Biography of Captain George B. Gardner

Captain George B. Gardner
Company C
1828-After 1876

Lawyer, was born in Russellville, Brown county, Ohio, May 2d, 1828. His father, a native of Ohio, followed through life the trade of a cabinet-maker, and was also at different periods a merchant, a trader, and a hotel keeper. He was an active participant in the war of 1812, and died August 5th, 1873. His mother, Elma S. (Barrere) Gardner, a native of Highland county, Ohio, was a daughter of George W. Barrere, a prominent pioneer of the last-mentioned county. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Gardner, took an active part in the events of revolutionary days. He moved at an early day from New York to Ohio, and settled in Brown county, where he resided until his decease in 1840.

His early boyhood days were passed alternately in working on a farm during the summer season, and in attending school in the winter months. He was subsequently placed as an apprentice in the printing office of The Political Examiner, at Georgetown, Brown county, Ohio, where he remained for four and a half years. He then attended a select school at Ripley, Ohio, for two years, while his leisure hours and every Saturday were spent in working at the printing office, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of his sustenance and tuition. His life as a printer and student in Ripley, Ohio, continued until 1849, when he spent a few months in the law office of his uncle, N. Barrere, at Hillsborough, Ohio, and then removed to Washington, Fayette county, Ohio, where he purchased the Fayette New Era. In the editorship of this paper he was engaged until June, 1856.

During those intervening years of his experience as editor and publisher, he had, when temporarily at leisure, continued the study of law, and after passing the required examination, was in 1855 admitted to the bar. In 1857, upon renouncing the further pursuit of the newspaper business, he entered on the practice of his profession at Washington, Fayette county, where he was engaged in professional labors until the fall of 1861.

He then accompanied the 60th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as Captain of Company C, to the seat of war in Virginia, and served with his company and as Acting Assistant Adjutant-General of Brigade until the surrender of Harper's Ferry, where his regiment was one of the bodies captured. It was then immediately paroled and sent to the Parole Camp, at Chicago, Illinois, and there remained until the expiration of its term of service.

In November, 1862, he returned to Washington, Fayette county, Ohio, and in the winter of 1862-63 served as Deputy Assessor of the United States for Internal Revenue. In April of the latter year he was appointed Commissioner of Enrolment for the Sixth Congressional Ohio District, head-quarters at Hills, borough, and was engaged in the discharge of the duties of that office until the close of the war. In 1865, still remaining in Hillsborough, he opened an office for the practice of law, where he yet remains, engaged in the active practice of his profession.

He has been Justice of the Peace since his residence in Hillsborough, has served as a member of the Town Council, and for two years officialed as Mayor of the city. He was chiefly influential in securing the construction of the new city buildings, and also in the purchase of the steam fire-engines. In 1867 he was a candidate for the position of Prosecuting Attorney.

He has always taken a warm interest in public improvements, and is always thoroughly awake to the importance of all measures projected for the profitable development of the true interests of his city and county. Politically, he was a Whig, and afterwards an ardent supporter of Stephen A. Douglas. Upon the breaking out of the war, in 1861, he joined his fortunes with the Union party, and is now a Republican. He was married, May 3d, 1853, to Amanda Robinson, a native of Fayette county, Ohio.

The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, Ohio: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.