Caleb Gardiner

Caleb Gardiner, was born in 1710, the son of Nicholas Gardner and Mary Littlefield of South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He married, Feb. 20, 1734, in S. Kingstown, Isabel Sherman, a daughter of Abial and Dorcas (Gardiner) Sherman, she being his first cousin. Caleb appears on a number of South Kingstown censuses and lists, including those in 1747, 1774, 1777, and 1782. In the 1790 census he is shown in a household with 3 males 16 and over, 4 females, 4 free blacks, and 7 slaves (18 total). Caleb was a very prosperous yeoman, with a large estate.

He died in 1796.

Children of Caleb and Isabel (Sherman) Gardiner, all b. in S. Kingstown:

• Sarah Gardiner, was born April 29, 1736, and married 4 April 1756, in South Kingstown, Peter Boss, b. Charlestown, RI 30 Sep 1732, d. SK 6 Jan 1821, son of Jeremiah Boss (c.1697-c.1774) and Martha Spencer (8 Sep 1700-1774). Peter appears on a 1777 census in Richmond, RI, then in 1782 was in Charlestown, but in 1787 and 1790 was in Richmond again. He died in South Kingstown.
• Dorcas Gardiner, was born March 16, 1739, and married, in 1758, Silas Spencer, b. East Greenwich, 18 Nov 1735 (VR), and poss. died 1815 (one online acct.), the son of John and Lydia Spencer. He appears in E. Greenwich in 1760, 1774, 1777, and 1782. In the 1790 census for E. Greenwich, his household includes 3 males under 16, 2 males 16 and over, 5 females, and 3 others (13 total). A Clarke genealogy published in 1902 says that Dorcas married James Clarke of Stonington, CT, and had five children with him..
• Nicholas Gardiner, was born Dec. 8, 1744, and died in 1784. He married Sarah Reynolds, a daughter of Elisha and Susannah {Potter). Sarah was born Nov. 9, 1748. Nicholas and Sarah's sons were Warren, Caleb N., and Elisha R. Warren Gardiner was an apprentice to his uncle, Joseph Perkins. Elisha R. Gardiner was a sheriff of Washington County. He eventually moved to New York after having to auction his property due to debt, and died in 1825. Caleb N. may have been a farmer.
• Tabitha Gardiner,'" was born April 8, 1748.
• Experience Gardiner, was born Nov. 1, 1751, and married Pardon Mawney, a son of John and Amey (Gibbs) Mawney. They are buried in the Pardon Mawney Lot, E. Greenwich.
• Mary Gardiner, was born in 1754(?), and married 1) 16 June 1776, Joseph Perkins, b. 24 Sep 1749, d. 6 Sep 1789, the son of Edward Perkins and Elizabeth Brenton (dau of Major Ebenezer Brenton, a grandson of Gov. Wm. Brenton). Joseph was a silversmith, goldsmith, and merchant, and by one account was, in 1781, a member of the Kingston Reds during the Am. Revolutionary War; this could not, however, be confirmed. They had no issue. Following his death, she m. (2) Nov. 2 (7?), 1790, Elisha Reynolds Potter, b. 5 Nov 1764, d. 26 Sep 1835, the son of Col. Thomas Potter and Elizabeth Reynolds. Mary had no children with either husband. She died March 7, 1809. He married, second, Mary Mawney, a niece of his first wife. She was born April 25, 1779.

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Sources:

• The Gardiners of Narragansett: Being a Genealogy of the Descendants of George Gardniner (Google eBook) Caroline Elizabeth Rodman Robinson The editor, 1919 - 313 pages. Page 15
• Caleb Gardner memorial, created by: Stan Arnold - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156423605/caleb-gardner

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jul 23 2021, 6:53:23 UTC