William Reed
and his wife Avis Chepman
and Some of Their Descendants
Fifth Generation

ANNA⁵ REED (Thomas⁴, William³, James², William¹) was born at Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts, on 5 January 1762 a daughter of Thomas Reed and his wife Anna Rogers,^[1] and died sometime between 1794 (birth of a child) and 1802 (husband's second marriage). She married at Dartmouth on 27 September 1789 JAMES GIFFORD 2nd.^[2] He was born at Dartmouth on 12 August 1767, a son Ichabod and Sarah Gifford.^[3] He died sometime after 1820 (census). James married as his second wife at Westport, Bristol County, on 18 April 1802 RHODA (SISSON) SISSON.^[4] She was born at Dartmouth on 1 July 1763, a daughter of Philip and Hope Sisson.^[5] She died sometime between 1809 (birth of a child) and 1820 (census). Rhoda had previously married at Westport on 20 July 1784 DANIEL SISSON.^[6] He was born at Dartmouth on 13 December 1754, a son of James and Hannah Sisson.^[7] He died sometime between 1794 (conception of child) and 1802 (wife's second marriage).

Anna Reed grew up in Dartmouth, the eighth of nine recorded children. When she was twenty-five years old she gave birth to a child out of wedlock: Lemuel B. Reed. At the age of twenty-seven she married James Gifford, who was twenty-two years old, and they soon had a child.

The 1790 Census reported James Gifford at Dartmouth, the family consisting of one male over sixteen, one male under sixteen, and two females.^[8] This probably can be explained as James Gifford, 23, Anna, 28, and Lemuel, 2. James and Anna'a child, Philip, was either not reported or mistaken as a girl. The 1790 Census, unlike later censuses, was not reporting information for a specific date in the census year, and Philip had been born in that year in April. The other female could also be an older female relative.

Anna gave birth to a daughter, Levina, in 1794. I find no further reference to either Anna or Levina after that date,

James Gifford, widower, 34, and Rhoda Sisson, widow, 38, married in 1802. They brought into this marriage James' step-son Lemuel Reed, 14, James' son Philip, 12, and Rhoda's children, Hannah, 15, George, 12, Warren, 9, and Daniel, 6. Her eldest child, Polly, had married at the age of 16. James and Rhoda had one child of record, Elihu, in 1809.

The 1820 Census reported the James Gifford family at Westport, consisting of only two persons, a male over 45, and a male between 10 and 14.^[9] These would be James and Elihu. This record suggests that Rhoda was deceased, and all the other children had married or otherwise moved on. Lemuel Reed had married by 1808, Philip Gifford in 1809, George Sisson in 1815, Daniel Sisson in 1816, Warren Sisson in 1817, and Hannah Sisson in January of 1820

I have no certain record of this James Gifford beyond the 1820 Census. However "Gifford" is a very common name in the towns of Westport and Dartmouth, and many of them were named "James." Perhaps further research could sort out the land and probate records to determine which, if any, belonged to this James Gifford.

Anna Reed had the following child out of wedlock:

1. LEMUEL B.⁶ REED b. at Dartmouth on 5 January 1762.

Anna Reed and her husband James Gifford had the following children:

2. PHILIP⁶ GIFFORD b. at Dartmouth on 14 April 1790; m (int. at Westport on 29 January 1809). ELIZABETH WALDRON, b. at Dighton, Bristol County, on 27 November 1786, child of George and Molly Waldron.^[10]
3. LEVINA⁶ GIFFORD b. at Dartmouth on 4 June 1794.^[11]

James Gifford and his second wife Rhoda Sisson had the following child:

1. ELIHU GIFFORD b. at Westport on 7 October 1809; d. at New Bedford, Bristol County, on 24 August 1871; m. at Westport on 13 June 1830 ANN TRIP, b. at Westport on 12 June 1812, d. at New Bedford on 8 March 1877, child of William and Phoebe Tripp.^[12] Children of Elihu and Ann:
   1. Rufus A. Gifford b. at New Bedford on 23 July 1832, d. there on 14 May 1909; m. there on 29 May 1856 Susan S. Reed b. at New Bedford on 18 November 1834, d. there on 27 June 1895, child of Alden and Roby Reed.^[13]
   2. James Gifford b. at New Bedford on 1843, d. there on 5 May 1903; m. there on 5 June 1878 Malinda E. Robbins b. at Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, on 5 August 1842, d. at New Bedford on 15 May 1895, child of Kimbel and Malinda Robbins.^[143] Child of James and Malinda:
      1. Luther Robbins Gifford b. at New Bedford on 28 October 1887, d. there on 17 November 1977; m. at Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, 26 September 1907 Alice May Letourneau b. at Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, about 1883-4, d. on 1951, child of Peter Letourneau and Sophia Bassett.^[15] Children of Luther and Alice:
         1. Melvina Bennett Gifford b. at New Bedford on 31 October 1911, d. at Fairhaven, Bristol County, on 26 June 1921.^[16]
         2. Gladys May Gifford b. at New Bedford on 30 April 1914, d. on 31 December 2007.^[17]
         3. Alice Alma Gifford b. at New Bedford on 3 July 1917, d. at Fairhaven on 17 September 1996.^[18]
         4. Robert J. Gifford b. on 7 October 1921, d. at Fairhaven on 29 February 1924.^[19]

Rhoda Sisson and her first husband Daniel Sisson had the following children:

1. POLLY SISSON b. at Westport on 30 August 1784; m (int. at Westport on 22 October 1800). JOHN THOMPSON.^[20]
2. HANNAH SISSON b. at Westport on 7 October 1786; d. there on 14 April 1870; m(his 3d). there on 20 January 1820 EZEKIEL BROWNELL, b. on 5 August 1770, d. at Westport on 4 March 1855. Ezekiel had m(1). on 1797 PENELOPE BURDEN, b. at Freetown, Bristol County, on 18 February 1775, d. at Westport on 29 December 1812. Ezekiel m(2). on 1816 SARAH NEAGUS, b. on 25 August 1787, d. at Westpoirt on 15 April 1818.^[21]
3. GEORGE SISSON b. at Westport on 21 September 1789; d. there on 15 June 1869; m. there on 9 July 1815 MAHALA TRIPP, b. at Westport on 4 March 1796, d. there on 25 September 1848, child of Stephen and Hannah Tripp.^[22]
4. WARREN SISSON b. at Westport on 21 December 1792; d. at Dartmouth on 31 May 1855; m. at Dartmouth on 28 August 1817 NANCY BLISS, b. at Dartmouth on 28 October 1795, d. there on 28 January 1866, child of Arnold and Elizabeth Bliss.^[23]
5. DANIEL SISSON b. at Westport on 23 June 1795; d. at McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio, on 27 January 1844; m (int. at Westport on 12 February 1816). FALLY DEVOL.^[24]

¹Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts: to the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1929, 1929, 1930), v. 1, p. 193.
²Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 2, p. 382.
³Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 1, p. 96.
⁴Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1918), p. 164.
⁵Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 1, p. 235.
⁶Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, p. 220.
⁷Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 1, p. 234.
⁸First Census of the United States: 1790, population, Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts, roll 4, p. 195, James Gifford family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 27 February 2020); NARA microfilm publication M637; Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C..
⁹Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population, Westport, Bristol county, Massachusetts, roll 47, p. 600, James Goffird family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 3 March 2020); NARA microfilm publication M33, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C..
¹⁰Elizabeth Janet MacCormick and Edith Whitney Shaw, eds., Town Records: Dighton Mass. (1939–1940), v. 2A, p. 53; digital images of typed manuscrit, New Engand Historic Genealogical Scoiety, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 3 March 2020. Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 1, p. 98. Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, p. 167.
¹¹Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 1, p. 97.
¹²Massachusetts Archives, "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 3 March 2020), v. 238, p. 124; Deaths New Bedford 1871; Elihu Gifford; v. 292, p. 114, e. 124; Deaths New Bedford 1877; Ann Gifford. Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, pp. 47, 161.
¹³Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 2 March 2020), Rufus A. Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth, Photo added by Carol L. Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," Deaths 1909, v. 71, certificate 97; New Bedford; Rufus Gifford; v. 99, p. 97, e. 97; Marriages New Bedford 1856; Gifford-Reed; v. 454, p. 288, e. 538; Deaths New Bedford 1895; Susan Gifford
¹⁴"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," Deaths 1903 v. 39 certificate 35; New Bedford; James A. Gifford; v. 298, p. 115, e. 84; Marriages New Bedford 1878; Gifford-Roberts; v. 454, p. 284, e. 442; Deaths Newe Bedford 1895; Malinda Gifford. Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, James-Malinda Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth.
¹⁵"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," v. 376, p. 173, e. 806; Births New Bedford 1887; Luther Gifford; v. 570, p. 329, e. 126; Marriages North Attleboro 1907; Gifford-Littruno. Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health Services, Boston, Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," index, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 4 March 2020), Luther R. Gifford, 1977. Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, James-Malinda Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth.
¹⁶Massachusetts Archives, Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 598, p. 391, e. 3451; Births New Bedford 1911, Melvina Gifford, ; digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 4 March 2020). Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, James-Malinda Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth.
¹⁷Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, James-Malinda Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth. Social Security Administration, "U.S. Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 4 March 2020), Gladys Gifford, 026-09-9146.
¹⁸Massachusetts Archives, "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1916-1920," digital images, American Ancestors (american ancestors.org : accessed 4 March 2020), v. 640, p. 358, e. 1941; Births New Bedrord 1917; Alice Gifford. "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," Alice A. Gifford, 1996. "U.S. Social Security Death Index", Alice A . Gifford, 017-05-0889. Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, James-Malinda Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth.
¹⁹Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, James-Malinda Gifford; Created by: J.Bosworth.
²⁰Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, pp. 84, 221.
²¹Ezekial Brownell Burial Ground, Westport, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 3 March 2020), Hannah Brownell; Created by: J.Bosworth; Ezekiel Brownell; Created by: J.Bosworth. Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, pp. 84, 221. Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," v. 229, p. 147, e. 12; Deaths Westport 1870; Hannah Brownell.
²²Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, pp. 84, 95, 221, 287. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," v. 220, p. 152, e. 13; Deaths Westport 1869; George Sisson.
²³Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, p. 85. Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, v. 2, p. 445. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910," v. 93, p. 58, e. 31; Deaths Dartmouth 1855; Warren Sisson; v. 192, p. 69; Deaths Dartmouth 1866; Nancy Sisson.
²⁴Old McArthur Cemetery, McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 3 March 2020), Daniel Sisson; Originally Created by: Bev Poling, Maintained by: Constance, Photo added by Diane Reeves. Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts, pp. 83, 220.

Ezekial Brownell Burial Ground, Westport, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.

MacCormick, Elizabeth Janet and Edith Whitney Shaw, eds.. Town Records: Dighton Mass.. 1939–1940. Digital images of typed manuscrit. New Engand Historic Genealogical Scoiety. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2020.

Massachusetts Archives. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1841-1910." Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2020.

________. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915. Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2020.

________. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1916-1920." Digital images. American Ancestors. american ancestors.org : 2020.

Massachusetts, Commonwealth of. Department of Health Services, Boston, Massachusetts. "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003." Index. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2020.

Oak Grove Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.

Old McArthur Cemetery, McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.

United States, Department of the Census. First Census of the United States: 1790, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2020.

________. Fourth Census of the United States: 1820, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2020.

United States Social Security Administration. "U.S. Social Security Death Index." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2020.

Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts: to the Year 1850. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1929, 1929, 1930.

Vital Records of Westport, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1918.