John Sylvester John Gardiner


John Sylvester John Gardiner, aka John S. J. Gardiner, was an American Episcopal priest. He was Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, Massachusetts, president of Boston's Anthology Club, and active in the Boston Athenæum.

Early life

Gardiner was born in Haverfordwest, to Dr. John Sylvester Gardiner and Margaret Harries. His father served as Attorney General for the British government in the West Indies, where he spent much of his youth. He was the grandson of Silvester Gardiner.
He was in educated in Boston and England, where he was a pupil of the famous Dr. Samuel Parr. Following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, he went back to England, only to permanently return to the United States in 1783.

Career

Gardiner was for 37 years the "best-known and most influential Episcopal" clergyman of Boston. Trained for the law, he turned to divinity and for 25 years was rector of Trinity Church, Boston. Despite this conservative bent, he was on very amiable sociable terms with his Unitarian brethren. George Ticknor studied Latin and Greek under Gardiner's tutelage.
He served as president of Boston's Anthology Club and was active in the Boston Athenæum.

Personal life

Gardiner was married to Mary Howard, who was born in Augusta, Maine, and was the daughter of Col. William Howard and Martha Howard. Together, they were the parents of three children:
Gardiner died in 1830 in Harrowgate, England.

Descendants

He was the grandfather, through his son William, of Edward Gardiner, a prominent architect.

Works by Gardiner