Photographs of Buildings at the Historic Gardner Homestead

These photographs show the Historic Gardner Homestead as it appeared in November, 2018. The homestead was purchased by the Flint Cemetery in May, 2017, with plans to rehabilitate the Gardner home. The property adjoins the cemetery, separated only by a creek and ravine. In the main photograph accompanying this scrapbook entry, which was taken looking northwest from Flint Road, the Gardner home is the brick building on the far left, with garages or outbuildings in the center and at the right. The two photographs under "more views" show the property as viewed from a vantage north of the three buildings.

The home’s builder, Ozem Gardner, came to central Ohio from Ostego County, New York, in 1817. He worked as brickmaker until he could save enough money to purchase 65 acres of farmland on Flint Road in 1821. He lived in a log cabin until late 1830's. The brick farmhouse was built around 1850. An active member of the Anti-Slavery Society of Worthington, Gardner 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. Ozem Gardner lived in this home until his death in 1880.

A notable previous resident of the home was Henry Hancock and his family, who lived there for approximately 30 years. According to an interview with his granddaughter, Hancock was the first Black sheriff’s deputy in Franklin County. He also ran a business, Funeral Police Escort, for more than 40 years.