Lt. Samuel Gardner

From FindAGrave (profile created by Linda Mac; maintained by Syd Gardiner):

Samuel Gardner was born in Newport, Newport Co, Rhode Island, about 1650, but it was in Swansea, Bristol Co, Massachusetts, that he settled & where he was married in 1684 to Elizabeth Carr Brown (1651-1697). She was the daughter of Robert Carr of Newport, Rhode Island, as well as the widow of James Brown of that same town.
The Plymouth Records show that in 1687, when about 27 years old, "Samuel Gardiner of Newport..." bought from George Lawton of Freetown "...one moiety, or half-part, of a freeman's lot, the fifth lot on the east side of Taunton River, at a place called Scippy-can." This was a farm of some 400 acres, onto which Samuel moved soon after the purchase. The next year he was made Selectman of Freetown, holding that office for 3 years. Samuel also served as Assessor for 2 years, Town Clerk for 3 years, & Treasurer for a year.
He represented Freetown once in the Colonial Legislature of New Plymouth, once in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, & was an active member of the town's Council of War, earning himself the appellation of Lieutenant.
On 14 Nov 1693 Samuel sold this Freetown farm, & acquired land (in partnership with Ralph Chapman, shipwright) from Ebenezer & Priscilla Brenton of Swansea, by a deed dated 30 Dec 1693 & witnessed by Robert Gardiner. It was "...a piece of land called Mettapoisett..." (later known as Gardner's Neck) "...with houses, orchards, etc, said neck of land was purchased by William Brenton, of Newport, deceased, father of the grantor, of Philip Chief Sachem of Mt. Hope, 23 Jun 1664, and bequeathed by said William Brenton to aforesaid Ebenezer, his son." And there are several other records of sale of extensive tracts of land in Swansea to Samuel Gardner.
Within months, Samuel Gardner & Ralph Chapman divided their land, Samuel receiving the southern portion: A wall running across the neck near an old cemetery is said to have marked the boundary that the 2 men had fixed.
On 15 Feb 1694, after Samuel's death, his estate was appraised at 1046 pounds, 5 shillings.

Resources

• FindAGrave: Samuel Gardiner
• New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Google eBook) Clarence Almon Torrey, Elizabeth Petty Bentley. Genealogical Publishing Com, Jan 1, 1985 - Reference - 1009 pages. Page 293.