Likely served as the first cashier of the Narragansett Bank of Wickford, RI in 1805
| When Burke met | 1765? |
| Where Burke met | Wickford, RI |
| Occupation | Commerce |
| Interaction with Burke | Burke stayed with him and he paid Burke’s ship fare |
| Identity Status | Probable |
| Genealogy | WikiTree |
| Memoir Pages | 75 |
Notes
Samuel Eldred Gardiner (c. 1759/1765–September 9, 1830) was a Rhode Island resident who likely served as the first cashier of the Narragansett Bank. Born in Kingstown to Samuel and Amey (Easton) Gardiner, he spent his early married life at Kingston Hill, also known as Little Rest. By 1796, he married Mary Carpenter, daughter of Captain Francis Carpenter, and the couple ultimately had eleven children. Around 1800, Gardiner relocated his family to Wickford so his children could attend the newly founded Washington Academy. This move places him in Wickford when the Narragansett Bank was chartered in 1805; a Samuel E. Gardiner was elected its first cashier and served continuously until April 1829, shortly before Gardiner’s death. He died the following year, and his wife survived him until 1863.
Sources
Burke, William. Memoir of William Burke: A Soldier of the Revolution, Reformed from Intemperance, and for Many Years a Consistent and Devoted Christian; Carefully Prepared from a Journal Kept by Himself; to Which Is Added, an Extract from a Sermon Preached at His Funeral, by Rev. Nathaniel Miner. Hartford, CT: Case, Tiffany, 1837.