Court Records: A Surprising Source of Family Drama

Genealogy—the study of family history—is like being a detective, searching for clues about the past. This is the story of John M. Gardner, a man from Delaware in the 1800s, and the mysteries surrounding his family. His story was uncovered through traditional historical records, a surprising court case, and learning about extended family connections and neighbors.

Who Was John M. Gardner?

John M. Gardner was born around 1841 in Smyrna, Delaware. He married Henrietta Staats in 1862, and they had a daughter named Emma Mabel Gardner. Emma later moved to New Jersey and started her own family, but we wanted to learn more about where her father, John, came from. A big breakthrough in tracing John’s family came from an important document—his obituary. This newspaper article listed his father as Captain Delight Gardner. But who was Delight Gardner, and where did he come from? This is where the real detective work began!

The Mystery of Delight Gardner

At first, we thought Delight might be related to a man named James Gardner, who lived in New Castle County, Delaware. However, after searching land records, census records, and other historical documents, we proved that Delight was not James’s son. So where did he come from?

Some records suggested Delight was born in Virginia, while others said he was from Delaware. A few documents even listed him as being from England! This kind of confusion happens often in genealogy because records were not always accurate, and people sometimes gave different information over the years.

A Family Caught in a Court Case

Searching for Delight Gardner in the new Full-Text Search index on www.familySearch.org/labs uncovered the most exciting record – a long and detailed court case for John M. Gardner’s grandfather, and Delight Gardner’s father-in-law, John Moore! When John Moore passed away, there was a dispute over his will. His stepdaughter, Rachel Staats, was set to receive most of his estate, but his son-in-law, Delight Gardner, argued that John Moore had originally planned to leave more to his grandson, young John M. Gardner. Indeed, a marriage was found for Delight Gardner and Rebecca Moore in 1840.

This court case is important because it provides a lot of details about the family. It tells us that John M. Gardner’s mother, Rebecca Moore, passed away when he was just a baby. Instead of being raised by his father, Delight, he grew up with a family named Staats. This makes sense because many documents show him living with the Staats family in census records.

The depositions in the case paint a dramatic picture of family tension. Some people argued that Rachel Staats and her mother Susan may have influenced John Moore to change his will. Mary Staats, who took in Rebecca Moore when she was a child, testified about the conflicts in the family, especially how Susan treated Rebecca unfairly. She claimed that Susan Moore had forced Rebecca out of her home, and recounted a heated conversation where Susan Moore shouted at her for trying to help Rebecca. Other witnesses, including a local store owner, Joseph Fleming, recalled how John Moore had to secretly buy clothes for his daughter Rebecca because his wife Susan disapproved of him helping her.

There was also testimony about John Moore’s mental state. Some witnesses, like Baymon Deakyne, said John Moore had been of sound mind when he wrote his final will. Others, like Mary Staats, believed that Susan Moore had influenced him in his final days. A doctor, Samuel Fisher, stated that while John Moore was physically weak, he seemed mentally aware when making decisions about his will.

A particularly emotional moment in the case came when it was revealed that John Moore had only met his grandson, John M. Gardner, a few times in secret. According to testimony, Rachel Staats caught John Moore sneaking out to see his grandson, and after that, he never tried to visit again. This suggests that John Moore may have wanted to have a relationship with his grandson but was prevented from doing so by his wife and stepdaughter.

Despite all the arguments and evidence presented, the court ultimately upheld John Moore’s final will, leaving most of his estate to Rachel Staats and giving only a portion to John M. Gardner. The ruling confirmed that, whether influenced or not, John Moore had made his decisions legally. This outcome left lingering questions about what could have happened if Susan Moore and Rachel Staats had not been involved.

Why Was the Neighborhood Important?

In the 1800s, people lived close to their extended families, and their neighbors often played a big role in their lives. By looking at maps and census records from the time, we found that John M. Gardner’s relatives and family friends all lived near each other in a place called Thoroughfare Neck, Delaware.

In fact, Samuel Staats, the man who raised John M. Gardner, lived next to the James Gardner family. Could this mean that Delight was related to them in some way? Maybe he was a nephew or cousin instead of a direct son. We still don’t know for sure, but this close connection suggests a family link.

The neighborhood records also show an interesting connection between the Staats, Gardner, and Moore families. Many of these individuals interacted through church, land transactions, and even legal disputes. This interconnected community played a crucial role in how John M. Gardner was raised and how his story unfolded.

DNA: A Modern Tool to Solve Old Mysteries

One way to solve the mystery of Delight Gardner’s family is through DNA testing. Genealogists use DNA to match living descendants to their ancestors. If a descendant of John M. Gardner takes a DNA test, they might find cousins who are connected to a larger Gardner family tree. This could help answer the question of where Delight Gardner came from and confirm whether he was related to James Gardner or another Gardner family.

Why Genealogy Matters

Learning about our ancestors helps us understand where we came from. It can also reveal surprising stories, like family conflicts, long-lost relatives, and connections to historical events. Researching your own family tree can be an exciting journey—just like solving a mystery!

If you are interested in genealogy, you can start by asking older relatives about family stories, looking at old photos, or even researching historical records online. Who knows? You might uncover a mystery in your own family tree! Start exploring today. Our expert researchers at Price Genealogy are here to help!

Emily

Sources

1. OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (March 11 version). Original research report conducted by AK, 6 February 2025.
2. “John M. Gardner,” The Smyrna Times (Smyrna, Delaware), 30 April 1884, page 2, column 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 January 2025).
3. “New Castle County probate records, ca. 1682-1925,” New Castle County, Delaware, Moore, Eliza – Moore, Mary (1806-1821), entry for John Moore will, 1 January 1845; digitized microfilm images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 January 2025); citing FHL microfilm #7653271.
4. “Delaware, marriage records, ca. 1650-1980,” Delight Gardiner and Rebecca Moore, 28 May 1840, New Castle County; database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2025); citing FHL microfilm #5099387.
5. Samuel M. Rea, Jacob Price, George Read Riddle, Robert Pearsall Smith, Smith & Wistar, Rea & Price, Map of New Castle County, Delaware : from original surveys, Philadelphia: Smith & Wistar, 1849; database images, Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov : accessed 16 January 2025).