Bertha Alice Williams was born on October 30, 1871, in Morse Mill, Missouri. She was the daughter of William Poindexter Williams and Matilda Lee. Bertha was one of ten children in her family. Growing up in a large household, she experienced life in a rural setting.

As an adult, Bertha married Henry Graham. This marriage led to the birth of their daughter, Lila. After Henry Graham died, she married Eugene Gifford, and they had one son named James. Throughout her life, Bertha lived in Catawissa, Missouri, where she was known for her skills in cooking and caring for the sick in her community.

Bertha Alice Williams Graham Gifford was involved in many deaths during her time as a caregiver in her community. A grand jury investigated her after five people died while under her care. This led to her arrest in 1928 in Eureka, Missouri. She faced charges for three murders. After the exhumation of bodies, tests revealed high levels of arsenic in the remains of Edward Brinley, Elmer Schamel, and Lloyd Schamel.

Her trial took place in Union, Missouri. It lasted three days. Ultimately, she was found not guilty due to reasons of insanity. As a result, she was committed to Missouri State Hospital #4, a psychiatric institution. She stayed there until her death in 1951. Gifford cared for many sick neighbors, and reports suggest that a total of 17 people died while she was looking after them. Following the investigation, suspicions grew concerning 12 additional deaths linked to her care. During that time, arsenic was sometimes used for medical reasons, which made it hard to determine if Gifford had intentionally harmed those in her care.