Augustus Peabody Gardner

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Peabody_Gardner

Augustus Peabody Gardner (November 5, 1865 – January 14, 1918) was a Representative from Massachusetts. Gardner was the son-in-law of Henry Cabot Lodge.

Life and career

Gardner was born on November 5, 1865 in Boston, Massachusetts to Joseph Peabody Gardner and Harriet Sears Amory. He was the descendant of Thomas Gardner (planter) and nephew of John "Jack" Lowell whose wife was Isabella Stewart Gardner. Jack and Isabella 'adopted' Augustus and his two brothers (Joseph and William) after the death of their father in 1875. Their mother had died in 1865. He graduated from Harvard University in 1886. He studied law at Harvard Law School, but never practised, instead devoting himself to the management of his estate.

On June 14, 1892, Gardner married Constance Lodge, daughter of Henry Cabot Lodge, at Saint Anne's Church, Nahant, Massachusetts.

Spanish-American War

Gardner was a captain and assistant adjutant general on the staff of General James Wilson during the Spanish-American War

Political office

He was elected a member of the Massachusetts Senate in 1899 and served from 1900 to 1901. Gardner was elected, as a Republican, to the Fifty-seventh Congress by special election, after the resignation of United States Representative William H. Moody. Gardner was reelected to the eight succeeding Congresses (November 4, 1902 – May 15, 1917). Gardner was the chairman of the Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions during the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Congresses.

Rescue of the Lodges from France

At the beginning of World War I, Gardner's Sister in law, Mrs. George Cabot Lodge and her children Henry, John and Helene were stranded in France. In August 1914 Gardner traveled to France to extract the Lodges from France, and brought them to safety in London.

World War I

Gardner resigned from Congress to enter the army. During the First World War, he served at Governors Island. He was colonel in the Adjutant General’s Department, and later was transferred at his own request to the One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment, United States Infantry, with the rank of major.

He died on January 14, 1918.