Berkeley County, West Virginia Biography of Ezekiel Dean GARDNER ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 104-110 EZEKIEL DEAN GARDNER, who is established in the plumb- ing and tinning business in his native city of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, was here born on the 9th of August, 1867, and he is a son of John F. and Emma (Showers) Gardner. John F. Gardner was born at Smithsburg, Washington County, Maryland, a son of George Gardner, who is sup- posed to have been born at Reading, Pennsylvania, the latter having been a son of one of two or three brothers who came from Holland to America in the Colonial period of our national history and established residence in Pennsylvania. George Gardner learned the weaver's trade, at the time when weaving was done by hand. He lived for a number of years at Smithsburg, Maryland, and then came to Mar- tinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), where he died at the age of eighty-four years. The maiden name of his wife was Getzendanner, and she was reared at Frederick, Maryland. She preceded him to the life eternal. John F. Gardner received good educational advantages, and as a young man he taught school on Stephen Street at Martinsburg until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he engaged in the provision business, to which he here gave his attention until his death, at the age of fifty-two years. His wife was a daughter of Ezekiel Showers, who was an early settler in Berkeley County, where he purchased a large tract of land, including that now comprising Green Hill Cemetery, an appreciable portion of his landed estate being now within the city limits of Martinsburg. Mr. Showers erected and equipped a woolen mill on Tuscarawas Street, and this he operated successfully in addition to his farming enter- prise. His wife, whose maiden name was Susan Sibert, was a member of the well known family of that name in this section of West Virginia. Mrs. Emma (Showers) Gardner died at the age of sixty-seven years. Her children were six in number: Susan, Hannis, Kate (who died young), John Franklin (deceased), Ezekiel Dean, and Roberta Lee (died at the age of twenty-five years). Ezekiel D. Gardner gained his early education in the public schools of Martinsburg, and as a youth he served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade. After follow- ing this trade for a time he established himself in the plumbing and tinning business, in which he here continued until 1904, when he was elected sheriff of the county. Upon the completion of his term of four years he was renamed for a similar period as a clerical assistant in the office of the sheriff, and next served four years as deputy sheriff. At the expiration of this last period he resumed business in the plumbing and tinning line, in which he has continued with excellent success. Mr. Gardner is affiliated with Equality Lodge No. 44, A. P. and A. M.; Lebanon Chapter No. 1, R. A. M.; Palestine Commandery No. 2, Knights Templars; the Lodge of Perfection; Osiris Temple, Mystic Shrine, at Wheeling; and also with the Fraternal Order of Eagles. At the age of thirty years Mr. Gardner married Miss Mary Cecelia Sullivan, who was born and reared at Martins- burg and who is a daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Sulli- van. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner have two children: Louise Marie and John Frederick.