John Gardner (c. 1845–1926) was a Texas Ranger, cowboy, fighter of Native Americans, and trail boss who was the subject of a folklore song titled, "John Gardner's Trail Herd".
John and his brothers, Alex and Peter Gardner were hired as cowboys in Southwest Texas working ranches and driving cattle to the Kansas cowtowns.
Gardner stated in a short autobiography that he was involved in many fights with Mexicans and Indians, but held back thinking it would "sound fishy these days".
Gardner was said to have been a gunman with the Sam Bass Gang during the 1870s robbing stagecoaches in the Dakota Territory.
ceGardner was one of the first men to drive cattle into the Black Hills along with the Collins brothers and Sam Bass.