Jacob Gardiner
There are a few men living in Richland County who feel a great interest in everything connected with their early life, and those who occupied prominent places as citizens at that time. One among many others that we could mention as such was Jacob Gardiner who figured largely in all the activities of life in that day and age. He was the second son of Archibald Gardiner who built the first log-cabin in the neighborhood where Windsor now stands, about the year 1811. Jacob married the second daughter of Bartholomew Williamson, who was an early settler of Weller Twp. (at that time called Milton Twp.). He built a house and improved a farm where Windsor Station now stands. He was the first Justice of the Peace in this neighborhood, and was a Deacon in the in the Presbyterian Church. Gardiner was a carpenter by trade, and a man of great physical strength and muscular power. He stood about six feet high, weighed 186 pounds, and while many other men could be found of greater weight, they were mere toys in his hands; no obese particles, clogged his well developed muscles. Muscle was at a premium in those days, and the best developed man in that direction was the hero of the day; so at all the log-rollings, &c., Jacob took the lead. His voice was very clear and musical, and at the corn-huskings his silvery hip-hurrah could be heard over and above all others. He was courteous and affable in his deportment to others, of generous impulses, and while his plug held out none of his companions suffered for tobacco, or for whisky while his bottle was full, but the trouble was Jacob's bottle was soon emptied and his tobacco-plug would give out then he would make a fearful raid on some fellow's resources. Gardiner went into the employ of Mr. Thomas Robinson on the "Big-Hill", building the first frame barn in the township, and when Robinson returned to England in 1823, he left Gardner in possession of his farm and stock, charging him to "multiply and replenish" especially the cattle and sheep, the balance of the farm you can have for yourself, and "occupy till I come." But Jacob was not the man to sit hungry with tears in his eyes, looking at fat cattle long with 4,000 miles between him and the owner, so he would just call in one of his chums, load his trusty rifle and say: boys, darn it, let's down one; so that's the way the cattle went, and Mr. Robinson's dreams of a well stocked farm, never were realized, and when he returned from England seven years after, the Big-Hill farm was as bare of hoofs and horns, as a louse is of hair, and Jacob was not worth a plug of tobacco. Gardiner was simply in frontier man, a pioneer and fitted only for that condition in life. As culture and refinement progressed he in proportion became discontented and finally moved West, where he died, and his arm of strength has long since mouldered back to dust. We feel that we owe him many kind remembrances. he once saved the life of the writer of this article: When a boy of nine years in the woods gathering hazel nuts, suddenly fell into a huge hornet's nest, and no doubt would have been stung to death had not Gardner [sic.], who was hewing timber ten or twelve rods away, heard our screams and ran and plunged like a lion into the thicket and taking us into his arms, ran like a big Shawnee Indian chief to a place of safety. --W.
From Ohio Liberal: November 12, 1879