|
American History
History of the Todd Name
Tod is the Scotch word for fox. The name Todd is an altered form of the Scotch word tod.
All Todds originally came from Scotland. But they have come by different roads, and some of them have been a long time on the way. They have descended into England or crossed the straits into the North of Ireland.
The arms Todd Coat of Arms includes three fox heads in red, in a shield, with a fox sitting or running away with a goose, for a crest, and the motto, "Oportet Vivere," which means "One must live (even if he has to steal for it)".
Of the nine distinct families of Todds in the U.S., three came from Scotland, 1.) The New York Todds, 2.) The Suffield, Conn., Todds, and 3.) The Pennsylvania Todds.
Three came from North Ireland, 4.) The Maryland Todds, 5.) The New Hampshire Todds, and 6.) The Pennsylvania Todds.
Three came from England, 7.) The Massachusetts Todds, 8.) The Virginia Todds, and 9.) The New Haven, Conn., Todds *(this is the linage of Levi Goodsil Todd).
The Scotch Todds included Adam Todd who came to America between 1730-1740, landed in New York City, still wearing the kilt and tartan. His daughter, Sarah, married John Jacob Astor, a native of Waldorf Duchy of Baden, who acquired an immense fortune by trading in furs and by the rise of property values in New York.
The Irish Todds included Mary Todd, who married President Abraham Lincoln. She was the great-granddaughter of Robert Todd who was a native of Pennsylvania and a general in the Revolutionary Army.
The Todds are known to have been in England at least as far back as the 11th Century. The English Todds in America came from three distinct families of Yorkshire Todds.
One of these springs from Captain Thomas Todd, who settled in Virginia. His son, Thomas Todd was the distinguished jurist of Kentucky who was appointed Associated Justice of the Supreme Court by President Jefferson. Judge Todd's second wife was Lucy Payne, sister of Dolly Madison. Lucy has previously been married to Samuel, brother of George Washington. Isabella, a daughter of Capt. Thomas Todd was grandmother of Rev. James Madison, President of William and Mary College, and first Episcopal Bishop of Virginia.
The second English Todd family sprung from John Todd, who came to Charleston, Mass., in 1637.
The third family sprung from Christopher Todd who was one of the original settlers of the New Haven Colony, in Connecticut, in 1639. He came from Pontefract, Wet Riding, Yorkshire, England.*
The register of the old parish church in Pontefract is still in existence and contains the records of the marriage of Wyll Todd and Isabel Rogerson, the grandparents, and William Todd and Katherine Ward, the parents of Christopher.
Christopher married Grace Middlebrook and sailed on the Hector from London in April 1637 and arrived in Boston June 26, 1637. On March 30, 1638, he embarked for Quinnipiac on Long Island Sound and settled in New Haven.
The Beginnings of Cass County, Nebraska
by Levi Goodsil Todd Sr.
As you have requested me to write a reminiscence of the beginning of settlement in Cass County, I might as well start at my beginning.
I was born in a snow storm in the State of New York March 22, 1829. I was one of a family of sixteen children raised principally on pink-eye and Irish potatoes. I left home at 21 and the first six months worked out by the month, averaging about 16 hours per day. Earned and saved every cent, and then started west.
I went to Pittsburg, took a steamer to Fort Madison, walked across the State of Iowa, and while en route worked one week mowing grass at $1.00 per ton and earned 3.00 per day, living on corn dodgers and stewed plums.
I arrived in Glenwood, Iowa, sometime in August 1853. On Sunday I walked to the Missouri River and met a band of Otoe Indians in the bluffs. One Indian presented a paper, stating that he was a "good Indian" and wanted money. I had often heard that if you would do an Indian a favor he would always remember it, so I gladly gave him a quarter and found the saying true, for he kept continually calling for more.
On my arrival at the Missouri River, I saw a large hewed log house on the opposite bank. I stood there and hallooing like a loon, and attracted the attention of the occupant, Samuel Martin, who came after me in a skiff. I then turned in and helped him chink, daub and finish his house, which was to be occupied as a dwelling and store room and Indian trading post.
When I left the Iowa bank I left the last white settlement. I got a horse at what is now Plattsmouth and rode to Four Mile creek. On my return I came over what is now known as the fair grounds.
There I concluded to make my claim as soon as the government would permit. That fall I returned to Indian Creek, Iowa, and taught school, procuring a certificate without much of an examination. And during the term I taught my pupils all I knew and a little more. This was in a Mormon settlement, and many good times were had during the winter, dancing on puncheon floors.
In the spring I returned to Plattsmouth and got a contract from the Indian agent to break 50 acres for the Indians. I bought five yoke of wild steers and hired a "good Indian" to help drive them. I completed my contract, receiving .50 per acre. I made good money, but had lots of experience breaking Indians as well as steers. Think of an Indian driving a green Yankee steer and only able to say in English "Roha" and "Ha Bill!" This made a combination hard to manage.
In June, 1854, I commenced breaking on my claim (Note: This was the first claim near Plattsmouth. L.G. later claimed the farm north of Union in 1857). Also, laid a foundation for a cabin. About this time there was something doing. A party from Glenwood, Iowa, claimed he had staked my claim about eight months before the treaty was made with the Indians. We had a Claim Club trial and I won; but it was not satisfactory to the Iowa party. A few random shots were fired. I was chased through the tall weeds and grass on the Missouri bottom, and finally through the friendly advice of Judge Bennet, a compromise was made. I paying them .
In passing from Glenwood to Plattsmouth in 1854, I met a party coming from Cass County, who had been on a tour of inspection. They had their guns with them, a companion a pioneer considered essential. I inquired of them how they liked the country. One man in answering pointed to the clouds and said he would as lief have a deed to a space in the open sky. Varied were the opinions of the early comers and goers as to the final outcome of this western country, but to-day the lands over which they traveled could not be purchased for less than per acre.
In the spring of 1855 settlers commenced coming in pretty lively, G.I.Caldwell being among the arrivals that spring. In 1856 Samuel Maxwell, James K. Porter, Wallace Porter and others made their appearance.
"OVER THE RIVER."
by L.G. TODD
In 1866 an event occurred much to be regretted. Certain parties from Mills county, Iowa, known as the Johnson gang, consisting of the old man Johnson, his son and a man named Kelley, and a man named Massey. These parties had been very boisterous, threatening the Claim Club. During one of their visits they succedcded in arousing the settlement to a white heat. They were finally arrested and tried, but were not convicted of the charge brought against them. They were still held in custody, however, with a number of Johnson's friends.
During the night the young men were piloted safely across the river, but the four older men were placed beyond human reach or aid, and so far as known have never been seen since. The Iowa parties seemed not to regret the loss, and especially two of them, who were almost strangers. Their only crime was selling whisky and the company they kept. This wholesale killing was not approved of when a sober thought was taken of it, and has ever since been much regretted; but on the frontier and in the heat of excitement many things are done afterward regretted.
About 1860 William Gilmore of Rock Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson Todd and L.G. Todd organized the Republican party in Cass County. About this time General Thayer made a speech, declaring himself a Democrat, and many a side glance was cast at us.
In territorial days each candidate was obliged to fight his own battles. No nominations were made. It was a free for all fight, and in one of these go-as-you-please races I was successful and was in the territorial legislature of 1863.
I will close by saying that I have experienced pioneer life in the true sense; have crossed the Missouri river on horseback amid floating ice. Came out on top, but the ordeal was rather hard on the old horse.
Early Cass County Todds
1853 (arrival), 1854 (claim) - L.G. Todd
1857 (arrival) - T.J. Todd, A.B. Todd, F.P. Todd, E.R. Todd, E. Todd.
Add Your Story
Send historical information to: Beverly Todd Nolte,
Todd Family Surnames
Go to "Links" page for more Todd history, or click on the links above or below for detailed text on Todd families in England, Scotland & Ireland.
Historical Todd Family Genealogy
|
