Background
Gardner, Washington was born on February 16, 1845 in Morrow Company, Ohio, United States. Son of John L. and Sarah (Goodin) Gardner.
politician representative university professor
Gardner, Washington was born on February 16, 1845 in Morrow Company, Ohio, United States. Son of John L. and Sarah (Goodin) Gardner.
After the war, he attended school at Berea, Ohio, then at Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan, and graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, in 1870. He studied in the school of theology at Boston University, in 1870 and 1871 and graduated from the Albany Law School in 1876.
He entered the Union Army and served in Company Doctorate, Sixty-Fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, from October 1861 to December 1865. He was severely wounded in action at the Battle of Resaca in Resaca, Georgia. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He was commander of the Department of Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic, in 1888.
He was professor in Albion College, 1889–1894. On March 20, 1894, Gardner was appointed Michigan Secretary of State by Governor John T. Rich to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of John West. Jochim.
He was then twice elected to the position in 1894 and 1896, serving until 1899. In 1898, he defeated incumbent Democrat Albert M. Todd to be elected as a Republican from Michigan"s 3rd congressional district to the 56th United States Congress.
He was subsequently re-elected to the five succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1899 to March 3, 1911.
He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor in the 61st Congress. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1910 to the 62nd Congress. He was commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1913 and 1914.
He was an unsuccessful candidate in the primary election for Governor of Michigan.
He served as Commissioner of Pensions from March 22, 1921, to March 4, 1925. He retired from public life and died in Albion, Michigan in 1928.
He was interred in Riverside Cemetery, in Albion. Washington Gardner Middle School (formerly Washington Gardner High School) in Albion, Michigan, is named in his honor.
Member 56th to 61st Congresses (1899-1911), 3d Michigan District Member Committee Appropriations.
Married Anna Powers, 1871. Children: Grace Bartlett (deceased), Mary Theodosia, Carleton Frederick, Elton Goldthwaite (deceased), Raymond Huntington, Lucy Reed, Helen Louise.