Biography - James Gardiner
JAMES B. GARDINER was born in Greene county, Ill., September 19, 1824,
and is the eldest child of Rev. C. J. and Margaret Gardiner. Mrs. Gardiner's
maiden name was Margaret Maines. J. B. Gardiner's earliest education was
attained in the schools of this county, and on arriving at the age of
fourteen he went to Alton and there commenced to learn the printer's trade,
in the office of the Telegraph, where he spent about three years. He then
came home and worked on the farm about a year. In 1844 he went to
Greenville, Bond county, Ill., and there published the Medical Truth Teller,
which was the first general newspaper published in that county. The climate,
or some other cause, not explained, induced the young journalist, in about
eight months, to cease the publication of his paper. Probably it did not
prove a paying investment. From Greenville he went to St. Louis, and was
employed in the office of the Missouri Republican. After making a sojourn in
that city a few months, he returned on a visit to his parents. He
subsequently went to New Orleans, where he was engaged in the office of the
Delta, the leading journal of that city, for upward of two years. The war
with Mexico soon coming on, he, with many other young men of the city,
promptly volunteered to go down and have a skirmish with the "Mexican
greasers." He was a member of Lieut. Col. Biscoe's battalion of Louisiana
mounted men. They were mustered in at New Orleans, and went by steamer to
Vera Cruz, where they rendezvoused for about eleven months. Our gallant
soldiers had but little to do in the way of fighting, except with the
mosquitoes, roaches, leeches and other insects that infest that country; -
not but that they might have been brave enough, had they smelt powder;
however, we guess fat pork and beans were more congenial to their appetites
than Mexicans. After the war was over and peace concluded, they returned to
New Orleans, and were mustered out July 12, 1848.
Our young hero of the quill and sword returned to Greene county, and was
married on the 17th of September following to Miss Anna M. Parker, daughter
of Jacob and Mary Parker, old residents of this county; and there with his
young bride he settled on a tract of timber land, near the old homestead,
where he set to work with considerable vim to make a farm, and was so
indefatigable in his efforts that ere long he had cleared a farm of one
hundred and sixty acres. In addition to cultivating the soil, children began
to grow up around them until they had five, two daughters and three sons.
Their eldest daughter, Mary C., is now the wife of that gallant soldier
Capt. W. H. De Long, of Lamar, Missouri. He has an honorable fighting record
in the late civil war. Susie E., their youngest daughter, and the sons are
yet single. Mrs. Gardiner died at their residence November 17, 1860. On the
14th February, 1862, Mr. G. was married to Miss Nannie Griswold, daughter of
Elias and Lucinda Griswold.
When James B. Gardiner started out in the world on his own account he had
but a small amount of money, but he possessed a good brain, an active
temperament, and abundant energy, and these, united with steady application
to business, made him successful in acquiring a competence for himself and
family. Besides possessing good business qualities, he is a genial and
social gentleman, and is highly respected in the county where he resides. He
is also a staunch republican, and he and his wife are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1866 he sold his farm and moved to Kane, and
is now a partner of the well known firm of Gardiner & Bro., merchants.
Extracted 05 Jan 2017 and 11 Jul 2018 by Norma Hass from Atlas Map of Greene County Illinois, 1873, page 42.
