• from An Island in Time... Historic Nantucket, Vol 49, no. 1 (Winter 2000), p. 12-38

John Gardner and Tristram Coffin were key figures in Nantucket's early governance. Coffin represented the "full-share" men, or original founders of Nantucket, while Gardner was one of a group of tradesmen who came to work on the island but received only half-shares. Bitter debates between the full-share and half-share parties raged on Nantucket about land rights, who could hold public office, and the future directions for the island. A tentative compromise between the two factions was reached in 1678, but it was not until Coffin's death in 1681 and the eventual marriage of his grandson into the Gardner family that a full resolution of this conflict occurred.

Family

CAPT. JOHN2 GARDNER, S00 (THOMAS1) was born abt. 1625, in England?, "1st of Nantucket" (Src: Nantucket VR, Gardner Memorial), and d. May 06, 1706, Nantucket, Nantucket MA, a. 82 (Src: Nantucket VR, Gardner Memorial). He m. PRISCILLA GRAFTON February 20, 1653-4, Nantucket, MA (Src: Nantucket VR). She was d. Joseph Grafton (Src: Gardner Memorial), and d. 1717 (Src: Gardner Memorial). 11 children: John, Joseph, Priscilla, Benjamin, George, Rachel, Benjamin (again), Anne, Nathaniel, Mary, Mehitable, Ruth.

Links

• http://www.cyberancestors.com/cummins/ps56/ps56_273.htm