History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

158 History of Swansea
4. Mary
5. Peregrim
6. Robert b 1671 d May 1731
7. Jeremiah m Sarah,
(Note: Some doubt that the Gardners of Swansea are descended from
this Newport family. Ed.)
The Occupation of Gardner's Neck by the Gardner Family
Paper read by Miss Ida M. Gardner, at dedication
of boulder marking the place of the Bourne
Garrison House.
Lieut. Samuel Gardner of Newport, on Oct. 1, 1687, for £250 in silver,
bought of George Lawton of Freetown, then in the Colony of New Plymouth,
a farm of 400 acres, situated in the part of old Freetown, which, in 1803,
became the township of Fall River.
Soon after this purchase Lieut. Gardner moved to Freetown, and the
next year, 1688, was made Selectman of the town. He held this office for
three years; served as Assessor for two years, Town Clerk for three years,
and Treasurer for one year. He represented the town once in the Colonial
Legislature of New Plymouth, once in the Province of the Massachusetts
Bay, and was active and efficient as a member of the Town's Council of
War.
On Nov. 14, 1693, Samuel Gardner sold his Freetown farm, and on Dec.
30, 1693, bought, with Ralph Chapman, for £1700, the neck of land, then
owned by Rev. Ebenezer Brenton, now known as Gardner's Neck, South
Swansea.
On the 14th of the following February, Gardner and Chapman divided
their purchase, Gardner receiving the southern part. A wall running across
the Neck, near the burying ground, marks the line of this division.
For two years, 1695 and 1696 Samuel Gardner was selectman of Swansea.
He died on Dec. 8, 1696; and on the following Feb. 15, his estate was
appraised at £ 1046-lOs.
In the Boston Transcript for April 15, 1907, the will of this Samuel
Gardner appeared, as it was claimed, for the first time in print. He gives,
in one clause of it, "unto my beloved son Samuel Gardner and to my
daughters Elizabeth, Martha, Sarah, and Peacience all ye rest of my
estates reall and personall to be divided according as my executors shall
think fitt. " And he gives to his executors, his "loving brother Robert
Gardner," and his brother-in-law Robert Carr, both of Newport, "full
power if they se fitt cause, to sell partt or all of my farme I now live op
being ye halfe partt of ye neck of land called " Matapoysett att Swansey
in New England. " The will is signed by Samuel Gardner (with no i in
his name!)
This wiU was not admitted to probate, and the estate was settled
according to law. Arthur M. Alger, Register of Bristol County, on July 8,
1803, authenticated the copy of Samuel Gardner's will from which I have
quoted, under the seal of the Probate Court.
Samuel Gardner had married Elizabeth Brown of Newport, widow of
James Brown, and daughter of Robert Carr, and there were five children:
four daughters—Elizabeth, Martha, Patience and Sarah, and one son,
another Samuel Gardner, born Oct. 28, 1685, who married Hannah Smith,
the wedding ceremony being performed by Gov. Samuel Cranston. Gov.