Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-31
A Loss to the State.

Death of Representative Samuel Me Gardner.
 Samuel M. Gardner, Esq, of Birmingham, who was taken i'll while at Hartford two weeks ago attending to his duties as member of the General Assembly, representing the town of Derby, and lawyer of much rspute, ex- pired at his residence in Birmingham on Mon day evening at about o'clock. He carried great weight and influence in the General Assembly and was ono of the foremost leading men there. Everywhere in Birmingham and wherever he WAS known his death will be de- plored. An upright, honest. Christian gen. tleman, who was loved and rsvsred by all who learned to know him intimately. His illness originated in severe cold terminating in pneumonia.
 He was native of East Hampton, Suffolk county, New York, born in 1841, and was con- ssquently S9 years of age at the time of his death. He was graduated from Princeton College, New Jersey, in 1864, and after gradu- ation devoted himself to the study Of the law, being admitted to the bar in Poughkeepsie, N. Y, in 1866. He came to Derby in 1867, and a year later began his official connection with the town affairs, serving as town clerk from 1868 to 1874, acting also as judge of pro- bate from 1871 to 1873. He has been mem Der of the Board of Education of the town for three terms, being member at the time of his death. He was 8 member of the Re publican town committee for several years, and represented his town in the Legislature from 1878 to 1880, serving two years on the most important of the joint standing com mittees- Judiciary, and acting as clerk of the committee in 1879. This year in addition to his duties on that committee he was chair man of the Committee on Engrossed Bills.
 Mir. Gardner was a member of the School Board of Derby, and one of his last official acts WAS to examine candidate for the posi- tion of school teacher, few days before he died. He was elected judge of probate three times, and at one time was Derby y's town clerk. He was associated with Hon. George H. Watrous in the great Lydia Sherman murder case, and made good record there was prominent member of the Knights of Pythias, representing Connecticut in the Supreme Lodge of the World, and being Past Grand Chancellor of this State and was 0 member of Valley Lodge, No. IA, of Birmingham, and Q member of the Endowment Rank, from which his family will receive $3,ooo: The Grand Officers of the Knights of Pythias of Connecticut, with the Past Grand Chan cslIors, will attend his funeral in 6 body. He leaves wife and three children. At bar meeting held yesterday afternoon in the Superior Court room, Simeon E. Bald win presided Immediately after the trans. action of the regular routine business of making the weekly assignments, Colonel Will liam B. Wooster arose and stated that it be- came his painful duty to call the attention of the bar to the fact that they had lost by death Samuel NJ. Gardner, of Derby. He moved that committee of three be appoint ed to take suitable action and present resolu- tions. The chair appointed William B. Woos- ter, Judge Lynde Harrison and Johnson T. Platt committee. They retired and shortly afterward presented the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
 Resolved That the members of this bar are pained at the sudden aud early death of the Hon. Samuel M Gardner, of our number
 Resolved, That in his death the bar oS this State hgh-mInded, discreet legisl stor, the community which he resided worthy, upright snd influential
 Rss lved, That tender to his berekYed family condoience and warmest sympathy, and point them for consolation 10 his faithful record in the many petitions of honor and trust conferred upon him.
 Resolved, That the chairmGn present these
 uons to the court and request that they bs entered memento of the high of the character Of the deceased held by his associates.
 Resolved that certified copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the widow of the deceased.
 Eloquent and feeling tributes were paid t he memory of the deceased by Col. Wooster, Judge Munson of Seymour, W. Fl. Williams of Seymour, Judge Lynde Harrison, Prof. Johnson T. Platt. The resolutions were or dered recorded.