Obadiah GARDNER, Congress, ME (1852-1938)

GARDNER Obadiah , a Senator from Maine; born near Port Huron, Mich., September 13, 1852; moved to Union, Maine, with his parents in 1864; attended the common schools, Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Coburn Classical Institute, Waterville, Maine; engaged in the lumber, lime, and creamery business in Rockland, Maine, and also in agricultural pursuits and in cattle raising; member of the State board of agriculture; master of the Maine State Grange 1897-1907; unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Maine in 1908; appointed as chairman of the board of State assessors 1911, but resigned, having been appointed Senator; appointed and subsequently elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William P. Frye, and served from September 23, 1911, until March 3, 1913; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1913; appointed a member of the International Joint Commission created to prevent disputes regarding the use of the boundary waters between the United States and Canada in 1913, and served as chairman of the United States section 1914-1923; returned to Rockland, Maine, and retired; moved to Augusta, Maine, where he died July 24, 1938; interment in Achorn Cemetery, Rockland, Maine.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present