The Gardners and Herrings of Virginia
anonymous paper found by Edwin L. Gardner Jr. 
amongst many in a packet dated 1933
 
  Wilson Herring was born and reared in Albermarle County, Virginia.  He married Mary Lewis Gardner, a daughter of Daniel Gardner, of "Gardner's Cross-Roads," in Louisa County, Virginia.  He purchased "Cherry Hill," an estate several miles from the "Gardner's Cross-Roads" and settled there, rearing a family of thirteen children named: Oscar Herring, George Herring, Albert Herring, Lavinia Herring, Martha Herring, William Herring, Mary Herring, John Herring, Elizabeth Frances Herring, (Thomasson) Richard Herring, Elbridge Herring, Margaret Herring, Sally Herring.  Oscar Herring married Mary Walton, Louisa County, VA.  George Herring married Mary Darricota, Richmond, Va.  They had six daughters, lived there and buried there.  Albert Herring was never married, he died in early manhood in Henrico County, Va., and was buried in old Emmanuel Church Yard.  Lavina Herring never married, lived, died and buried at "Cherry-Hill" Louisa County, Va.  Martha Herring married William Blackburn, of Atlanta, Ga.  They had a son and a daughter, died, buried in Birmingham, Ala.  William Herring never married, lived, died and buried at "Cherry-Hill", Louisa County, Va.  Mary Herring married Ben Walton of Louisa County, Va.  They had a son and three daughters, lived, died and was buried in Goochland County, Va.  John Herring was killed in battle during the Civil War.  He never married, was buried at "Cherry-Hill", Louisa County, Va., Elizabeth Frances Herring married Chas.  James Thomasson, Louisa County, Va.  Richard Thomasson married Maggie Morris and lived in Hinton, W.VA.  Richard Herring never married, contracted typhoid fever while serving in the Civil War died and was buried at "Cherry-Hill" Louisa County, Va.  Elbridge Herring married Albina Gardner, a cousin.  They had ten children, all died in childhood.  They lived, died and buried in Henrico County, Va.  Margaret Herring married James Gardner, also a cousin, (parents of Lynn Gardner of Hinton, W.Va).  Sally Herring, never married, her sweethear was killed in the Civil War.  She was a very beautiful brunnete - curly hair, as were most of the Herrings.  She died in Ronceverte, W. Va., living with Mrs.  M.H.G. Wright, and buried there.  All Herrings and Gardners were missionary Baptist.  One was a direct decedent on his mother's side of Lady Margaret Lynn, a daughter of Lord Lynn of Loch-Lynn, Scotland and (Great Britain).  He was the chieftain of a powerful clan in the Scottish Highlands.  Lady Margaret Lynn married John Lewis of Ireland, Great Britain.  He descended from a family of French Huguenots, who took refuge in Ireland, from the persecutions following the assassination of Henry the Fourth of France.  His rank in that country was that of "Esquire."  He inherited a large estate.  He emigrated with his family to America and landed on the Eastern shores of Virginia about the year 1740.  He established his home in West Augusta County, Va., a few miles from the site of Staunton, Va., The King of England granted to him a large portion of the lands of Western Va.  Thomas Lewis, their eldest son, for many years represented the County of Augusta in the House of Burgesses.  This was before the War of the Revolution.  Charles Lewis, the youngest son, fell in battle while leading and attack at Point Pleasant, W.VA.  He was considered the most skillful of all leaders in Indian Warfare.  He had his headquarters at Lewisburg, W.VA., about four miles north of Ronseverte, W.Va.  which was name for him.  William Lewis, the third son, was an officer in the Revolutionary War.  He also had a Gardner ancestor, who was an officer in the War of the Revolution.  His rank was that of General Gardner.

When the Gardner family first came to this country, from England, they spelled their name "Gardiner", but in time they dropped the letter "i" thereby losing a large portion of the fortune, for during a War between France and England one of our Gardiner ancestors shipped a large cargo of tobacco to England.  It was captured by the French.  About 25 or 30 years ago the French Government paid back, with interest, to the heirs of those who lost shipments on the high seas, all that was captured during that war.  All of those Gardners who had dropped the letter "i" from their name, of course could not get any of this fortune, which amounted into millions of dollars.  One of our ancestors, Julia Gardner, was the wife of President Tyler in Washington, D. C.  Lynn Gardner, Hinton, West Virginia is a brother of this Gardner family.


 
revised 5/8/99 NOTE: THE COMPILATION OF INFORMATION AND DATA CONTAINED HEREIN IS COPYRIGHTED (C)1999 BY TED AND DIANNE GARDNER AND SHOULD NOT BE USED COMMERCIALLY. ALL DATA MAY BE COPIED AND USED FREELY FOR RESEARCH AND  PERSONAL USE PROVIDED THAT PROPER CREDIT IS ACKNOWLEDGED ON ANY PUBLISHED DOCUMENT WHETHER IT BE  ELECTRONIC OR OTHERWISE.