J. K Gardner    

J. K. GARDNER, lumberman, was born in Ridgway township, Elk county, Penn., January 28, 1848, and is a son of Nelson and Mary (Morey) Gardner, natives of Steuben county, N. Y., who came to Elk county in 1845, settling on the farm where the father yet lives. Nelson Gardner was by occupation a hunter, and he paid for his farm with the proceeds of the chase. The subject of these lines spent his boyhood days with his parents on the farm until 1868, when he embarked in the lumber business, which he has since followed. May 1, 1871, he married Miss Ophelia M., daughter of Otis B. and Caroline (Nichols) Fitch, who came from Cattaraugus county, N. Y., to Port Allegany, McKean county, Penn., being among the early settlers. Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Gardner are parents of two children: Ella M. and Earl. The parents are members of the Congregational Church at Ridgway. In politics Mr. Gardner is a Democrat, having twice been elected commissioner of Elk county, and serving from January 1, 1882, until January 1, 1888. He is now the managing partner of the firm of Hall, Gardner & Co., lumbermen, doing business at Hallton, Elk county. This firm was organized in 1882 as Hall & Gardner, and did business until August 1, 1889, when Mr. W. H. Hyde, of Ridgway borough, became a member, and the firm name was changed to Hall, Gardner & Co. Mr. Gardner’s house is in Ridgway borough, where he has lived since 1885.

History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania with biographical selections, including their early settlement and development, a description of the historic and interesting localities, sketches of their cities, towns and villages, portraits of prominent men, biographies of representative citizens, outline history of Pennsylvania, statistics.. Chicago. J.H. Beers & Co.. 1890, page 726. Read this book on line - Free Trial Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

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