History of Charles Gardner

This is a history of Charles Gardner from my files. It was written by his daughter, Janet Gardner Duke Watson:

Charles Gardner was the son of Moses Isaac Gardner and Polly Ann Pierson; he was born in Huntsburg, Geauga County, Ohio, on January 19, 1833.

He married Rhoda E. Kellogg on August 12, 1855. Five children were born to them. Three died in their youth, and two of them were raised by his second wife, Susanna Rigby. These children were Charles Alma Gardner and Laura Naomi Gardner Nutall. His first wife died when she accidentally drank from a cup in which they had mixed some poison to either kill rats or doctor a sick dog. Charles had had lunch with his family and then gone to work. He had just been gone from home a short while when they came and told him his beloved wife was dead. He grieved over her death very much.

In 1864, Charles went to Salt Lake City with a friend named Joe Thompson, and they went to the home of Barnett Rigby. Here he met Susanna and decided to call again to see her. They were married by Heber C. Kimball in the Salt Lake Endowment House on 11 January 1864. Susanna had worked for Elder Kimball in his home for quite a while, and at one time he had asked her to marry him, but she declined, telling him he had enough wives already.

To this marriage was born seven children, four girls and three boys. Seth died when he was five years old with diphtheria. The other six lived to get married and raise families. The oldest boy, George, died on 4 July 1946 at the age of 74 years. Ira died 21 October 1921, and Anne died 16 August 1930. Janet, Jane, and Susanna are living today (1955).

Charles made several trips across the plains to help bring the Saints to Utah. He lived in Provo at the time he married Susanna. Their first child, Anne, was born there. George was born just as they moved into the house they built, and they lived in that home all the rest of their lives, until the children married and made homes all their own. Charles and Susanna spent the rest of their lives in that home they built. It was a very nice home when they built it, and it still stands today and is owned by Elmo Ford (1955).

Charles was a very good friend of Robert and John Duke, and I have heard them say Charles was honest. He was quick-spoken and never beat around the bush when he wanted to tell you something. I can remember my mother telling about my sister, Sue, doing something, and she was going to give her a spanking, and Father said, “No, you mustn’t do that. She is too little to be spanked.” So mother didn’t give her the spanking. His word was law in the household, and his children knew when he told them to do a thing, he meant what he said.

He was a great hunter. Whenever he had a few hours to spend, he would go hunting. I can remember Mother taking us children and driving the team and wagon along, while he would hunt rabbits and chickens. He nearly always had dried venison hanging upstairs. I can just taste it now when I think about it. We would toast it on a stick in the fireplace, and I can see the ducks that he used to bring home and hang on the north side of our house and freeze them, and when we wanted a duck to eat, it was ready. My mother made a feather bed from the feathers that we picked from the ducks, and I have that feather bed today. She also made many pillows.

Charles died of infection resulting from a bad tooth on August 24, 1884 and was buried in Provo City Cemetery next to his first wife. Later, Mother was buried there, too. Mother lived 50 years longer than he did. They had a posterity of seven children, 48 grandchildren, and 75 great-grandchildren. They had 43 grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the armed forces in World War II, and all returned home safely.