Frances M. Stafford

William H. and Ruhamah Stafford nee Kiphart

49. William H. Stafford ⁴ (William¹, Robert²Benjamin²) was born about 03 March 1841 in Morgan County, Indiana¹ to Benjamin and Margaret Price.² He died in Morgan County, Indiana on 16 December 1900 when he was only 59 years old. He was buried at the Centerton Cemetery in Morgan County, Indiana.¹ He was one of the few Stafford men that served in the military during the Civil War.

At the age of 20, William H. Stafford enlisted he enlisted as a private in the Union Army and mustered in to Company K of the Indiana 21st Infantry on 24 July 1861. Twenty-three other men from Centerton also enlisted into the same unit that day and served with him. After serving for about 1.5 years with this unit he transferred to Company K, 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment on 01 February 1863 and served with them until mustering out on 13 January 1866. During his service he was promoted to his final rank of Sergeant at the time of his discharge.³

After the Civil War he returned to Morgan County, Indiana and married Ruhamah E. Kiphart³ on the 04 March 1870.⁴ They remained in Morgan County for the rest of their lives raising four children, 1 daughter and 3 sons. The 1900 and 1915 census states that Ruhamah Stafford was the mother of 15 children, with only 4 living at that time.⁴ However, it seems likely that this was an error and should have read 5 children with only 4 living. Very little is known about Ruhamah or her family. In 1870, just 2 months after she married William Stafford, the census taker visited their household and recorded two young children bearing the surname Kiphart living in the household. The eldest was 4-year-old, Laura Kiphart and 1-year-old John A. Kiphart.⁵ The relationship of these children to Ruhamah is not known. It is possible that they were siblings, cousins, or even her children, but work is needed to determine the connection between them.

William and Ruhamah Stafford were enumerated in Morgan County in 1870,⁵ 1880⁶ and 1900.⁷Ruhamah Stafford was enumerated in 1910 with her son, Robert since William M. H. Stafford died on 16 December 1900 in Morgan County, Indiana⁹ and was buried at the Centerton Cemetery.¹Ruhamah Stafford married a 2nd time about 15 years after William died. The name of her second husband was Joel H. Canady.

Suggestions for additional research:

Need Civil War Pension files for William H. Stafford
Probate records for William H. Stafford
Land records
Follow children forward

William H. and Ruhamah Stafford nee Kiphart
Census	1850 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana; in father's household 1860 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana 1870 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana 1880 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana; on same page as Benjamin Stafford 1900 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana 1910 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana (Ruhamah living with Robert Stafford)
Marriage Records	William H. Stafford and Ruhamey E. Kiphart marriage record (04 March1870), Morgan County, Indiana Ruhamah Stafford married Joel Canady 15 July 1915 in Morgan County, Indiana.
Land Patents	Have not researched in land patents
Deed Records	Have not researched in deed records
Death & Burial	William H. Stafford died 16 December 1900 in Morgan County, Indiana Obituary for William H. Stafford
	Did not find a headstone for Ruhamah Stafford-Canady nee Kiphart
Will	Have not researched will records

¹	William H. Stafford tombstone, Centerton Cemetery, Centerton, Morgan County, Indiana; photographed and published by Argil Mahan, 3434 Harmon Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227, June 2004.
²	Noah J. Major, The Pioneers of Morgan County: memoirs of Noah J. Major (Indianapolis: E.J. Hecker, 1915), p. 272.
³	American Civil War Database; downloaded from Ancestry.com
⁴	Benjamin Stafford household, 1850 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, Clay Township, page 152, lines 31-39, dwelling 138, family 139; National Archives microfilm publication M432, roll 162.
⁴	Stafford –Kiphart marriage record (04 March 1870), Morgan County Marriage Record Book E:206; Morgan County Clerk’s Office. Martinsville, Indiana.
⁵	William Stafford household, 1870 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, Centerton post office, page 29, dwelling 209, family 209; National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 346.
⁶	William Stafford household, 1880 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, Centerton post office, page 25, ED 266, SD 4, dwelling 231, family 246; National Archives microfilm publication T9, roll 301.
⁷	William M. H. Stafford household, 1900 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, population schedule, Washington Township, page 14B, ED 54, SD 5, dwelling 387, family 345; National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 394.
⁸	Robert Stafford household, 1910 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, page 7BB, ED 56, SD 5, dwelling 154, family 156; National Archives microfilm publication T624, roll 372.
⁹	William H. Stafford death record, Ancestry.com citing County Health Office, Death Record H-16:19, Mooresville, Morgan County, Indiana.
⁹	Stafford – Canady marriage record (15 July 1911), Ancestry Indiana Marriage Record Database 1800-1941; citing original source Morgan County marriage record book 10:381.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Direct Line:	Pedigree chart	William	Robert	Andrew	Daniel	Clayton
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Sarah A. Stafford ] [ Nancy Jane Stafford ] [ John R. Stafford ] [ Frances M. Stafford ] [ William H. Stafford ] [ Benjamin B. Stafford ] [ Grant S. Stafford ] [ Mary Stafford ] [ James Stafford ] [ Priscilla Stafford ] [ Martha Stafford ] [ Emma Stafford ] [ Oliver P. Stafford ]

		Minerva P. "Minnie" Stafford
		Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Stafford
		Robert B. Stafford
		Perry Stafford

Suggestions for additional research:

William H. and Ruhamah E. Stafford nee Kiphart were the parents of:

Documentation for events in William H. Stafford's life

Others researching these families: