# Bertha Gifford

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American serial killer

Bertha Gifford Born Bertha Alice Williams 30 October 1871 Morse Mill, Missouri, U.S. Died August 20, 1951 (aged 79) Missouri State Hospital, #4, Missouri, U.S. Criminal penalty Committed to mental facility Details Victims 3–17 Span of crimes 1900s–1928 Country United States State Missouri Date apprehended 1928

**Bertha Alice Williams Graham Gifford** (October 30, 1871 – August 20, 1951)[1] was a farmwife in rural [Catawissa, Missouri](/source/Catawissa%2C_Missouri) during the early 1900s who was accused of murdering three members of the local community and suspected in 15 additional deaths.[2] Some consider her to be America's fifth solo female [serial killer](/source/Serial_killer), behind [Belle Gunness](/source/Belle_Gunness), [Lydia Sherman](/source/Lydia_Sherman), [Jane Toppan](/source/Jane_Toppan), and [Nannie Doss](/source/Nannie_Doss).[3]

## Personal life

Bertha Alice Williams was born in [Morse Mill, Missouri](/source/Morse_Mill%2C_Missouri),[1] the daughter of William Poindexter Williams and his wife Matilda, née Lee.[4] She was one of 10 children. She was married to Henry Graham[5] and this union produced one daughter, Lila. Following Graham's death,[6] she married Eugene Gifford[5] and they had one child, James.

## Crimes

Gifford was renowned in her community for her cooking skills and caring for sick neighbors and relatives. Despite this, five people died in her care, prompting a grand jury investigation.[2] In 1928, Gifford was arrested at [Eureka, Missouri](/source/Eureka%2C_Missouri)[7] and charged with three murders. Following the exhumation and [post-mortem](/source/Post-mortem) exams of Edward Brinley and Elmer and Lloyd Schamel, the bodies were found to contain large amounts of [arsenic](/source/Arsenic).[8] Gifford was put on trial for their murders in [Union, Missouri](/source/Union%2C_Missouri). Following the three-day trial, she was found [not guilty by reason of insanity](/source/Not_guilty_by_reason_of_insanity) and committed to the Missouri State Hospital #4, a psychiatric institution,[9] where she remained until her death in 1951.[2]

Gifford acted as nurse for her sick neighbors, but 17 people died in her care. Suspicions were raised about an additional twelve deaths after the grand jury investigation of the five deaths.[2] Given the high mortality rates and the unregulated use of arsenic for medical and other purposes at the time, it is not certain that she intentionally killed people who had been in her care.[2]

## See also

- [List of serial killers in the United States](/source/List_of_serial_killers_in_the_United_States)

- [List of serial killers by number of victims](/source/List_of_serial_killers_by_number_of_victims)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-deathcert_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-deathcert_1-1) ["Missouri Deaths"](http://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1951/1951_00031245.PDF) (PDF). Missouri. 1910–1960. Retrieved March 6, 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_2-4) Wood, Larry (May 25, 2016). [*Wicked Women of Missouri*](https://books.google.com/books?id=TUtIDQAAQBAJ). Arcadia Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781625857392](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781625857392).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-tainted_3-0)** Murphy, S. Kay (2008). *The Tainted Legacy of Bertha Gifford*. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1530983483](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1530983483).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ws19230824_4-0)** ["Mrs. W.P. Williams"](https://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kscomanc/williams_mc.html). *The Western Star ([probably] Coldwater, KS)*. August 24, 1923. Retrieved April 24, 2013. Obituary of Bertha Gifford's mother, as quoted on Rootsweb

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-m_lic_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-m_lic_5-1) ["Jefferson County Missouri marriage licenses"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090426141835/http://jeffersoncountylibrary.org/genealogy/democrat_1907.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://jeffersoncountylibrary.org/genealogy/democrat_1907.shtml) on April 26, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Henry Graham obituary (Bertha Gifford's first husband and supposed first victim)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090426141830/http://www.jeffersoncountylibrary.org/genealogy/democrat_1906.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.jeffersoncountylibrary.org/genealogy/democrat_1906.shtml) on April 26, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** St. Louis Post Dispatch

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** "Story of Murders Verified by Poison: Exhumation Substantiates How Man and Boys in Missouri Died". *The Washington Post(1923-1954)*. Washington D.C. 1928 [09 October 1928]. p. 4.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dj19870424_9-0)** ["Reflections on Farmington State Hospital"](https://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mostfran/hospitals/state_hospital_reflections.htm). *The Daily Journal (Flat River, Missouri)*. April 24, 1987. Retrieved April 24, 2013. as quoted on Rootsweb

## External links

- [Bertha Gifford website](http://www.berthagifford.com)

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bertha Gifford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Gifford) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Gifford?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.