1870 census for Craftsbury, Orleans county, Vermont, 30 July 1870 dwelling #154: James Gardner, 44, shoemaker, b. N.H.; Abbie, 50, b. Vt; Octavia, 19; Abbie, 17; James, 16; Mary, 13; Katie, 11; Geo. H., 9/12. All children b. Vt.

1880 census for Craftsbury, Orleans county, Vermont, 4 June 1880 E.D. 154, page 6: Jas. Gardner, 54, farmer, b. N.H., f/m b. N.H.; Abby, 61, wife, "broken leg broken arm", b. VT, f/m/ b. Mass./Vt.; James Jr., 26, son, farmer, b. Vt; Mary, 23, daught., b. Vt., Henry, 10, son, b. Vt.

1885 Iowa State census for Waterloo, Black Hawk county, January 1, 1895, dwelling #24: James Gardner, 58, shoemaker, b. N.H.; Abby Gardner, 63, b. Ver.; Mary H. Gardner, 25, b. Ver.; Henry G. Gardner, 15, b. Ver.

1890 Veterans census for Royalton, Morrison county, MN June 1890: James K. Gardner, enrolled 28 Aug 1864, discharged 13 Jun 1865.

1900 Crow Wing census says birthdate Nov 1826. Both parents born in New Hampshire.

James K. Gardner Crow Wing County death registration info:
Died: 27 Dec 1908 Age: 81 (should be 82) yrs 1 mo 21 days (= born: 6 Nov 1826)
Mother: Rachel(sic) Gardner, New Hampshire Father: not listed
Birthplace: New Hampshire

(Son James B. Gardner death record lists parents' birthplace as Vermont, which is incorrect)

[begin quote Brainerd Dispatch Monday December 28, 1908]

    James K. Gardner, a veteran of the civil war, died Sunday afternoon at the home of his son, James B. Gardner, 503 Second avenue northeast. The deceased was 82 years of age and had been ill for some time with diseases incident to old age. The funeral services will take place on Wednesday. There will be a short service at the house after which the remains will be taken to Crow Wing where services will be held and he will be laid to rest beside the remians of his late wife. The deceased, besides the son with whom he resides, leaves a brother residing at Crow Wing and several grandchildren.

[additional item on later page]

    Owing to the storm the funeral arrangements of the late James K. Gardner were changed somewhat. Oscar Roberts drove to Crow Wing with the remains while the relatives went down on the 1:30 train. There were quite a number of them including the families of J. B. Gardner, James Cramer(sic) and W. W. Hutchins. Rev. Charles Fox Davis went down with them to conduct the funeral services.

[end quote]

J. B. Gardner was James K. Gardner's son. James Kramer was married to Cora Gardner, eldest child of James. B. Gardner. W. W. Hutchins was son of Octavia Gardner Hutchins (deceased), eldest child of James K. Gardner.

The book "Cemetery Records of Crow Wing County" by Earl C. Leslie, 1982, correctly places him in Oak Land Cemetery 6.9 mi south of Brainerd. There is a Civil War veterans marker on his grave along with a GAR Post 30 marker (GAR = Grand Army of the Republic - the Civil War equivalent of today's American Legion).

At the Oak Land grave site, there is a tall, obelisk-type grave marker inscribed on the right side with "James K. Gardner Born Nov 6 1826 Died Dec 27 1908". His wife's info is on the front.

The Civil War pension record (soldier's certificate #925364) from the NARA says he enlisted 23 Aug 1864 at Craftsbury, Vermont, and was mustered out July 13, 1865 at Richmond, Virginia. He was slightly wounded at the battle of Chaffin's Farm when a shell exploded nearby, knocking him to the ground and making him nearly deaf in his left ear. He also was afflicted with numbness in his right leg during and after troop transport by ship, where he had to lie down for 30-36 hours. Some affadavits were by his brother Levi, and his son-in-law, W. J. Hutchins, and his grandson, William Hutchins. An affadavit dated 05 Mar 1898 puts him in Crow Wing county at that time and lists these living children and birthdates: Mrs. Octavia C. Hutchins Aug 20th 1850, Mrs. Abba R. Gray 27th Aug 1852, James B. Gardner Jan 5th 1854, Mrs. Katie Follet Aug 24, 1858. In a Declaration for Pension dated Feb 16, 1907, he said we was born Nov 6, 1826 in Bartlett, NH.

In the 1900 census James and Abba were living with their daughter, Octavia Gardner Hutchins, and this was probably the case ever since moving to Royalton, Minnesota around 1890 after first living in Iowa after they all left Vermont shortly after the marriage of son James in 1881.

[begin quote "Historical and Biographical Record of Blackhawk County Iowa", published in 1886, from the chapter on James B. Gardner, which has this information about James K. Gardner]

... a son of James K. and Abigal (Robbins) Gardner. The father was born in New Hampshire, Sept. 22, 1826 [sic], where he grew to manhood. A year after his marriage, he removed to Danville, Vermont, and in the spring of 1881 he came with his family to Iowa, living at Jessup till 1883. He then lived a year at Waterloo, since which he has been a resident of Raymond. He is a shoemaker by trade, but has also followed the avocation of a farmer. He is the father of four daughters and one son - Octavia married W. J. Hutchins, of Royalton, Minn [he was from Vermont, but they are now living in Royalton]; Abbie E., wife of M. H. Gray, of Burlingham, New York; Mary E., at home; Katie C., wife of Edwin Follett, living at Salix, Iowa, and James B.

[end quote]

[begin quote from the Conway (New Hampshire) Town Records, p. 225]

Mr. Thomson, Sir
Will you record the following Marriages solemnized by me & oblige. Yours, &c., E. W. Cressey

Sept. 27, 1848 Mr. James K. Gardner of Bartlette and Miss Abba Robins of Danville, Vt.
Oct. 28, 1848 Mr. Freeman Dinsmore of Conway and Miss Mary P. Gardner of Bartlette.

[three other marriages omitted]

(signed) J. R. Thomson
A true Copy of Return

[end quote]

Historic Land Ownership map for Craftsbury, Orleans county, Vermont, 1878, shows "J. Gardner" at the bottom left, south end of Dist. No. 12:

http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1205&iid=USAOTH2007MAP_145101-00014

"D.D. Sleeper" is down the road just across the line in Wolcott, Lamoile county, Vermont, Dist. No. 9:

http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1205&iid=USAOTH2007MAP_145101-00048

• Married: 27 Sep 1848 in Conway, New Hampshire

1. Octavia C. "Tave" Gardner b: 20 Aug 1850 in Craftsbury, Vermont
2. Abba R. Gardner b: 27 Aug 1852 in Craftsbury, Vermont
3. James Buchanan Gardner b: 05 Jan 1854 in Craftsbury, Vermont
4. Mary E. Gardner b: Abt 1856 in Craftsbury, Vermont
5. Kate C. "Katie" Gardner b: 28 Aug 1858 in Craftsbury, Vermont
6. Henry G. Gardner b: Abt 1869 in Craftsbury, Vermont?