My ancestor William Gardner, born in 1736 and died in 1794 in Maryland. He was listed as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His payment was to keep the clothing and supplies he carred home with him. He was the grandfather of Isaac Gardner, born 1797 in Maryland. As a 14 year old Isaac came with his uncle, William's youngest son George and George's wife Catherine, to Ohio from Maryland in 1811. The next year George was drafted into the army but paid his nephew Isaac to be his substitute. Isaac left with the army from near Zanesville for Detroit. Isaac only got as far as Franklinton, OH before he became sick and was sent home. Based on his 14 days of military service, Isaac claimed and received 80 acres of land and applied for 40 more! Isaac died in 1860 and is buried in Ross Co., OH. George Gardner's sons Jacob and Joshua both served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Joshua in the calvary and was killed in 1863. Jacob was an "artificer" inducted in 1864 and was discharged Sept. 25, 1865 at Nashville, TN. Jacob's grandson Charles Dewey Gardner was the next Gardner ancestor to serve, driving a tank in the Army during World War I. My Uncle Dewey was discharged in 1918. Jacob's great grandson, my father, was Carey Gardner, Jr. He tried to enlist in the Army Air Corps in 1939 and again in 1941 but was rejected because of "bad teeth". He worked in an industrial plant in Kent, Ohio making parts for bombers. That prevented him from going into the service until he enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and served as a Lt. JG aboard a small boat in the South Pacific. Dad was sent home in the summer of 1946 and remained in the Navy Reserve until 1954. Dad was proud of his Navy service and had many stories to tell and photos of New Guina and the Phillipines. In his last few years he was proud to stand with the other Navy vets at band concerts playing the service themes. Dad died on Nov. 18th last year and was buried in the family cemetary on a hill in rural Muskingum Co., OH. The honor guard from the Frazeysburg VFW was 14 men with a rifle corps and color guard. He would have been extremely proud. Thanks Dad...and all my Gardner ancestors for their service and sacrifice. Carey Gardner New Philadelphia, Ohio