Alex Gardiner general farmer and fruit-raiser near Fullerton, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1838, the fourth son of William and Mary Gardiner, who came to America in 1855, in a sailing vessel, landing in New York; thence they immediately sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, and thence they proceeded to Knoxville, Tennessee, locating ten miles south of Knoxville at Rockford. William Gardiner was a cotton spinner by trade.
The subject of this sketch served five years as a machinist in Scotland, leaving school at the age of twelve years. In 1869 he came overland to California, starting from Knoxville, Tennessee, September 21, 1869, and arrived at Watsonville, this State, October 6. He hunted along the coast for a home, and December 6 found him in Los Angeles. Directly he purchased 160 acres two miles and a half northwest of Anaheim, where he has since resided; was one of the first settlers there, buying of the Los Angeles and San Bernardino Land Company. Out of a barren waste he has made a fruitful farm, and as a general agriculturist and horticulturist he has been successful.
Mrs. Gardiner, whose maiden name was Susan M. Reeder, was born in Blount County, Tennessee, and her parents, Majors and Jane (Williams) Reader, were natives of Virginia and had ten children. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were married in East Tennessee in 1864. Their children are: Jennie, wife of Otto des Granges, Jr.; Mary, Frank, John. James, Lilburn and Alex. W.
