Augustus P. Gardner

Augustus Peabody Gardner
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th district
In office November 4, 1902 – May 15, 1917
Preceded by	William H. Moody
Succeeded by	Wilfred W. Lufkin
Massachusetts Senate Third Essex District
In office January 1900 – 1901
Personal details
Born	(1865-11-05)November 5, 1865 Boston, Massachusetts
Died	January 14, 1918(1918-01-14) (aged 52) Camp Wheeler, Macon, Georgia
Nationality	American
Spouse	Constance Lodge (m. June 15, 1892)
Children	Constance Gardner
Alma mater	Harvard, A.B., 1886
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1898 1917-1918
Rank	Captain and assistant Adjutant General Colonel, Major
Unit	Adjutant General’s Department Thirty-first Division One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment, United States Infantry
Battles/wars	Spanish-American War Battle of Coamo World War I

Augustus Peabody Gardner (November 5, 1865 – January 14, 1918) was a Representative from Massachusetts. Gardner was the son-in-law of Henry Cabot Lodge.

Life and career

Gardner was born on November 5, 1865 in Boston, Massachusetts to Joseph Peabody Gardner and Harriet Sears Amory. He was the descendant of Thomas Gardner (planter) and nephew of John "Jack" Lowell Gardner II whose wife was Isabella Stewart Gardner. Jack and Isabella 'adopted' Augustus and his two brothers (Joseph and William) after the death of their father in 1875. Their mother had died in 1865. He graduated from Harvard University in 1886. He studied law at Harvard Law School, but never practised, instead devoting himself to the management of his estate.

On June 14, 1892, Gardner married Constance Lodge, daughter of Henry Cabot Lodge, at Saint Anne's Church, Nahant, Massachusetts.

Spanish-American War

Gardner was a captain and assistant adjutant general on the staff of General James Wilson during the Spanish-American War

Political office

He was elected a member of the Massachusetts Senate in 1899 and served from 1900 to 1901. Gardner was elected, as a Republican, to the Fifty-seventh Congress by special election, after the resignation of United States Representative William H. Moody. Gardner was reelected to the eight succeeding Congresses (November 4, 1902 – May 15, 1917). Gardner was the chairman of the Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions during the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Congresses.

Rescue of the Lodges from France

At the beginning of World War I, Gardner's Sister in law, Mrs. George Cabot Lodge and her children Henry, John, and Helene were stranded in France. In August 1914 Gardner traveled to France to extract the Lodges from France, and brought them to safety in London.

World War I

Gardner resigned from Congress to enter the army. During the First World War, he served at Governors Island. He was a colonel in the Adjutant General’s Department, and later was transferred at his own request to the One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment, United States Infantry, with the rank of major.

He died of pneumonia while on active duty at Camp Wheeler on January 14, 1918.

References

• United States Congress. "Augustus P. Gardner (id: G000050)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

External links

• Thomas Gardner Society

Further reading

• Gardner, Constance Lodge.: Augustus Peabody Gardner, Major, United States National Guard, 1865-1918 (1919).
• Who's who in State Politics, 1912 Practical Politics p. 18 (1912).
• New York Times, Gardiner-Lodge Page 4, (June 15, 1892).
• New York Times, MAJ. GARDNER DIES AT CAMP WHEELER; Author of the Famous 'Wake Up, America!' Speech a Victim of Pneumonia at 52. 15 YEARS IN CONGRESS Ex-Massachusetts Representative Was the First Member to Leave for Military Service. A Graduate of Harvard. A Champion of Labor. His Tribute to France. page 13, (January 15, 1918).