Obadiah Gardner

American politician (1852–1938)

Obadiah Gardner

United States Senator
from Maine
In office
September 23, 1911 – March 3, 1913
Preceded by| William P. Frye
Succeeded by| Edwin C. Burleigh
Personal details
Born| September 13, 1852
near Port Huron, Michigan
Died| July 24, 1938(1938-07-24) (aged 85)
Augusta, Maine
Political party| Democratic
Alma mater| Eastman Business College
Coburn Classical Institute

Obadiah Gardner (September 13, 1852 - July 24, 1938) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. Gardner was a businessman and member of the Democratic Party who served in several minor state executive positions before serving in the United States Senate.

## Biography

[edit]

Gardner was born near Port Huron, Michigan. In 1864 at the age of 12, he moved with his parents to Union, Maine, where he attended public schools. He studied at Eastman Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York and later at the Coburn Classical Institute in Waterville, Maine. After graduating he engaged in the agriculture business, including ventures in lumber, lime, and creameries in Rockland and cattle raising elsewhere.

His wife in 1911

He was a member of the Maine Board of Agriculture and later the master of the Maine State Grange (1897–1907). In 1908, he launched an unsuccessful campaign to become governor, losing to Republican candidate Bert M. Fernald. In 1911, he was appointed as chairman of the Board of State Assessors, but resigned after being appointed and later elected Senator, filing the vacancy caused by the death of William P. Frye. Gardner served from September 23, 1911, until March 3, 1913, when he lost his bid for re-election. During this time, Gardner served in the Senate with fellow Democrat Charles Fletcher Johnson. It marked the first time since 1853 that two Democrats represented Maine in the United States Senate.

Following this defeat, he was appointed a member of the International Joint Commission created to prevent disputes between Canada and the United States over shared boundary waters. Later he became chairman of the American delegation, serving until his retirement in 1923.

Gardner returned to Rockland and later moved to Augusta, where he died. He is interred in the Achorn Cemetery in Rockland.

## Sources

[edit]

* Media related to Obadiah Gardner at Wikimedia Commons

* United States Congress. "Obadiah Gardner (id: G000060)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Party political offices

Preceded by

Cyrus W. Davis

|  Democratic nominee for Governor of Maine
1908 | Succeeded by

Frederick W. Plaisted

U.S. Senate
Preceded by

William P. Frye

|  U.S. senator (Class 2) from Maine
September 23, 1911 - March 3, 1913
Served alongside: Charles Johnson | Succeeded by

Edwin C. Burleigh

Honorary titles
Preceded by

Newell Sanders

|  Oldest living U.S. senator
January 26, 1938 - July 24, 1938  | Succeeded by

Furnifold Simmons

* v
* t
* e

United States senators from Maine

Class 1|

* Holmes
* Parris
* Holmes
* Shepley
* Dana
* Williams
* Fairfield
* Moor
* Hamlin
* Nourse
* Hamlin
* Morrill
* Hamlin
* E. Hale
* Johnson
* F. Hale
* Brewster
* Payne
* Muskie
* Mitchell
* Snowe
* King

Class 2|

* Chandler
* Sprague
* Ruggles
* Evans
* Bradbury
* Fessenden
* Farwell
* Fessenden
* Morrill
* Blaine
* Frye
* Gardner
* Burleigh
* Fernald
* Gould
* White
* Smith
* Hathaway
* Cohen
* Collins

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

People|

* US Congress

Other|

* SNAC

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