Allen Wardner

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Allen Wardner

|image = Allen Wardner.jpg

|order1 = Vermont State Treasurer

|term_start1 = October, 1837

|term_end1 = October 1838

|predecessor1 = Augustine Clarke

|successor1 = Henry Fisk Janes

|office2 = Member of the Vermont Governor's Council

|term_start2 = 1834

|term_end2 = 1836

|predecessor2 = Samuel C. Loveland

|successor2 = None (Position eliminated)

|office3 = Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Windsor

|term_start3 = 1842

|term_end3 = 1843

|predecessor3 = Carlos Coolidge

|successor3 = Horace Everett

|term_start4 = 1831

|term_end4 = 1834

|preceded4 = Thomas Leland

|succeeded4 = Carlos Coolidge

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1786|12|13|mf=y}}

|birth_place = Alstead, New Hampshire, US

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1877|8|29|1786|12|13|mf=y}}

|death_place = Windsor, Vermont, US

|restingplace = Old South Church Cemetery, Windsor, Vermont

|spouse = Minerva Bingham (Married 1814, died 1841)

|children = George
Edward
Henry
Helen
Charlotte
Elizabeth
Martha

|profession = Businessman
Banker

|party = National Republican
Anti-Masonic
Whig
Republican

}}

Allen Wardner (December 13, 1786 – August 29, 1877) was a Vermont banker, businessman and politician who served as State Treasurer. He was also the father-in-law of Attorney General, Secretary of State and United States Senator William M. Evarts.

Early life

Allen Wardner was born in Alstead, New Hampshire on December 13, 1786.The Banker's Magazine, [https://books.google.com/books?id=glMmAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA328 Death notice: Allen Wardner], October 1877, page 328 His family moved to Windsor, Vermont in 1800 and Wardner was trained as a store clerk and merchant.Hamilton Child, [https://books.google.com/books?id=YoEUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA280 Gazetteer and Business Directory of Windsor County, Vt., for 1883-84], Volume 1, 1884, page 280 He is presumed to have attended the United States Military Academy in 1809, but there is no record at the school of Wardner having attended. One possible explanation is that he attended sessions with a tutor in preparation for taking the entrance exam, but did not take the exam. Whether he attended West Point or was educated elsewhere, he returned to Vermont in 1809 or 1810 to begin a business career.Society for Industrial Archeology, [https://books.google.com/books?id=PRU9AQAAIAAJ&q=%22allen+wardner%22+%22west+point%22 Industrial Archeology magazine], Volumes 1-6, 1975, page 56

Military service

In 1810 Wardner joined the Jefferson Artillery, a Windsor militia unit made up of Democratic-Republicans, in anticipation of the War of 1812. In 1825 the Jefferson Artillery took part in the parade and reception for Lafayette during the stop he made in Woodstock, Vermont as part of his tour of the United States. Wardner served in the unit for several years, and attained the rank of Captain. Afterwards, he was frequently referred to as "Captain Wardner."Jay Read Pember, [https://books.google.com/books?id=tLhAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1 A Day with Lafayette in Vermont], 1912, page 6Gazetteer and Business Directory of Windsor County, page 283Benjamin Silliman, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vtedAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA323 The American Journal of Science and Arts], Volume V, 1822, page 323

Business career

Wardner operated a successful store, first as the junior partner of Dr. Isaac Green, and later as the senior partner of his brother, Shubael Wardner. He also became involved in banking, including serving on the board of directors of the Windsor Bank, and President of the Ascutney Bank.Katherine E Conlin, Wilma Burnham Paronto, Stella Vitty Henry, [https://books.google.com/books?id=3m8jAQAAMAAJ&q=%22allen+wardner%22+green+shubael Chronicles of Windsor, 1761-1975], 1977, page 122Gazetteer and Business Directory of Windsor County

In addition to his mercantile and banking interests, Wardner was involved in several other ventures, including constructing the Ascutney Mill Dam to supply water power to mills and factories in Windsor, woolen mills, and construction and operation of the Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge between Windsor and Cornish, New Hampshire.Vermont General Assembly, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2YNOAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA76 Acts and Laws Passed by the Legislature of the State of Vermont], 1833, page 76William Henry Child, [https://books.google.com/books?id=brQyAQAAMAAJ&q=%22allen+wardner%22+windsor+bridge History of the Town of Cornish], 1911, page 216Lewis Cass Aldrich, Frank R. Holmes, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2JtQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA329 History of Windsor County, Vermont], 1891, page 329

Start of political career

By now an Anti-Mason, Wardner served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1831 to 1834.Henry Swan Dana, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y4EUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA261 History of Woodstock, Vermont], page 261Vermont General Assembly, [https://books.google.com/books?id=3TcFAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA4 Journal of the Vermont General Assembly], 1831, page 4E. P. Walton, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JeEwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA161 Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont], Volume VIII, 1880, page 161Ulster County (N.Y.) Whig, [http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%2010/Roundout%20NY%20Ulster%20County%20Whig/Roundout%20NY%20Ulster%20County%20Whig%201834-1836%20Grayscale/Roundout%20NY%20Ulster%20County%20Whig%201834-1836%20Grayscale%20-%200322.pdf Voice of Vermont: Democratic Anti-Masonic State Convention], March 16, 1836

In 1832 he was appointed to the committee which oversaw construction of the second Vermont State House.Zadock Thompson, [https://books.google.com/books?id=M6xFv628ziMC&pg=RA1-PA130 History Of Vermont, Natural, Civil And Statistical], 1842, page 130

In the 1830s he was also a member of the committee which oversaw operations at the Vermont State Prison in Windsor, and served as one of the state's Commissioners of the Deaf & Dumb, responsible to ensure that those with physical and mental disabilities who required assistance at state expense received it.E. P. Walton, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4-ogAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+commissioner+deaf+dumb&pg=PA189 Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont], Volume VIII, 1880, page 189E. P. Wardner, [https://books.google.com/books?id=T506AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+commissioner+construct+state+house&pg=PA437 Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont], Volume V, 1877, page 437

From 1834 to 1835 Wardner served on the Vermont Governor's Council.E. P. Walton, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JeEwAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+governor%27s+council&pg=PA161 Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont], Volume VIII, 1880, page 161

In 1835 Wardner was an original incorporator of the Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Railroad.Vermont Supreme Court, [https://books.google.com/books?id=a9UzAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+fairbanks&pg=PA466 Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Vermont], Volume 24, 1853, page 466

State Treasurer

In the 1837 election the incumbent State Treasurer, Augustine Clarke, received the most votes, but fell short of the majority required by the Vermont Constitution. Clarke was an Anti-Mason and his party's popularity was on the wane. In cases where no candidate receives a majority, the Vermont General Assembly is empowered to elect a candidate.Vermont Secretary of State, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120415001429/http://vermont-archives.org/govhistory/Officials/pdf/treasurer.pdf Vermont State Treasurers]}}, 2011, page 1

The legislature was split between Democrats, Whigs and Anti-Masons, and failed to choose a winner. Governor Silas H. Jennison, an Anti-Mason who had run with Whig support, then appointed Wardner, who served from October, 1837 until October, 1838. He was succeeded by Henry Fisk Janes.Vermont General Assembly, [https://books.google.com/books?id=BDEFAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+appointed+treasurer&pg=PA130 Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Vermont], 1837, page 130Vermont Secretary of State, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4QxQAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+henry+fisk+james&pg=PA164 Legislative Directory], 1896, page 164

Later life

Wardner remained active in business and banking, and also served in government positions including a term in the Vermont House in 1842 and a position on the board of directors of the Vermont State Prison.Bishop & Tracy, Printers, Vermont General Assembly, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4zgtAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+%22house+of+representatives%22&pg=PA257 Journal of the Vermont General Assembly], 1846, page 257Chronicles of Windsor, page 245

In 1848 Wardner was an incorporator of the New Hampshire Central Railroad.Boston and Maine Railroad, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MqtAAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+railroad&pg=PA703 Boston and Maine Railroad System], Volume II: Statutes of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont Relating to Boston and Maine Railroad, 1902, page 703

Following the death of his wife he began to withdraw from active management of his business ventures, turned over their management to one of his sons and retired in the late 1840s.Gazetteer and Business Directory of Windsor County, page 280 He became a Whig after the Anti-Masonic Party dissolved, and joined the Republicans when that party was founded in the 1850s.

In the 1850s Wardner was active in the American Colonization Society, which opposed slavery and advocated having African-Americans relocate to communities in Africa and South and Central America.American Colonization Society, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qqw9AAAAYAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner%22+american+colonization+society&pg=PA320 The African Repository], Volume 50, page 320

Death and burial

Wardner died in Windsor on August 29, 1877.Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, death record for Allen Wardner, retrieved January 10, 2014 He was buried in Windsor's Old South Church Cemetery.

Family

In 1814 Wardner married Minerva Bingham, who died in 1841.New Hampshire, Marriage and Divorce Records, 1659-1947, marriage record for Allen Wardner and Minerva Bingham, retrieved January 10, 2014 They had 12 children, seven of whom lived to adulthood. They included: George, Edward, Henry, Helen, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Martha.History of Windsor County, Vermont, page 919

Helen Wardner was the wife of William M. Evarts.American Bar Association, [https://books.google.com/books?id=k3w8AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22william+m+evarts%22+helen+allen+wardner&pg=PA624 Annual Meeting Proceedings], Volume 24, 1901, page 624

Several descendants named their sons after Allen Wardner. These namesakes include Allen Wardner Evarts (1848-1920), a New York attorney. He was the son of William M. Evarts and Helen Wardner.Yale University, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RLkNAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22allen+wardner+evarts%22&pg=PA59 Sixth Biographical Record of the Class of 1869], 1895, page 59

Allen Wardner's descendants also included another son of William M. Evarts, Maxwell Evarts. Maxwell Evarts (1862–1913), was a New York City and Vermont attorney, banker and business executive.New York City Bar Association, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qGYZAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22maxwell+evarts%22+wardner&pg=PA197 Year Book], 1914, page 197