Francis Dayton Tift
Parents
| Father | Stephen Tefft (ca. 1790 - 4 January 1866) |
| Mother | Susan Wilcox ( - ) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 5 June 2020; Last Edited: 30 April 2025 |
| Person ID | 9457 |
| Name | Francis Dayton Tift |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | 16 February 1838 in Jewett City, New London County, Connecticut1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Married | September 1859 to Anna J. Mack3, 10 |
| Divorced | 19 September 1892 in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas from Anna J. Mack10, 11 |
| Married | 22 November 1892 in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island to Helen ‘Nellie’ Buckley12 |
| Died | 28 November 1915 in Lakewood, Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island1, 9, 13 |
| Buried | in Pawtuxet Memorial Park, Warwich, Kent County, Rhode Island1 |
Biography
Francis’ obituary provides interesting biographical details:13
OBITUARY.
Francis Dayton Tift.
The death of Francis Dayton Tift, formerly a resident of this city, occurred on Sunday at his home in Lakewood, Providence. Mr. Tift was 77 and was born in Jewett City, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Tift. His father was a native of North Stonington and his mother’s maiden name was Wilcox.
Mr. Tift followed the mill business and was a loom fixer, working in mills in Jewett City, Baltic, and this city where he lived at the falls. At one time he was foreman of the William M. Williams company at the Falls. Abut 35 years ago he lost part of one of his hands in a mill and after this he lived for a year in Kansas. For about the last 20 years his home has been in Providence.
Mr. Tift enlisted in Norwich for three months’ service in the war and served his enlistment with credit. He belonged to the G. A. R. and was particularly interested in its work.
Mr. Tift was the last of his family, but he is survived by his second wife who was Nellie Buckley, and whom he married about 20 years ago. His first wife’s name was Mack and she was a resident of Norwich. The only close relative of the deceased besides his wife is a nephew, F. P. Perkins, of Montville.
Another obituary provides additional details about Francis:
LAKEWOOD
Francis D. Tift Dead
Stricken a week ago with a paralytic shock, Francis D. Tift, a resident of Lakewood for the past 20 years, died Sunday at his home on Harrison Avenue. He was in his 78th year. Death was the direct result of pneumonia.
Mr. Tifft was a native of Jewett City, Conn., and was born Feb. 6, 1863 [sic, he was born Feb 6, 1838, based on several other sources]. He learned the machinists trade and worked in the A. & W. Sprague Mills before going West after the Civil War, in which he served for three months in the Second Connecticut Volunteers, as corporal of C Company. On coming to Rhode Island, a number of years ago, he joined Slocum Post, No. 10, G. A. R., of Providence, and after his removal to Lakewood he also joined the Pawtuxet Veteran Association, in which for a number of years he had been Officer of the Guard.
Mr. Tift, in his younger days, was an enthusiastic fireman, and in the Centennial year was of the Stretner Company of Norwich, Conn. He had for some years been janitor of the Town Hall on Harrison avenue, Lakewood.
He is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Nellie Buckley of Providence, whom he married in 1892, and by a half brother, John Tift, of Norwich, Conn., as well as by three nephews, Stephen Rouse of Pawtuxet, Russell Rouse of Apponaug and Fred R. Perkins of Norwich, Conn., as well as by three nieces.
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Anna J. Mack (daughter of Edward Buckley and Ann Lougan) |
| Born | February 1837 in Canada |
| Married | September 1859 to Francis Dayton Tift |
| Died | 29 September 1908 in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas |
| Children | of Francis Dayton Tift and Anna J. Mack: |
| 1. | Andrew Frank Tift |
| Born | 26 June 1861 in Connecticut |
| Died | 16 July 1892 in Kansas |
| 2. | Anna Mary Tift |
| Born | May 1863 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut |
| Died | 4 November 1870 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut |
| 3. | Virginia Tift |
| Born | ca. 1866 in Connecticut |
| Spouse 2 | Helen ‘Nellie’ Buckley |
| Born | 9 January 1854 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island |
| Married | 22 November 1892 in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island to Francis Dayton Tift |
| Died | 7 October 1924 in Palace Garden, Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island |
Sources
- Find a Grave (website). Pawtuxet Memorial Park, Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, Frances [sic] Dayton Tift, born: 1838 in Griswold, New London County, Connecticut; died: 28 November 1915 in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island [from record, which includes notes identifying his parents as Stephen Tift and Susan Wilcox, and his wife as Nellie Buckley; and his Civil War service; and the name and link for his wife.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1850, Connecticut, New London County, Town of Griswold, family of William Withie, 65, Connecticut, farmer; Betsy Withie, 61, Connecticut; Francis Tift, 13, Connecticut.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1860, Connecticut, New London County, Town of Franklin, Lords Bridge, Page 47, Frances Tift, 22, Ct., fac. [factory]; Anna Tift, 21, Scotland, fac. [factory].
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, Connecticut, New London County, Norwich, Ward 4, Page Nos. 16 and 17, David Toft, 57, Ireland, works in woolen mill; Issabella Toft, 50, Ireland; Francis D. Tift, 31, Connecticut, works in machine shop; Anna M. Tift, 35, Ireland; Andrew F. Tift, 8, Connecticut; Mary A. Tift, 6, Connecticut; Virginia Tift, 4, Connecticut.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1880, Kansas, Phillips County, Prairie View, E.D. 231, Page 19, Frank D. Tift, 43, Ct., farmer, parents born in Ct.; wife Anna J. Tift, 42, Canada, parents born in Ireland; son Andrew Tift, farmer, CT; daughter Virginia Tift, 14, Ct.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1890, Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, Rhode Island, Providence County, Providence, E.D. 29, Page 5, Francis D. Tift, corporal, Company C, 2nd Regiment; enlisted 7 May 1861; discharged 7 August 1861; length of service 3 months; Post Office address: 34 Davis St., Providence RI.
- Rhode Island State Census 1905, Kent County, Warwick, MALE: Tift, Fansis [sic, Francis], 67, born: 16 February 1838 in Jewett City, Connecticut, married, 12 years in Rhode Island; place of birth of father: Conn.; place of birth of mother: Conn.; Union soldier, Civil War; Presbyterian. FEMALE: Nellie B. Tift, wife, born: 29 January 1854 in Prov. [Providence], RI, mother of zero children, place of birth of father: Ireland; place of birth of mother: Ireland.
- Rhode Island State Census 1915, Kent County, Warwick, E.D. 23, Francis D. Tift, 77, born in U.S., machinist, retired; wife Nellie Tift, 60, born in U.S.
- Obituary, The Evening Tribune, Providence, Rhode Island, 30 November 1915, Francis D. Tift, died 28 November 1915 in Lakewood, R.I. The article provides vital and biographical details and the names of survivors.
- Divorce Filing, The Topeka State Journal, Topeka, Kansas, 23 August 1892, divorce filing by Anna J. Tift against Frank D. Tift.
- Divorce, The Topeka State Journal, Topeka, Kansas, 19 September 1892, divorce granted by Judge Guthrie to Anna J. Tift vs. Frank D. Tift and two other couples. The cause in each case was abandonment and failure to support the family.
- Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916. 22 November 1892 in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island, Frank Dayton Tift, age 54, son of Stephen Tift and Susan Wilcox; and Nellie Buckley, age 54, daughter of Edward Buckley and Ann Lonyan.
- Obituary, The Norwich Bulletin, 29 November 1915, Francis Dayton Tift, died 28 November 1915 in Lakewood, Providence, Rhode Island [sic, Lakewood is in Warwick, not Providence]. The article provides vital and biographical details and the names of his parents, two wives, and a nephew.