Hi there,
I apologize for the intrusion but I'm
wondering if someone on the list might be able to help me.
I'm trying to find out if there are any
Gardner/Gardiner households entries for Killingly (or East Killingly
– if it is indexed separately), Windham County from the 1830, 1840,
and 1850 censuses. I'm especially interested in possible entries with
William or Betsy/Elizabeth Gard(i)ner listed as the head of
household.
My 4th great-grandparents
Daniel Lyman Clark and Am(e)y Gardner were both born in Washington
County, Rhode Island in the first decade of the 19th century but resided in Killingly,
Connecticut for the better part of
the 1820s (several of their children were born there). They returned
to South Kingstown by 1830 and the family moved to Smithfield, Rhode
Island by 1840; Daniel Clark had died by then as well.
Amy Gardner's likely death record from
1880 Attleboro, Mass (where her youngest daughters Susan Tappan [my
3rd great-grandmother] and Lydia Briggs lived) indicates
her parents were William Gardner and Betsy Potter, and that she had
been born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Unfortunately surviving
vital records (birth, marriage, death) from late 18th and
early 19th century South Kingstown are scant and so far
show no trace of this family, but probate records seem to be more
available and there are no probate records for a William Gardner
(father of Amy, husband of Betsy or Elizabeth) from South Kingstown
during the relevant period.
I'm now exploring the possibility that
the Gardners might have relocated to Killingly (or East Killingly) as
well. There's an interesting rootsweb entry for a Gardner in East
Killingly from the later 19th century whose father was
supposedly a William Gardner (although no more information is
provided).
Thanks for any help you might be able
to offer.
Best regards,
Kenneth