Born in Franklin County, Ohio, February 9, 1832, and is a son of William M. and Aner (Merritt) Gardner, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. He was reared on a farm, and received his education at Oberlin College, Ohio. On leaving college he followed teaching in Ohio for twelve years. In 1855 he came to Washington County, Iowa, and for three years taught the public school at Lexington, Cedar Township. When the call was made for men to suppress the Rebellion, he enlisted in the 25th Iowa Infantry and served till the close of the war. He was in the siege of Vicksburg and the battle of Jackson. In the second battle of Jackson he received a severe wound in the foot by a cannon ball, which disabled him further active service in the field. He was then sent to Madison, Wis., and was discharged at the close of the war. Returning home, Mr. Gardner went into the mercantile business at Lexington, Washington County, and continued in that business for eight years. Having lost his health by too close confinement in the store, in 1872 he moved to his farm on section 7, Cedar Township, which he purchased in 1857. He was married, in 1866, to Miss E. J. Young, a native of Indians, and daughter of John A. and Nancy Young. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Gardner represented Washington County in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Iowa General Assembly, 1890 and 1892.

Born in Franklin County, Ohio, February 9, 1832, and is a son of William M. and Aner (Merritt) Gardner, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. He was reared on a farm, and received his education at Oberlin College, Ohio. On leaving college he followed teaching in Ohio for twelve years. In 1855 he came to Washington County, Iowa, and for three years taught the public school at Lexington, Cedar Township. When the call was made for men to suppress the Rebellion, he enlisted in the 25th Iowa Infantry and served till the close of the war. He was in the siege of Vicksburg and the battle of Jackson. In the second battle of Jackson he received a severe wound in the foot by a cannon ball, which disabled him further active service in the field. He was then sent to Madison, Wis., and was discharged at the close of the war. Returning home, Mr. Gardner went into the mercantile business at Lexington, Washington County, and continued in that business for eight years. Having lost his health by too close confinement in the store, in 1872 he moved to his farm on section 7, Cedar Township, which he purchased in 1857. He was married, in 1866, to Miss E. J. Young, a native of Indians, and daughter of John A. and Nancy Young. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Gardner represented Washington County in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Iowa General Assembly, 1890 and 1892.