These  records  are  the  results  of  research  of  the  original  records  of
the  families  and  public  documents.  If  there  are  any  errors  the  families
and  makers  of  the  public  records  are  responsible.  We  have  used  all
records  thus  obtainable  and  it  establishes  beyond  doubt  that  our  first
American  father  was  George  Gardner.
ANOTHER  GARDNER  LINE.
Another  Gardner  Line  Established  about  the  Time  of  the  Family,  the

Subject  of  this  Work.
We  introduce  this  to  evidence  the  errors  of  many  writers  who  have
confused  the  two  families.    The  relation  prior  to  coming  to  America  is


HISTORY    AND    GENEALOGY.
27


very  close  but  take  us  to  the  mother  country  for  the  same  parentage.
The  writer  found  in  the  New  England  Genealogical  Register  in  con-
nection with  the  Vassal  estate  the  following  history,  which  determined
the  early  settlements  made  by  the  family  and  the  places  selected  by
them.  .       ;  ,j

In  the  autobiography  of  Elder  Matthew  Gardner  he  states  "the  family
came  from  England  in  the  year  about  1685."  We  find  in  tracing  the
family  records  that  have  been  compiled  since  the  writing  of  the  Matthew
Gardner  book  that  the  family  came  to  America  nearly  fifty  years  prior
to  the  time  designated  by  Mr.  Gardner  in  his  work.
The  past  fifty  years  have  been  spent  in  research  by  the  various
members  of  the  family,  and  records  made  of  same  are  now  preserved  in
book  form,  and  access  may  be  had  to  the  records  without  having  to  go
to  the  written  records  at  the  various  churches,  counties,  &c,  where  they
were,  besides,  the  written  records  of  the  families  have  been  compiled
with  the  connections  as  will  be  seen  in  this  family  outline.
ORIGIN  OF  NAME.
