In a message dated 02/03/2000 2:04:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, clifflamere@global2000.net writes: > > The GARDENIER surname is Dutch. It is also spelled GARDINIER, GARDINEER > and GARDENEAR in Montgomery Co. records, but the original spelling in > this country was Gardenier. Most of them came to Montgomery Co. from > what is now Albany and Columbia counties of New York State as far as I > can tell. I would be interested to learn about any who came from > elsewhere. > > If you have any Gardeniers in Montgomery Co., I would be interested to > learn what other surnames they connect to. By learning the names of the > parents and siblings of the spouse of a Gardenier, it will sometimes > help in establishing who were the parents of the Gardenier. The Dutch > usually (not always) named the first two boys and first two girls after > the parents of the husband and wife. > > Of course, I would be interested in any information about the Gardenier > families as well. > > I may be able to help you with the Gardeniers if you can help me with > the family that the spouse of a Gardenier came from. > > Cliff Lamere Albany, NY > Dear Cliff: I do not YET have a Gardenier connection although I have long suspected that there is a connection between that family and my Ryker/Riker line. My gggGrandfather was Jacob Riker/Ryker. At the LDS Family History Center, I found the Fonda NY Reformed Church Records 1758-1858 on film #534214 Not only are two of Jacob's children listed in those records, but I believe Jacob's own birth record and at least two of his siblings are in those same records. Although no witnesses or sponsors are listed at Jacob christening, his parents are listed as Hendrich Ryke and Catrina Barmore/Barmoer in 1774, and these same parents had a daughter, Rachel, born in 1776 and one of her sponsors or witnesses was Rachel Gardiner. Then in 1778 the same parents had another child, not named in the record, whose witnesses or sponsors were Jacob Gardinier and Derkje Gardinier. Since it is often the custom for relatives to be the sponsors of children at baptism, I have often thought there was a connection between the Gardiniers and the Ryker/Rikers, but I have never been able to prove it. Can you or anyone else provide any addition information? Many thanks for any help. Phyllis Jensen e-mail: okpmj@aol.com