Samuel Jefferson Gardner was born December 17, 1905 in Barnwell County, South Carolina. He attended Edisto Academy at Severn, South Carolina and graduated from Furman University in 1928. Gardner was ordained at Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville in 1928. Gardner married Florence McJunkin on July 7, 1929 and together they had three children: Sarah Gardner Kennedy, Winona Gardner Belote, and Sam J. Gardner, Jr.. Gardner died November 1, 1961.

Gardner was a public school teacher for 11 years and a pastor for over 30 years. He pastored the following churches in Pickens, Greenwood, Anderson, Easley, and Greenville counties: Horeb, Oolenoy, Cedar Rock, Holly Springs, Pickens, Secona, Siloam, Reedy River, Judson, and Rock Hill. Gardner published Poems and Epigrams in 1930 and his autobiography “Over Fifty Glorious Years” in 1959.

Gardner called himself “The Preacher Poet” as he wrote poetry, sermonettes, tracts, “Quotable Quatrains,” and “Pungent Pointers” that were published regularly for twenty years in South Carolina newspapers, and Christian papers such as Southern Baptist News, Union Gospel Press, The Baptist Courier, Christ for the World Messenger, and Your Good Neighbor (a monthly news magazine). Gardner was also heard on the radio in the Radio Bible Hour, Inc. In 1948, an honorary Doctorate of Literature was awarded to Gardner in recognition of his writings.