Thomas Gardner
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Title/Occupation: Appointed by Dorchester Company as Overseer of Plantation at Cape Ann, "Old Planter," and "First Governor" of Massachusetts.
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Spouse: Margaret Frier
Issue: Sarah Gardner
The Gardners of Massachusetts: An American Legacy By Anthony Taylor Dunn
For most, the Gardner name does not easily come to mind as do such historic family names as Revere, Copley, or Kennedy. However, the Gardner name has an important place in American history spanning from the birth of our country to the present day.
The First Governor of Massachusetts
The Gardner family history dates back to early colonial America when Thomas Gardner sailed from England to Cape Ann in 1623, only three years after the arrival of the Mayflower. He was dispatched from Weymouth, England, by the Dorchester Company and was appointed as the overseer of the Plantation at Cape Ann. Unfortunately, this area proved to be unsuited for farming due to the predominantly rocky and unfertile soil. Those that remained did so “to the hazard of their lives,” and most died in the first three years. In 1626, the survivors of the colony under the direction of Roger Conant relocated to the mouth of the Naumkeag River and founded present day Salem. Yet the title of Massachusetts’ first governor belongs to Thomas Gardner because he was the first man of authority over what developed into the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
To read more: Link to Anthony Taylor Dunn article on the Gardners
