of Isabella with her sisters |
Bella moved north to live with her grandson, Ronnie, until her death in 1993.
She was 95 years old. She had outlived all of her siblings and her
own children.
Her ashes are buried with Betty’s in the Fort Jones Cemetery near Mt. Shasta, California.
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