Bertha Gifford
Encyclopedia
Bertha Gifford was a farmwife in rural Catawissa, Missouri
during the early 1900s who was accused of murdering 17 members of the local community. While some consider her to be America's first female serial killer
, that dubious honor was earned 100 years previously by Lavinia Fisher
near Charleston, South Carolina
.
, the daughter of William Poindexter Williams and his wife Matilda, née Lee. She was one of 10 children. She was married to Henry Graham and this union produced one daughter, Lila. Following Graham's death, she married Eugene Gifford and they had one child, James.
and charged with the murders of three people. Following the exhumation and post mortem exams of Edward Brinley and Elmer and Lloyd Schamel whose bodies were found to contain large amounts of arsenic
, Gifford was put on trial in Union, Missouri
. Following the three-day trial, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to the Missouri State Hospital #4 (a mental institution) where she remained until her death in 1951.
Although counts vary, most historians and family members agree that Gifford actually killed at least 17 people over a period of 21 years. Most of her victims were children.
Catawissa, Missouri
Catawissa is a small unincorporated community in Franklin County, Missouri, United States, on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, 39 miles from St. Louis, Missouri. It was founded in 1839 and initially had four stores. It is located at the junction of Route N and Route O, southwest of Pacific. ...
during the early 1900s who was accused of murdering 17 members of the local community. While some consider her to be America's first female serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, that dubious honor was earned 100 years previously by Lavinia Fisher
Lavinia Fisher
Lavinia Fisher is widely recognized as the first female serial killer in the United States of America. Her origins are unknown; however, Fisher resided in the United States for a large amount of her life...
near Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Personal life
Bertha Alice Williams Graham Gifford was born in Morse Mill, MissouriMorse Mill, Missouri
Morse Mill is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Missouri, United States. It is located about five miles northwest of Hillsboro. The community is named after John H. Morse, who settled here in 1847. Built in the early 1870s, the Morse homestead was a three-story frame house with a...
, the daughter of William Poindexter Williams and his wife Matilda, née Lee. She was one of 10 children. She was married to Henry Graham and this union produced one daughter, Lila. Following Graham's death, she married Eugene Gifford and they had one child, James.
Crimes
In 1928, Gifford — known in her community for her cooking skills and caring for sick neighbors and relatives — was arrested at Eureka, MissouriEureka, Missouri
Eureka is a city located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States, between St. Louis and Pacific, Missouri, along Interstate 44. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 10,189. The city is west of the former site of Times Beach, the site of dioxin contamination discovered in...
and charged with the murders of three people. Following the exhumation and post mortem exams of Edward Brinley and Elmer and Lloyd Schamel whose bodies were found to contain large amounts of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
, Gifford was put on trial in Union, Missouri
Union, Missouri
Union is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,204 at the 2010 census making Union the fastest growing community in Franklin County, Missouri. It is located on the Bourbeuse River. The city was founded in 1827 and is named after the...
. Following the three-day trial, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to the Missouri State Hospital #4 (a mental institution) where she remained until her death in 1951.
Although counts vary, most historians and family members agree that Gifford actually killed at least 17 people over a period of 21 years. Most of her victims were children.