daughter of Rev. Stephen and Elizabeth Diodati Johnson, descended through a long line of the Italian nobility from Cornelio Diodati of Lucca in 1300. Whether the bride inherited governing and exemplary qualities from her distinguished ancestry or otherwise, she was a lady of superior excellence and force of character, and through a long and eventful life commanded the confidence and affection of all who knew her. She bore a striking resem

[From the original painting in possession of Mrs. Sarah Diodati Thompson.] blance in her bridal days to Lady Scarlett, sister of the William Diodati who emigrated to America, and whose husband, Anthony Scarlett, was one of the notable family of that name, the head of which has since been made Lord Abinger. Many pieces of massive silverware and other articles of special value, together with her portrait and family Bible, Lady Scarlett bequeathed to her brother William, and these treasures were subsequently

inherited by Mrs. John Griswold (the mother of Mrs. Gardiner), through whose children they have been handed along and are still in possession of the American Diodati descendants.

In 1812, a formidable Shortly afterward, some

But with all the sunshine and love-romance of intervening years, the island was to taste still further the fruits of war. British fleet came to anchor in Gardiner's Bay. American vessels were chased into New London harbor, where they were blockaded during the next three years. The fleet, numbering as many as seven ships of the line with several frigates and smaller vessels, obtained supplies chiefly from Gardiner's Island. Foraging parties often killed oxen at the plow, and carried them to the vessels. Commodore Sir Thomas Hardy was in command, and endeavored to restrain his men from showing disrespect to the proprietor and his family. But the sailors were perpetually coming ashore, and the subordinate officers were not the best of teachers by example. The steward of the island, Lewis Edwards, was generally paid the market price for whatever was taken with his knowledge in the way of provisions. A letter from Commodore Hardy to John Lyon Gardiner explains the situation. He wrote:

"As it is probable the Government of the United States may call you to account for permitting refreshments to be taken by the British Squadron from your place, it may be necessary for your satisfaction, and to prevent your experiencing the censure of your Government, for me to assure you, that had you not complied with my wishes as you have done, I should have made use of force, and the consequences would have been the destruction of your property, yourself a prisoner of war, and whatever was in the possession of your dependents taken without payment. But I beg to say to you that it is not my wish to distress individuals on the coast of the United States who may be in the power of the squadron."

Not long after a boat's crew of Commodore Decatur's men slipped out of New London, passed the British guns without discovery, and landed on Gardiner's Island, hiding in the woods. Presently a party of British officers were seen going up to the manor-house. The Americans sprang upon them as they were comfortably seated in one of the spacious apartments, and much to their chagrin carried them off at once as prisoners. When Hardy heard of it he ordered the arrest of Gardiner, supposing he had been instrumental in betraying his men into the hands of the enemy. The presence of Americans upon the island had been as much of a surprise to Gardiner as to the officers who fell into their hands. And not coveting indefinite incarceration, he resorted to a little strategy in his own behalf. He retired to an apartment known as the "green room," and being a delicate looking man the reflection of the green curtains gave him a sickly aspect. A small table alongside the bed was provided with medicines,

glasses, spoons, etc. When the officers arrived to take him hence, Mrs. Gardiner met them with whispers, begging them to make as little noise as possible. Gardiner's appearance brought them to a stand, and not wishing the encumbrance of a sick man on board ship, they demanded his eldest son, David Johnson, as hostage. The boy was away at school, and they finally left. The next morning came the following letter from Captain Charles Paget of the squadron, addressed to Gardiner :

"I have discovered a degree of doubt and suspicion in the minds of the officers of the squadron concerning your disposition towards us. In order, therefore, that there shall be in future no mistrust on the one hand, and no plea of ignorance on the other, this is to give notice, that Gardiner's Island has been permitted the indulgence of remaining in its present peaceable situation throughout the war, and is still enjoying it by sufferance only, and therefore, if the most trivial instance of hostility is ever practiced upon any boat or individual whatever belonging to the squadron, or if it should ever be discovered that any men under arms on any pretense whatever are landed upon said island, the most serious consequences will be visited upon you and your property, and that there may be no possible grounds for our mistaking each other, I hereby in writing set down the terms upon which alone Gardiner's Island will be permitted to remain unmolested. Supplies will be required from time to time, upon the same footing as hitherto."

MRS. GARDINER.

Some weeks later, Captain Sir Hugh Pigott came on shore with a number of his men, and parading before the manor-house, made unreasonable demands, threatening to fire upon the building. Gardiner sent his family and servants into the cellar for safety, intending to defend his property at all hazards. The British finally left without executing their threats. When near the shore one of the officers ran back as if for something forgotten, and told Gardiner he had been treated in a most unjustifiable manner, and that Pigott's conduct would be promptly reported to Hardy. Before the roll of another sun a letter of regret and apology reached the island from the Commander-in-chief of the squadron.

During this war Gardiner's boats were always manned by negroes (of

whom there had from the beginning been large numbers on the island, as slaves or employees) that the British guards might know instantly to whom they belonged, and allow them to pass and repass without question.* Many of the British officers and soldiers were buried upon the island during the conflict.

Another notable excitement to which the island was subjected was when it was overrun by foreigners in 1869. The great camp of the Cuban Liberators was established within a mile of the mansion. It was a motley collection of men from all walks in life, ex-officers from all armies and fanatics of all nationalities. They

were comparatively unarmed and about two hundred in number. Government in course of events checked the ardor of these ambitious spirits. The animated chase when fifty marines were landed from the revenue cutter Mohoning upon the island in pursuit of prisoners will not soon be forgotten by eye-witnesses. Colonel Ryan escaped unhurt, although several times fired upon. He had a place of concealment where it was said he could not be dislodged except by artillery. As the island contains a curious cave, and three or four strange little islands within bogs within islands, there is little reason for doubting the statement.

JOHN LYON GARDINER.

The Gardiners in the different generations have become connected by marriage with the Van Rensselaers, Van Cortlandts, Van Wycks, Sands, Livingstons and Beekmans of New York, and the Smiths of St. George's Manor and of Smithtown, the Floyds, Joneses, Nicolls, Derings, Sylvesters and Thompsons of Long Island, as well as with the leading families of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Colonel Abraham Gardiner's daughter Mary married Judge Isaac Thompson, of Sagtikos Patent. Colonel Abra

* Near Easthampton is now a small village of negroes, called Freetown; its inhabitants are descendants of the slaves and free servants of the lords of the manor of Gardiner's Island in early times.

ham Gardiner's grandson, David Gardiner, born in 1784, and educated at Yale, was several years in public life, a man of ability and many accomplishments. He was one of the distinguished party invited by the President on the pleasure trip of the frigate Princeton down the Potomac in 1844, and was killed by the explosion of Captain Stockton's great gun when the frigate was about to pass Mount Vernon, an accident which plunged our national capital into deepest mourning, for two of the Cabinet ministers and three other well-known gentlemen were also instantly killed. The six were all buried from the great historical East Room of the Presidential mansion.

About three months after this sad event the daughter of David Gardiner was married to President John Tyler. The engagement had been kept a profound secret, and no one but the immediate relatives and friends were present at the marriage ceremony, which was performed by Bishop Onderdonck in the Church of the Ascension, New York City. A wedding breakfast was served at the Gardiner family residence in Lafayette Place, and then the bride and groom drove down Broadway in an open barouche drawn by four white horses, and embarked on board a ship of war in the harbor, sailing down the bay to Amboy on their way to Washington. The first intimation the public had of so unusual an event as that of the marriage of a President of the nation during his term of office, was from the guns of the forts and shipping as the President passed. The smoke from one of the saluting guns formed a perfect ring and attracted the attention of all present, who regarded it as a happy omen. David Lion Gardiner, son of the lamented David Gardiner (now a resident of New Haven), married his cousin Sarah, the daughter of David Thompson the grandson of Judge Isaac Thompson, and herself the granddaughter through her mother of John Lyon Gardiner, the seventh proprietor of the manor.

John Lyon Gardiner died in 1816, and his eldest son, David Johnson Gardiner, the eighth proprietor of the island, was the last of the family to receive the property by entail. He was born in 1804, graduated from Yale in 1824, and died unmarried in 1829. His brother, John Griswold Gardiner, followed him as ninth proprietor, and died unmarried in 1861. The third brother, the late Samuel Buele Gardiner, succeeded to the proprietorship as the tenth in the line. He married Mary Gardiner, daughter of Jonathan Thompson, Collector of the Port of New York, and granddaughter of Judge Isaac and Mary Gardiner Thompson; and her brother, the late David Thompson, who for many years held important monetary trusts in Wall Street, married Sarah Diodati Gardiner, sister of the eighth, ninth, and tenth proprietors-the only surviving daughter of John Lyon and Sarah Griswold Gardiner, who still resides in Lafayette Place, New York