Joseph MORFORD (2)
Born on Dec. 20, 1812 in New York. Died aft. 1850. Married Delia. Joseph and Delia had one child.
11 I Cornelia MORFORD
Whatever became of Joseph after his arrival in Michigan is certainly the oldest family mystery and broken branch of the tree.
The 1850 census shows Joseph Morford families located in two different Michigan Hillsdale County while the other in Branch County. Both documents listed them as innkeepers and the same family members, so it is assumed they are one and the same.
It is assumed that this is the subject.
Confusion arises though, from a story about the early history of Richfield Township, that is found in the book "History of Genesee County" (Part of Genesee County would later become Hillsdale County), published in 1888. Therein lies a story noted about a Joseph Morford, who along with his wife and a man named George Oliver were discovered to have embezzled money from their community while Joseph and George were members of the Highway Commission Board.
Census records were then discovered later, showing a Joseph Morford as an inmate in a Michigan prison. It has yet to be determined if this again is the same Joseph Morford and if he was serving time for this embezzlement.
Here is the link to the embezzlement story:
