Isabella Stewart Gardner - Biography

Biography

Isabella Stewart, daughter of David Stewart and Adelia Smith, was born in New York City on April 14, 1840. Her Stewart ancestry, by tradition, has a descent from King Fergus.

Isabella married John Lowell "Jack" Gardner, son of John L. and Catharine E. (Peabody) Gardner of Boston, Massachusetts, on April 10, 1860, in New York City and thereafter moved to Boston.

Jack and Isabella had one son, John Lowell 3rd, who was born June 18, 1863. He died March 15, 1865. After his death, the couple was extremely distraught and started to travel and collect. However, Jack's brother, Joseph P. Gardner, died in 1875, leaving three young sons. Jack and Isabella 'adopted' and raised the boys. Augustus P. Gardner was 10 years old at the time. Isabella's biographer, Morris Carter, wrote that "in her duty to these boys, she was faithful and conscientious."

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