David Gardiner

David Gardiner (May 29, 1784 – February 28, 1844) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a member of the New York State Senate representing Suffolk County from 1824 to 1828. Born in East Hampton, New York, he was the son of Abraham Gardiner (1763–1796) and Phebe Dayton (1757–1810). Gardiner was a descendant of Lion Gardiner (1599–1663), an early English settler and soldier known for founding the first English settlement on Long Island, which includes Gardiners Island.

He graduated from Yale University in 1804, alongside John Calhoun, who later became a U.S. Senator from South Carolina. After completing his education, Gardiner practiced law for several years. In 1815, he married Juliana McLachlan (1799–1864), daughter of Michael McLachlan, a man whose family had moved from Jamaica to New York. Juliana's family established a successful brewery and accumulated extensive real estate holdings in Manhattan, which she inherited, contributing to their wealth.

Following his marriage, Gardiner managed Juliana's real estate holdings and resided at 430 Lafayette Street in Manhattan, an area considered a social center in New York. During the 1840s, Gardiner relocated with his family to Washington, D.C., for several months annually, partly to seek a suitable marriage for his daughter Julia Gardiner. The family became part of the social circle of President John Tyler.

Gardiner supported John Quincy Adams and was affiliated with the People's Party, which opposed the Democratic Party led by Andrew Jackson. His political stance was characterized as supportive of Adams during his career.

On February 28, 1844, Gardiner died in an explosion aboard the United States Navy vessel USS Princeton during a demonstration of its largest naval gun, "The Peacemaker," near Mount Vernon on the Potomac River. The explosion killed Gardiner and five other individuals, including four crew members and one civilian. The funeral service for the victims was held in the White House East Room, and Gardiner was initially interred in the Public Vault at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. His remains were later moved to the South End Cemetery in East Hampton, New York.

The explosion occurred during a pleasure cruise with Gardiner, his daughters Julia and Margaret, and others aboard the USS Princeton. President Tyler had proposed marriage to Julia Gardiner prior to Gardiner's death; she initially refused but later accepted. After the incident, Tyler proposed marriage multiple times before Julia accepted, and they married on June 26, 1844. Their first child was David Gardiner Tyler, named in honor of his maternal grandfather.

David Gardiner and Juliana McLachlan were parents to several children, including:

- David Lion Gardiner (1816–1892), a lawyer, investor, and owner of Sagtikos Manor who married Sarah Gardiner Thompson.

- Alexander Gardiner (1818–1851), Clerk of the U.S. Circuit Court and an unofficial aide to President Tyler.

- Julia Gardiner (1820–1889), who married President John Tyler.

- Margaret Gardiner (1822–1857), who married John H. Beeckman in 1848.

His grandchildren included David Gardiner Tyler (1846–1927), John Alexander Tyler (1848–1883), and Dr. Lyon Gardiner Tyler (1853–1935), notable as a lawyer, author, and legislator.