Photograph of Gardner Family Men with Horses

This copy of a black-and-white photograph shows two men standing in a field. Each man is holding a horse and a third horse stands in between them. The men pictured may be father and son (left to right): Frank Ozem Gardner (1885-1946) and Ozem Gardner (1857-1920).

Ozem, whose father was Joseph Gardner (1825-1897), was the grandson of Ozem Gardner (1797-1880), an active member of the Anti-Slavery Society of Worthington who operated an Underground Railroad station on his property. It has been said that he assisted more than 200 enslaved people on their journey to seek freedom in Canada.

Frank’s obituary in the February 21, 1946 Worthington News states: “Frank Gardner, 60, a former Flint resident, died Sunday at his home in McBain. Michigan. The son of Ozem and Mary Price Gardner, he grew to manhood on the Gardner farm at Flint. A number of years ago he moved to McBain, where he purchased a farm and had lived there ever since. He is survived by his wife and one son. another son having died in a German prison camp. Four sisters also survive: Blanche Busch, Columbus, Mina Koons and Agnes Sebring, Flint, and Lillie Maloney, Newport, Ky. Mrs. Sebring and her son George, Jr., are driving to McBain to attend the funeral.”