John Gardner Biography Hancock County, WV ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** Submitted by Dale Patterson Copied from " History of the Panhandle, being Historical Collections of the Counties of Ohio, Brooke, Marshall and Hancock, West Virginia". Compiled and Written by: J.H. Newton, G.G. Nichols, and A.G. Sprankle Published by: J.A. Caldwell, 1879, Wheeling, W. VA. Biographical Sketches of Hancock County: John Gardner: a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, was born on the 25th of October, 1794. When he grew to manhood he migrated to Wellsburg, and engaged in the mercantile business for a few years. Married Miss Eliza Reeves in 1820. They reared a family of three children -- Rachel Ann, Reason R. and Josiah R. In 1839 he removed to now Hancock County, West Virginia and settled on a four hundred acre tract of land, just opposite East Liverpool, Ohio. He built a fine brick residence here in 1839, in which he lived until his death, in 1878. Served as president judge of the county for several terms in Brooke and Hancock Counties. He attended court regularly, seldom ever absent. Bought the first steam ferry-boat ever used at the Liverpool Ferry. Was connected with stage lines and carried the U. S. Mail; also owned the steamer Swan, and carried the mail from Wheeling to Steubenville by water and from that point to the lake by stage. He was highly esteemed as a citizen.