Advertisement

Dr Sylvester Gardiner

Advertisement

Dr Sylvester Gardiner

Birth
South Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island, USA
Death
8 Aug 1786 (aged 78)
Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA
Burial
Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
BIO contributed by user #47130994:

Dr. Silvester Gardiner was a physician, pharmaceutical merchant and visionary land developer in Maine.

He was the son of William Gardiner and Abigail Remington. He studied medicine in New York, London and Paris. He opened his practice in Boston and was well known for actively promoting inoculation for small pox. However, he is most remembered for his purchase and development of over 100,000 acres of what was then wilderness in Maine on the Kennebec River, which is today the City of Gardiner.

He also contributed a valuable library and built the first Episcopal church in Pittston, from which Gardinerstown would be set off in 1760. Pittston is on the east side of the Kennebec and Gardiner on the west side of the river.

His was married three times. His wives were Ann Gibbons, Love Eppes and Catherine Goldthwaite.

He was interred at Trinity Church, Newport, RI and additionally at the Christ Episcopal Church next to the Gardiner common, is a cenotaph in his honor.Loyalist during American Revolution. A physician, pharmaceutical merchant and land developer of Maine.

He was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the son of William Gardiner and Abigail Remington. After studying medicine in New York, London and Paris, Dr. Gardiner opened a practice in Boston, where he became a lecturer on anatomy. He actively promoted inoculation for small pox, for which he proposed and established a hospital in 1761. But he made his fortune importing drugs for distribution and sale. He contributed generously to the construction of Boston's King's Chapel, where he was a warden, and also to the compilation and publication of a prayer book. But he is most remembered for his purchase and development of over 100,000 acres (400 km²) of wilderness on the Kennebec River in Maine, where he founded what is today the city of Gardiner.

A proprietor of the old Plymouth Patent, his efforts to settle the territory were unceasing between 1753 and the American Revolution. He selected the location of Gardinerstown Plantation, established in 1754 at the head of navigation on the Kennebec River, at its confluence with the Cobbosseecontee Stream, which had falls to provide water power for industry. A millwright, carpenter and other workmen were induced to settle and build his town. He promoted immigration and land cultivation. He contributed a valuable library, and built the first Episcopal church in Pittston, from which Gardinerstown would be set off in 1760.

But in 1774, Dr. Gardiner added his name to a letter addressed to Massachusetts Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson, affirming his allegiance to the Loyalist cause. When the British army evacuated Boston in 1776, Dr. Gardiner fled to Halifax, Nova Scotia. With few of his possessions, he then lived in Peel, England throughout the Revolutionary War. In 1778, his name appeared in the Massachusetts Banishment Act, and his vast landholdings were confiscated. Even his personal collection of rare books were sold at auction. Because of an error in the confiscation of the Maine property, however, his heirs would be able to secure its return.

In 1783, Dr. Gardiner spent time in St. John's, Newfoundland, and in 1784 wrote a report enumerating its resources, advocating 11 reasons for settlement. In 1785, he returned to Newport, Rhode Island, where he died the following year and was interred under Trinity Church. The Christ Episcopal Church, built in 1820 beside the Gardiner common, bears his cenotap.
BIO contributed by user #47130994:

Dr. Silvester Gardiner was a physician, pharmaceutical merchant and visionary land developer in Maine.

He was the son of William Gardiner and Abigail Remington. He studied medicine in New York, London and Paris. He opened his practice in Boston and was well known for actively promoting inoculation for small pox. However, he is most remembered for his purchase and development of over 100,000 acres of what was then wilderness in Maine on the Kennebec River, which is today the City of Gardiner.

He also contributed a valuable library and built the first Episcopal church in Pittston, from which Gardinerstown would be set off in 1760. Pittston is on the east side of the Kennebec and Gardiner on the west side of the river.

His was married three times. His wives were Ann Gibbons, Love Eppes and Catherine Goldthwaite.

He was interred at Trinity Church, Newport, RI and additionally at the Christ Episcopal Church next to the Gardiner common, is a cenotaph in his honor.Loyalist during American Revolution. A physician, pharmaceutical merchant and land developer of Maine.

He was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the son of William Gardiner and Abigail Remington. After studying medicine in New York, London and Paris, Dr. Gardiner opened a practice in Boston, where he became a lecturer on anatomy. He actively promoted inoculation for small pox, for which he proposed and established a hospital in 1761. But he made his fortune importing drugs for distribution and sale. He contributed generously to the construction of Boston's King's Chapel, where he was a warden, and also to the compilation and publication of a prayer book. But he is most remembered for his purchase and development of over 100,000 acres (400 km²) of wilderness on the Kennebec River in Maine, where he founded what is today the city of Gardiner.

A proprietor of the old Plymouth Patent, his efforts to settle the territory were unceasing between 1753 and the American Revolution. He selected the location of Gardinerstown Plantation, established in 1754 at the head of navigation on the Kennebec River, at its confluence with the Cobbosseecontee Stream, which had falls to provide water power for industry. A millwright, carpenter and other workmen were induced to settle and build his town. He promoted immigration and land cultivation. He contributed a valuable library, and built the first Episcopal church in Pittston, from which Gardinerstown would be set off in 1760.

But in 1774, Dr. Gardiner added his name to a letter addressed to Massachusetts Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson, affirming his allegiance to the Loyalist cause. When the British army evacuated Boston in 1776, Dr. Gardiner fled to Halifax, Nova Scotia. With few of his possessions, he then lived in Peel, England throughout the Revolutionary War. In 1778, his name appeared in the Massachusetts Banishment Act, and his vast landholdings were confiscated. Even his personal collection of rare books were sold at auction. Because of an error in the confiscation of the Maine property, however, his heirs would be able to secure its return.

In 1783, Dr. Gardiner spent time in St. John's, Newfoundland, and in 1784 wrote a report enumerating its resources, advocating 11 reasons for settlement. In 1785, he returned to Newport, Rhode Island, where he died the following year and was interred under Trinity Church. The Christ Episcopal Church, built in 1820 beside the Gardiner common, bears his cenotap.


Advertisement

  • Created by: jodygee
  • Added: Oct 22, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60463918/sylvester-gardiner: accessed ), memorial page for Dr Sylvester Gardiner (29 Jun 1708–8 Aug 1786), Find a Grave Memorial ID 60463918, citing Trinity Church Cemetery, Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA; Maintained by jodygee (contributor 46992069).