Joseph Gifford (1712 - 1776)

Born 13 Oct 1712 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 14 May 1776 at age 63 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island

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Biography

Joseph was born in 1712. He was the son of Jeremiah Gifford and Mary Wright. He passed away in 1776.

His will is dated 29 July 1775 and proved on 27 May 1776 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.^[1]

His date of death is recorded in the heading of his inventory which was taken on 23 May 1776.^[1]

Research Notes

Joseph appears as head of a household in Portsmouth the 1774 census of Rhode Island^[2]. Since his son David was having children both before and after this date in Portsmouth, but David does not appear in the census, we infer that David and his family were living in Joseph's household. The age/sex distribution of the household and inferred attributions are

• two men over 16: Joseph and son David
• four boys under 16: David's sons Gideon, Jeremiah, Ephraim and unknown
• four women over 16: Joseph's wife Mary, David's wife Abigail, and unknown
• two girls under 16: David's daughters Sarah and Elizabeth

Thus, the tallies are high enough to include all of David's known children and his wife, and after considering them there are still another two grown women and a young boy left to identify.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9079/images/007649133_00215). Rhode Island, U.S., Wills, and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line], Council and Probate Records, Vol 6-9, 1764-1822, image 215-217. Portsmouth, RI, Vol. 6, Second Part of Book, page 251-255. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
2. ↑ 1774 Census

• From Vital Records of Portsmouth, RI

GIFFORD Joseph, and Mary Brayton, both of Tiverton; m. by William Sanford, Justice, Aug. 14, 1737. 

• Joseph Gifford on Find A Grave: Memorial #22113419 Retrieved 17:39, 19 April 2017 (EDT).
• 1774 Rhode Island Census (http://www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com/1774-ri-colonial-census-portsmouth.htm)
• Gifford, Harry E. (Harry Ellsworth),Gifford Genealogy 1626-1896 (Pinkham Press, 1896)
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22113419/joseph-gifford: accessed 14 November 2023), memorial page for Joseph Gifford (13 Oct 1712–14 May 1776), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22113419, citing Saint Pauls Cemetery, Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA; Maintained by Judy A (contributor 47605930).

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Katie Boosted for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Katie and others.