Isaac Monroe Gardner

Isaac Gardner and his wife Hannah Krewson Gardner came to Oregon in 1853. They raised eight children to adulthood. In 1860 Isaac Gardner bought property in a beautiful valley called Sunnydale, located 6 miles west of Drain, in Douglas County. Like most early Oregon residents the Gardners were self sustaining. They raised their meat, grew their food, built their buildings and made their clothes.

If Isaac Gardner had chosen to live in a city, he would have been successful for he brought with him an unique skill, he was a hatter. The following excerpt was taken from a 1939 interview with Ruth Gardner Buchanan, daughter of Isaac and Hannah Gardner.

“Father had been apprenticed to a hatter when he was a boy, and he used to make beaver hats for the neighbors. He did this entirely by hand. He would buy a beaver skin (for he couldn’t catch enough to supply the demand), and would pluck out the course guard hairs. Then he would remove the fur from the skin with a tool much like a kitchen chopping knife. The hair he would spread upon a big table and would fluff it up and get it into an even layer with the twanging string of a six foot bow. When he had the hair fixed just right he would spread a soft leather over it and rub and work it with his hands through the leather until he had it matted enough to hold while he dipped it into the boiling water in his big kettle. The hair was shrunk and the felt tightened by the hot water and then the whole thing was shaped by stretching and pressing over a block and by much rubbing and working. Such a hat would wear for years. When one became somewhat worn, Father would clean it thoroughly and give it a new nap. The nap was made from fur of the otter. Father used to also make hats in much the same way from wool. These were less expensive, but would wear for years.”

Isaac Gardner valued his right to vote. During 85 years of life he voted 16 times, missing but one opportunity in 1856 when Oregon was still a territory. Descendants remember that although feeble by age, he insisted that he be driven to town to add his approval for Theodore Roosevelt.

Isaac Gardner was a faithful member of the M.E. church. He and his wife were highly respected in their community. He is buried beside his wife in a remote family cemetery, six miles west of Drain Oregon.

See the Photos that go along with this article here.

Editor's Note: Christy Van Heukelem's family contributed to Oregon At Work. You can read about William Wilson, Arthur Gardner, and Chester Corry - as well as Christy herself. She was also of invaluable assistance in researching this book and the authors owe her a deep debt of gratitude.