Served as Paducah, Kentucky's first Mayor. Elected May 4, 1857.

Hon. Jesse Hampton Gardner,

First Mayor, Sets Mark

for Successors

Memorial Slabs Record Energy

and Loyalty of Early

Citizens

By Fred G. Neuman

Paducah has known thirteen mayors since its incorporation as a third class city fifty-seven years ago. Seven of these public servants are still living, here and elsewhere; six have passed on to higher office. The first six to serve the city as chief magistrate are buried in Oak Grove cemetery, forever removed from the duties of this life. Yet their memory survives in the achievements of their administrations, the influence of their lives in the community.

Throught the energetic efforts of its leading residents the town of Paducah was incorporated as a third class city March 10, 1856, Hon. Q.Q. Quigley procuring its charter. This fact is written in the early city books, and it is nobly carved on the slab in the city's chief burial spot where he sleeps.

Gardner Gets Honor

Change in the order of municipal control necessarily made selection of a mayor imperative, and the honor was bestowed upon Jesse Hampton Gardner.

The Hon. Jesse Hampton Gardner was born in Clark county, Kentucky, September 23, 1817, the son of David and Hannah Hampton Gardner. His parents came from Rowan county, North carolina, near the city of Lexington in 1842, and later removed to the neighborhood of Wadesboro in Calloway county.

Jesse Hampton Gardner was reared in the Wadesboro vicinity under the hardy pioneer influence of those days. He was nearly reached manhood before he came in contact with his school teacher, thought by self-instruction he received a working education that served him well in the business adventures he so successfully engaged in later.

At 22 years of age he walked to Paducah during the summer season to procure work, an obligation due his former instructor prompting him to leave Calloway county for the town of which he was later to become the first mayor. Seventeen years later, or at the age of 39, he entered that newly-created office.

Cleared Owen's Island

Mr. Gardner succeeded in obtaining employment cutting wood on Owen's Island opposite Paducah, and the clearing of that isolated acreage to this day represents his early work and ambitious zeal. The island is girted by trees, but the center is used for the cultivation of corn. The first trees felled were cut down by Mr. Gardner two days after his arrival at Paducah.

Within a month after coming to the town he was given a position in a hotel, which he held for a time. Being healthy and robust, and willing to use his brain and brawn in other ways where the work was more lucrative and chances for advancement more favorable, he became a watchman on the wharfboat. From that he was promoted to clerk in a boat store nearby. In this way he received his first business acquaintance, a knowledge which he broadened with the years until he thouroughly mastered its principles.

Having prospered by honest toil and frugal living, in 1846 he engaged in the mecantile business for himself, and was established in his own store for ten years. After a decade of meritorious dealing a disastrous blaze destroyed the building and stock.

Builds St. Clair Hall

The ashed were hardly cold when Mr. Gardner had plans drawn for the erection of a newer and larger structure--St. Clair Hall on the site of the burned store, located on the east side of South Second street between Broadway and Kentucky Avenue. St. Clair Hall is frequently mentioned in Irvin S. Cobb's "Old Judge Priest" stories and an endless string of memories are entwined around the old place. It was since been razed and replaced by buildings of another and even later type.

When Paducah became a third class city the distinction of being its chief executive was conferred on Mr. Gardner. He had previously served as town trustee and his executive ability was now further recognized and justly rewarded. Broad visioned and sensitively keen to anything arguing for the welfare of the community, he soon demonstrated the advantages to be gained by the change in municipal control.

Before its adoption, Mr. Gardner (Continued from page ten) was an earnest advocate of the new franchise, and he was responsible in no small measure for its adoption by an overwhelming vote of 209 to 35. Paducah became a second class city more than forty years later.

Erects First City Hall

Mr. Gardner's administration was emphatically progressive, a decided step forward. He possessed a business temperament refleeting itself in sound city prinicples and steady advancement.

During his administration the ground on which The News-Democrat now stands was purchased, and shortly afterward a two-story brick building was erected there and used as the first city hall. His foresight and wisdom was evident in many ways. He exerted no little energy in furthering measures from which the city was the direct beneficiary.

Mr. Gardner retired from the mayoriality in 1859, thought he subsequently served as a member of the city council and school board, and at the time of his death was treasurer of the latter.

In 1861 he was made secretary-treasurer of the New Orleans & Ohio railroad, and remained in this position for five years. He was one of the organizers of the FIrst National bank when that institution was formed in 1865, and from its beginning served as a director and was vice-president from 1870 until his death sixteen years later. An excellent potrait of Mr. Gardner hands in the bank's lobby.

Marries Lovelaceville Girl

He was married in 1853 to Miss Sarah M. Bourland of Lovelaceville, the daughter of Dr. Reese M. Bourland. The wedding occurred at Lovelaceville.

Eight chidren were born of this union, four of whom are still living. Mrs. Hal S. Corbett, of New York City, is a daughter, and Jesse Gardner of St. Louis, and Joe Gardner and W. Armour Gardner of Paducah are sons. W. Armour Gardner was Commissioner of Property in Paducah from November, 1916, to January 3, 1920.

Mr. Gardner resided at the northeast corner of Seventh and Madison streets during his mayoralty, later removing to the southwest corner of Eleventh and Jefferson streets where he lived until his death. Part of the brick home where he spent his last years is standing, thought it is hardly recognizable in the attractive flat into which it was recently converted.

Jesse Hampton Gardner died in Paducah in his 68th years, at 9:30 o'clock Monday evening, March 1, 1886, from heart failure.

His demise was marked by the usual expressions of sorrow that come with the passing of a successful man and useful citizaen. His life indeed had been one of usefulness to his family, community and commonwealth, and the example set no doubt has been an inspiration to his progeny, all of whom are prominent.

Four Mayors at Funeral

He preceded his life's companion to the grave by thirty years. Mrs. Gardner answering the final summons November 4 1916,. She was born March 29, 1835.

Funeral services for Mr. Gardner were held the following Wednesday afternoon and interment was in Oak Grove cemetery, where a twenty-foot shaft stands as a sentinel at his last resting place. The shaft bears the date of his birth and death, and also the concluding lines of Bryant's "Thanatopsis" slightly changed: "Lived one who wears the drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

A slab marks the grave and on it is an arch-like design in which the word "Father" is carved in relief. The Gardner burial site is on Ivy Avenue, directly across from the Benjamin H. Wisdom lot.

The first mayor Paducah knew and the first to depart this life, it was eminently fitting that his four succesors should have been present when the casket was lowered into its quiet resting place.

The Paducah News Democrat -

Paducah, Ky

Sunday, March 18, 1923, pp. 1, 10

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