Alpheus Gifford (1793 - 1841)

Born 28 Aug 1793 in North Adams Township, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Anna (Nash) Gifford — married 27 Apr 1817 in Butternuts, Otsego County, New York

Descendants

Died 25 Dec 1841 at age 48 in Appanoose Township, Hancock, Illinois, United States

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Biography

Alpheus Gifford was a Latter Day Saint pioneer.

Alpheus Gifford has English ancestors.

Alpheus Gifford was born on Aug. 28, 1793, in North Adams Township, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States. ^[1]

His parents, Noah Samuel Gifford ^[2] and his mother Mary Bowerman were both born in Massachusetts Bay Colony of British Colonial America, as were both of their parents.. They married in 1784 and had 8 children.

• Judah Gifford
• Maribah Gifford
• Levi Gifford Sr.
• Tamar Gifford
• Alpheus Gifford
• Tamer Gifford
• Ichabod Bowerman Gifford
• Armellia Gifford.

Marriage: Alpheus married Ann Nash on April 27,1817 in Butternuts, New York. They had 10 children. Children:

• Mary Elizabeth Gifford Parker 1818–1880
• Ichabod Bowerman Gifford 1819–1896
• Samuel Kendall Gifford 1821–1907
• William Pitts Gifford 1823–1843
• Henry Dill Gifford 1825–1901
• Rhoda Gifford Hatfield 1827–1904
• Rachel Gifford DeMille 1829–1846
• Moses Gifford 1833–1888
• Enos Curtis Gifford 1837–1837
• Heber Chase Kimball Gifford 1839–1843

Missions for the LDS Church: ^[3]

• Served in Eastern States Mission in 1831 (Age 37) . He was married, at the time of all of his missions. At this time he resided in Rutland, Tioga, Pennsylvania.
• Second Mission to same location above, in 1832 (Age 38). On this second mission, Alpheus baptized Heber C. Kimball on 15 April 1832.
• Third Mission, this time Alpheus Gifford volunteered to labor as a missionary, Aug 6, 1834 to the Northern States Mission. He was living in Far West, Missouri at the time with his family.

Death: December 25, 1841 in Niota, Appanoose Township, Hancock, Illinois, United States. Niota was an unincorporated piece of Appanoose Township where Alpheus owned property according to tax records at the time of his death. It was located about 5 miles from Nauvoo. This was Alpheus' final home and where he died of "consumption" (tuberculosis).

Burial: Alpheus was buried in the Old Nauvoo Burial Ground in Nauvoo, Illinois Dec 28, 1841. He was just 48 years of age. ^{[4] [5]}

Life Sketch Story from Jolene Stevens Huddleston: "Alpheus Gifford was my third Great-Grandfather. He was born on 28 August 1793 in Adams, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States to Noah Gifford and Mary Bowerman. He was the fifth child in a family of seven children. He lived a short, but powerful life of 48 years. Alpheus was raised a Quaker. He had little education, but it was sufficient for him to study and learn all his life from the Bible. In 1810 at age 17 he joined with the Free Reformed Methodist religion and began traveling and sharing gospel messages as he understood them from the Bible. He did this work not for money, but to help people. On 27 April 1817 Alpheus Gifford married Anna Nash in Butternuts, Otsego, New York. She was the daughter of Azor Nash and Lucy Shaw. They had ten children together. One of them was Samuel Kendall Gifford, who was my great-great grandfather. Early in 1830 he heard of the restored gospel and about the Prophet Joseph Smith. He quickly accepted these new teachings as matching his understanding of the scriptures and bought five Books of Mormon to take home to his family and friends in Tioga, Pennsylvania. Then he traveled to learn more directly from the Prophet. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and over the next 11 years served 3 official missions in which he was at least in part responsible for the conversion of thousands of people into the Church. Some of these converts included Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. According to the journal of Heber C. Kimball, one sermon was enough to convince him that Alpheus Gifford and his four companions were teaching the truth. Later Heber was working in his potter’s shop when Brother Alpheus Gifford entered and began a conversation about the gospel. Heber said, “Brother Alpheus, I am ready to go forward and be baptized.” He then removed his apron and walked with Alpheus to a small stream about one mile from his shop where Alpheus then baptized and confirmed him a member of the Church on Monday, 15 April 1832. Many of the people Alpheus taught experienced the power of his sermons and the gifts of the spirit that accompanied them. Even those who did not accept Mormonism bore witness of these experiences. Alpheus, along with his family and friends suffered the hardships, diseases, and persecution of the early Latter-day Saints, including being driven from their homes because of their religion. He was a gentle man and the persecutions caused him great pain and concern. When Alpheus needed money to pay for his travel expenses, he made baskets. Alpheus attended the dedication of the Kirtland temple. He took his turn standing guard to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He and his family also helped to settle various places in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Illinois. Alpheus was called upon many times to go to the various branches and “still the troubled waters” from conflict and strife among the Church members. At age 48 on Christmas, 25 December 1841 according to Tax and Land Records of Hancock Illinois, Alpheus owned a small acreage in an unincorporated village called Niota in Appanoose Township, Hancock, Illinois, United States about 5 miles from Nauvoo. It was there that Alpheus took sick with “quick consumption” which we would call tuberculosis today. He died and was buried in what is now known as the old Nauvoo burial grounds on 28 December 1841. I am honored to be his descendant. Compiled by Jolene Stevens Huddleston- 3rd great granddaughter"^[6]

Another beautiful story of Alpheus and family: "As emailed by Vera Verna Morgan to her children and grandchildren 1/29/2010

Another pioneer ancestor was Alpheus Gifford. He joined the Church very early and was well acquainted with the Prophet. He sometimes served as his body guard. He was driven from Kirtland and from Missouri to Nauvoo and experienced all of that with his family.

He and 4 other missionaries went to Mendon, New York where they met and taught the BrighamYoung and Heber C. Kimball families. These families were so impressed with the message that they followed them to Tioga and Bradford Counties where the Prophet and others were preaching. The families had testimonies at that time but did not join the Church.

"On day in April following his visit to Pennsylvania, as Heber C. Kimball was working in his Potter's Shop at Mendon , in the act of forming a vessel on the wheel, Alpheus Gifford entered. This Elder Gifford was then on his second mission to these parts in company with others of his brethren. The conversation, turning to the subject of the Gospel, Heber said, "Brother Alpheus, I am ready to go forward and be baptized."

"I pulled off my apron, washed my hands and started with Alpheus, with my sleeves rolled up to my shoulders and went a distance of 1 mile, where he baptized me in a small stream in the woods. After I was baptized I kneeled down and he laid his hands upon my head and confirmed me a member of the Curch of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, and said unto me, "In the name of Jesus Christ, and by the authority of the Holy Priesthood, receive ye the Holy Ghost."

Alpheus named one of his sons Heber C. Kimball Gifford.

Alpheus died in Nauvoo from effects of persecution and being driven from place to place.

His wife carried on and made the long trek to Utah, with the help of her sons.

These ancestors and their stories are very precious to me. I believe that I am a member of this Church today because of blessings promised to these valiant people.'

Sources

1. ↑ "Alpheus Gifford", Early Mormon Missionaries & History of the Church Vol 4, Pg 109 footnotes.
2. ↑ "Father of Alpheus"https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZLR-7NG
3. ↑ "Alpheus Gifford", Early Mormon Missionaries, accessed June 27, 2017, https://history.lds.org/missionary/individual/alpheus-gifford-1793
4. ↑ Family Search Burial record: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK3-GNHY
5. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK3-GNHY : 3 August 2020), Alpheus Gifford, ; Burial, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States of America, Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds; citing record ID 37580578, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
6. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/lifesketch/KWCZ-BNJ

• Find A Grave: Memorial #37580578 Alpheus Gifford