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sense abandoning his island, he continued to reside in Easthampton until his death in 1663. He left three children, the youngest, Elizabeth, born at Gardiner's Island, September 14, 1641, the first child of English parentage born within the precincts of the State of New York.

David, the only son, was sent to England for an education, and married an English lady in London. The ceremony took place in St. Margaret's Church, which is attached to Westminster Abbey. Through David the Island was entailed by his mother, Lion Gardiner, who died in 1663, at the age of sixty-four, having willed all his property to his wife and left its further disposition solely to her judgment.* A handsome monument in Hartford, Connecticut, where Lord David died while on public business to that town, bears the inscription, "Well, sick, and dead in one hour's space;" and also records the date of his birth at Saybrook Fort, and the fact of his having been the first white child born in Connecticut. After David the next lord of the manor was John. It is interesting to note that the proprietors of the Island alternated from John to David, and from David to John through eight successive generations. Lord John (the third) born 19th of April, 1661, died in 1738 at Groton, Connecticut, his death having been caused by a fall from a horse while on a visit to New London. He was consigned to the old burying-ground in that town, and a monument marks his resting-place, inscribed to "His Excellency, John Gardiner, Lord of the Isle of Wight "-surmounted by the arms of the family. It was during his life-in 1699-that Captain Kidd landed upon the Island and buried a large chest of treasures in a sequestered swamp. Fearing the act had been discovered, Kidd, with characteristic boldness, went to the proprietor and told him what he had done. He knew that his very presence was a covert threat in that isolated abode, and when he demanded refreshments for himself and his vicious-looking crew he anticipated no refusal. One of the delicacies which he suggested was a roast pig, hence there seemed no alternative but to roast a pig for the selfinvited guest. When the repast was finished, Kidd took courteous leave of his host and hostess, and in so doing bestowed upon Mrs. Gardiner a

[graphic]

IMPRESSION FROM SIGNET RING OF LORD JOHN GARDINER, 1682.

*In her will, Mary Gardiner, widow of Lion Gardiner, says: "I give my island called the 'Isle of Wight,' to my son David, wholly to be his during his life and after his decease to his next heire maile begotten by him.". " & to be entayled to the first heires maile proceeding from the body of my deceased husband, Lion Gardiner and me his wife Mary from time to time forever. Never to be sold from them and to be a continuous inheritance to the heires of me and my husband forever." This lady died in 1665.

"cloth of gold "--or blanket-of exquisite beauty which he had taken from the Quedah Merchant, and which was part of the dowry of the Grand Mogul's daughter. This has been carefully preserved and handed along from generation to generation, and is still in possession of the descendants. Not quite satisfied, apparently, with having placed himself in the position of a beggar before a gentleman's family Kidd is said to have left a costly diamond in the well-bucket, where he pretended to drink just before quitting the island. The diamond was found-whether in the well-bucket or elsewhere-and has ever since been treasured by members of the Gardiner family. No sooner had the pirate captain departed than a trusty messenger hastened from the island with information to the governor, Lord Bellomont, who sent commissioners to exhume and take possession of the buried treasures. A careful inventory was made and a receipt for the articles found given to Gardiner. This paper, although yellow with age, is in existence, showing that the chest contained bags of gold-dust, bags of gold bars, bags of coined gold, bags of silver, bags of jewels and precious stones, and a large quantity of diamonds, with other articles of great value.

During the early years of the century that followed the island manor was frequently visited by privateersmen, smugglers, buccaneers and freebooters, and suffered much loss from their depredations. In 1728, it was completely invested by a band of piratical desperadoes, eighty in number, including Spaniards, Frenchmen and mulattoes. They assaulted the manor-house in the night, destroyed the furniture and beds, and plundered it of household articles, clothing, and valuables of every description; they succeeded in carrying off all the family plate except one solitary silver tankard, which Mrs. Gardiner seized as she fled through a rear passage. Gardiner was severely wounded, and many of his laborers were cut with the weapons of the assailants. The place where the family usually crossed the bay was strictly guarded by the pirates, lest some message of alarm might reach the mainland; but the ladies and servants made their escape through the shrubbery and swamps, guided by a faithful Indian, who placed them in a canoe and paddled them safely to Accabonack harbor. An express was quickly sent to the New York governor for help, but the tidings reached New London first, and an armed expedition was quickly skimming the Sound, which the pirates discovered in time to escape, taking with them every available article of value the island afforded. The tankard is cherished as a priceless relic of this event.

It would be interesting to place ourselves in palpable connection with the line of lords who presided over this manor, and let them pass before

VOL. XIII.-No. 1.-2

sense abandoning his island, he continued to reside in Easthampton until his death in 1663. He left three children, the youngest, Elizabeth, born at Gardiner's Island, September 14, 1641, the first child of English parentage born within the precincts of the State of New York.

David, the only son, was sent to England for an education, and married an English lady in London. The ceremony took place in St. Margaret's Church, which is attached to Westminster Abbey. Through David the Island was entailed by his mother, Lion Gardiner, who died in 1663, at the age of sixty-four, having willed all his property to his wife and left its further disposition solely to her judgment.* A handsome monument in Hartford, Connecticut, where Lord David died while on public business to that town, bears the inscription, "Well, sick, and dead in one hour's space;" and also records the date of his birth at Saybrook Fort, and the fact of his having been the first white child born in Connecticut. After David the next lord of the manor was John. It is interesting to note that the proprietors of the Island alternated from John to David, and from David to John through eight successive generations. Lord John (the third) born 19th of April, 1661, died in 1738 at Groton, Connecticut, his death having been caused by a fall from a horse while on a visit to New London. He was consigned to the old burying-ground in that town, and a monument marks his resting-place, inscribed to" His Excellency, John Gardiner, Lord of the Isle of Wight"-surmounted by the arms of the family. It was during his life-in 1699-that Captain Kidd landed upon the Island and buried a large chest of treasures in a sequestered swamp. Fearing the act had been discovered, Kidd, with characteristic boldness, went to the proprietor and told him what he had done. He knew that his very presence was a covert threat in that isolated abode, and when he demanded refreshments for himself and his vicious-looking crew. he anticipated no refusal. One of the delicacies which he suggested was a roast pig, hence there seemed no alternative but to roast a pig for the selfinvited guest. When the repast was finished, Kidd took courteous leave of his host and hostess, and in so doing bestowed upon Mrs. Gardiner a

[graphic]

IMPRESSION FROM SIGNET RING OF LORD JOHN GARDINER, 1682.

*In her will, Mary Gardiner, widow of Lion Gardiner, says: "I give my island called the 'Isle of Wight,' to my son David, wholly to be his during his life and after his decease to his next heire maile begotten by him.". " & to be entayled to the first heires maile proceeding from the body of my deceased husband, Lion Gardiner and me his wife Mary from time to time forever. Never to be sold from them and to be a continuous inheritance to the heires of me and my husband forever." This lady died in 1665.

"cloth of gold "--or blanket-of exquisite beauty which he had taken from the Quedah Merchant, and which was part of the dowry of the Grand Mogul's daughter. This has been carefully preserved and handed along from generation to generation, and is still in possession of the descendants. Not quite satisfied, apparently, with having placed himself in the position of a beggar before a gentleman's family Kidd is said to have left a costly diamond in the well-bucket, where he pretended to drink just before quitting the island. The diamond was found-whether in the well-bucket or elsewhere and has ever since been treasured by members of the Gardiner family. No sooner had the pirate captain departed than a trusty messenger hastened from the island with information to the governor, Lord Bellomont, who sent commissioners to exhume and take possession of the buried treasures. A careful inventory was made and a receipt for the articles found given to Gardiner. This paper, although yellow with age, is in existence, showing that the chest contained bags of gold-dust, bags of gold bars, bags of coined gold, bags of silver, bags of jewels and precious stones, and a large quantity of diamonds, with other articles of great value.

During the early years of the century that followed the island. manor was frequently visited by privateersmen, smugglers, buccaneers and freebooters, and suffered much loss from their depredations. In 1728, it was completely invested by a band of piratical desperadoes, eighty in number, including Spaniards, Frenchmen and mulattoes. They assaulted the manor-house in the night, destroyed the furniture and beds, and plundered it of household articles, clothing, and valuables of every description; they succeeded in carrying off all the family plate except one solitary silver tankard, which Mrs. Gardiner seized as she fled through a rear passage. Gardiner was severely wounded, and many of his laborers were cut with the weapons of the assailants. The place where the family usually crossed the bay was strictly guarded by the pirates, lest some message of alarm might reach the mainland; but the ladies and servants made their escape through the shrubbery and swamps, guided by a faithful Indian, who placed them in a canoe and paddled them safely to Accabonack harbor. An express was quickly sent to the New York governor for help, but the tidings reached New London first, and an armed expedition was quickly skimming the Sound, which the pirates discovered in time to escape, taking with them every available article of value the island afforded. The tankard is cherished as a priceless relic of this event.

It would be interesting to place ourselves in palpable connection with the line of lords who presided over this manor, and let them pass before

VOL. XIII.-No. 1.-2

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us in lifelike and august procession. Hardly less interesting would be the application of historical analysis to the threads of descent. A few brief glimpses along the highway of the rolling years must, however, suffice. The family became early connected by marriage with many of the influential families of New England. The wife of John, the third lord-who fled from the pirates with the tankard in her hand-was the daughter of 'Worshippful" John Allyn of Hartford, so famous in the councils of Connecticut at the time the charter

retired into the oak tree. John, the third son of the third John, married the daughter of Governor Gurdon Saltonstall of Connecticut, and niece of Sir John Davie, of Creedy, England. Hannah, daughter of the third John, married John Chandler of Worcester, and was the great-grandmother of the distinguished historian, George Bancroft. Another daughter of the third John became the wife of Thomas Green of Boston, and her son, Gardiner Green, married a sister of the late Lord Lyndhurst of England. David, the fourth lord, was born in 1691; and his death is entered in the church records as follows: "Died, Lord Gardiner, 1751, July 4th." Upon his tombstone in the Gardiner graveyard is the coat of arms of which the sketch is a fac-simile.* In his will occurs the

[graphic]

MOURNING RING.

1764.

NIL DESPERANDUM

PRESENT ARMS.

*During the time of the fifth lord, the family coat of arms was changed, reasons for which are at present unknown, since when the new arms have been engraved upon the tombstones of the several proprietors, on the silver plate of the family, etc. Mourning rings were used by the Gardiners in all the generations. One of these bears the design of a coffin with a skeleton in the center, the inscription upon it being "J. Gardiner, Ob. 19 May 1764. E 51."

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