Ziph was born Gifford Albert Case and he really did not like Gifford! First it was Giff and the Giph, Ciph and then Ziph.


Dakota County Tribune ~Friday Morning May 18, 1917
ZIPH A. CASE ANSWERS CALL.Passes away Thursday of last week after lingering illness. Came here with family a year ago from Texas.
In short time here he made many acquaintances and friends.
This community lost one of its good citizens when Mr. Ziph A. Case, age 62 passed away at the Sanford & Drew Hospital Thursday, May 10 of Bright's disease.
Ziph Albert Case was born at Belvidere, Ill., and later moved with his parents to Beloit, Wis. From there to Stillwater, Ia., where he grew into manhood.
At the age of 22 he married to Ida M. Wing. To this union were born three children: Mable, Maude and Mertye---Mable and Maude dying in infancy. They lived on a farm for thirteen years then divorced.
In the year 1892 he was united in marriage to Anna E. Blaska of Osage, Iowa.
This union was blessed with twelve children, namely; Lydia F., Phineas W., Humphrey A., Ziph B., Zadie N., Samuel E., Dollie A., Karl C., Barney M., Bennie E., Floyd V., and Florence E. Case. All these children are living.
In the year of 1910 he moved to Texas where he stayed for one year. In 1911 he came back to St. Ansgar, Iowa, where he lived until 1915 and then he came to Farmington where he has resided ever since.
In the winter of 1916 he had a very severe sick spell but his ailments seemed to be unknown. He recuperated somewhat until the warm weather came and from that time on he grew weaker until last November when he became helpless. He was taken to the Sanford & Drew Hospital and everything was done to restore his health but the end finally came and he lost the good fight and quietly passed where all is peace and love.
He leaves to survive him his wife, twelve children, a father 95 years of age; two brothers, Mark of Melvin, Ia., and George of Beloit, Wis., two sisters, Mrs. C. J. Button and Mrs. Annie K. Wright.
The mother of the deceased Lydia Ann Humphrey was a descendant from Puritan stock, being thru her mother, Carolina Cook a lineal descendant of Captain Cook of the Mayflower. Two uncles are living, Henry A. Humphrey of Minneapolis and James Humphrey of Belvidere. Sir William Humphrey was his grandfather.
Mark Case of Melvin, Iowa and George Case of Beloit, Wis., and Charlie Blaska of Wheatland, N. Dak., were present at the funeral.
The neighbors of Mr. Case although not knowing him long found him to be an upright and straight-forward man. He was kind and considerate to his children and brought them to follow after the teachings of the book that was near and dear to him – the Bible. The community as well as the family will miss him and the kindness and generosity of the loving father, husband and neighbor will live long in the hearts of those who knew him.

CENSUS: 1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Gifford Case
Age in 1860: 4
Birth Year: abt 1856
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1860: Franklin, Dekalb, Illinois
Gender: Male
Post Office: Hicks Mills
Value of real estate:
Household Members: Name Age
Phineus Case 36
Lydia Case 31
George Case 8
Frank Case 6
Gifford Case 4 **
Caroline Case 4.12

CENSUS: 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Ziph Case
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1856
Age in 1870: 14
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1870: Lincoln, Mitchell, Iowa
Race: White
Gender: Male
Value of real estate:
Post Office: Orchard
Household Members: Name Age
Thaddeus Case 46
Lydia Case 42
George Case 18
Frank Case 16
Ziph Case 14 **
Carrie Case 10
James Case 8
Mark Case 6
Annie Case 6/12

CENSUS: 1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Ciph Case
Home in 1880: Lincoln, Mitchell, Iowa
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1856
Birthplace: Illinois
Relation to Head of Household: Self
Spouse's Name: Ida
Father's birthplace: New York
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Neighbors:
Occupation: Farmer
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane:
Household Members: Name Age
Ciph Case 24 **
Ida Case 20
Mabel Case 1M
Emilia Stanger 21

CENSUS: Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925
Name: Ziph A Case
Census Date: 1885
Residence County: Mitchell
Residence State: Iowa
Locality: Lincoln
Birth Location: Illinois
Family Number: 21
Marital Status: Married
Gender: Male
Birth Year: abt 1856
Line: 8
Roll: IA1885_234
Neighbors:
Household Members: Name Age
Ziph A Case 29 **
Ida M Case 24
Myrtie Case 3

CENSUS: 1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Ziph Case
Home in 1900: Lincoln, Mitchell, Iowa
Age: 44
Birth Date: Nov 1855
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: White
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Father's Birthplace: New York
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Spouse's Name: Anna
Marriage Year: 1893
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 7
Residence : Douglas & Lincoln Townships, Mitchell, Iowa
Household Members: Name Age
Ziph Case 44 **
Anna Case 25
Lydia Case 6
Phineas Case 4
Humphrey Case 2
Ziph B Case 1

CENSUS: 1910 United States Federal Census
Name: Ziph A Case
Age in 1910: 54
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1856
Birthplace: Illinois
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: New York
Mother's Birth Place: Ohio
Spouse's Name: Anna E
Home in 1910: Justice Precinct 2, Randall, Texas
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Neighbors:
Household Members: Name Age
Ziph a Case 54 **
Anna E Case 35
Lydia F Case 16
Phinnens Case 14
Humphrey A Case 12
Ziph b Case 11
Zadie N Case 8
Sam E Case 7
Dallie A Case 5
Carl Case 2
Barney Case 6/12