The Todds of Ballyalbanagh, Co Antrim Northern Ireland,

 the Mary Todd Lincoln Todds and

the Todds of Dearborn Co Indiana

 

Richard McMurtry

March 2012

 

For many decades, at least one person in every Todd family has wondered if they were related to the Todd family of Mary Todd Lincoln.   The origins of the Mary Todd Lincoln family have been mysterious because the only evidence that exists are contradictory statements.  One assertion was made by Mary Todd Lincoln’s half-sister Emily Todd Helm (the widow of a Confederate General) and another was made by George Seilhammer, the publisher in 1905 of the Mrs. Helm’s Todd family manuscript.  Mrs. Helm thought her ancestors were from Co Down but Mr. Seilhammer wrote that they were from Co Armagh.

 

About the year 2000, a new technology was invented that enabled family historians to find out whether their family was related to Mary Todd Lincoln’s family.   This technology uses the DNA that is contained in every cell of the human body.   By getting DNA from living descendants of two different families, one can determine if they share a common ancestor even though the ancestor may be several hundred years ago.

 

In the past 8 years, it was discovered that:

  1. the only family in Ireland that has the same DNA pattern as the Mary Todd Lincoln group of Todds was a Todd living in Ireland descended from an ancestor who lived in Carnlea, a few miles from Ballyalbanagh
  2. a descendant of Irish born Nathaniel Todd (whose son William came to Ontario by 1851) matched the Mary Todd Lincoln DNA pattern
  3. all the references in Northern Ireland to Nathaniel Todd were located in the vicinity of Ballyalbanagh
  4. a Nathaniel Todd b 1786 and James Todd b 1778 who appear on the 1813 census of Ballyeaston Church came from Ballyalbanagh to Dearborn County, Indiana in 1829.

 

From all this, it was theorized that Mary Todd Lincoln’s Todd ancestors came from Ballyalbanagh (or the vincinity) 100 years prior to the migration to Dearborn County and that the way to prove this was to get a DNA sample from a descendant of the Ballyalbanagh Todds who came to Dearborn County.

 

The Dearborn County Todds

 

In 1813, a church census was taken of the members of the Ballyeaston Presbyterian Church whose members included people living in Ballyalbanagh.  On this census were Nathaniel Todd b 1786 and James Todd b 1778 and William b 1790.   These were the kinsmen who came to America and settled near Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana in 1829 and thereafter.

 

The 1830 census for Dearborn County shows both Nathaniel b 1786 and James b 1778.

 

By 1840, William Todd b 1790 also appears in the census and by 1850, there appears an Isabel Todd b 1786 living with her son Hugh born 1823 in Ireland.  Presumably these two branches of the family (William and Isabella) came to Dearborn County in the 1830s.

 

Descendants of James Todd b 1778 still live on the farm bought by the Todds in 1834.  Other branches of the family have scattered across the country.

 

 

In my synthesis of the Ballyalbanagh Presbyterian church census of 1813 and the 1850 census of Dearborn Co IN, I concluded:

Nathaniel b 1746 living in Ballyalbanagh in 1813 (remained in Ireland)

            James b  1778 lives next door to Nathaniel b 1746 and Nathaniel b 1786, wife Isabella b

1784    (went to Dearborn Co IN USA 1829)                         

Samuel 1805

                        Nathaniel b 1807 (md Janet MacKey, dau of Andrew MacKey and went to

                                    Dearborn Co IN in 1829

                        James 1808

                        John 1810

                        Robert 1812

            Nathaniel b 1786, wife Margaret (went to Dearborn Co IN USA about 1829)                                 Jenny 1809

                        James 1811

                        Elizabeth1813

                       

(Note: in the History of Dearborn Co IN, it gives James the son of Nathaniel and Margaret as born in 1815, not 1811 as per the church census.)

 

Family Tree of the Ballyalbanagh/Dearborn Co IN Todds

 

Nathaniel Todd b 1785/6 md Margaret McGeughen (Jul. 31, 1785 d. Dec. 17, 1866 MT Sinai

                        cemetery) b 1785 Ireland=>America 1829,

                        located in Hogan Twp, Dearborn Co IN

            Jennie b 1813

            James b 1815  (possibly James M Todd b 1817 in 1850 and b 1812 in 1860,1870 md Jane

                                    b 1823)

                        Ellen b 1843

                        Henry b 1845

                        John b 1848

                        Hannah b 1850

                        Clara Todd b 1852

                        Ida Todd b 1855

                        Dora Todd b 1857 (1870 Manchester)

                        Joseph Todd b 1859/1860 (1870 Manchester)

            Eliza b 1817

            Nathaniel b 1819 (bachelor)(Hogan Twp 1880)( Apr. 19, 1817 d. Sep. 7, 1888 Mt Sinai)

            Agnes b 1819

            John b 1823 md Barbara b 1820 Ireland =>Sullivan Co MO 1860-1880

                        George Todd b 1847

                        Omer Todd b 1848

                        Angeline b 1851

                        Wallas/Wallace J b 1854 md 1889 Laura (1900 Centralia, Boone Co MO)  

                                    Homer L. b 1891 md Lola B b 1891 (1920 East San Diego, San Diego CA

                                                Margaret J Todd 7

                                                Wallace G Todd 1915 d1998 Aptos CA

                                                            James Wallace Todd b 1940

                                                            Dennis Frank Todd

                                                Mary J Todd 1917

                                                Homer Lee Todd 1919 

                                                            Cherie

                                    Ada M. b 1898

            Mary b 1825

            Samuel b 1827 (Apr. 25, 1827 d. Oct. 25, 1864 buried Mt Sinai, Aurora)(possibly went to

                                    Louisville 1860)

            Matilda b 1834 Indiana

James  Todd b 1778 came to Dearborn in 1829 d 1847 wife Isabel McMeachan (per internet

                                    source) b  1784 (1790-1860 per internet source)

            Samuel b 1805 md Esther b 1805

                        William J Todd b 1839

                        Isabella Todd b 1841

                        Ann J Todd b 1843

                        Jennette Todd b 1845

                        John F. Todd b 1846 (per 1870)?

                        Mary Todd b 1848

            Nathaniel Todd b 1806/1807  md Janett Mackey b 1807 =>America in 1829

                                    settling in Dearborn Co IN

                        Rose A. b 1831

                        Elizabeth b 1833

                        Isabel b 1835 md Arthur McKinstry b 1833 (Manchester , Dearborn Co IN)

                                    Martha McKinstry b 1862

                        Jane decd b 1836

                        Robert b 1838 Dearborn Co=>1862 md Jane Beggs b 1844

                                    Frances 1881

                                    John E. b 1883 md Martha E LNU no children 1930

                        Thomas b 1840 single 1880

                        John b 1841

                        Nathaniel b 1844 single 1880 buried Jan. 9, 1844 d. Apr. 3, 1924 buried Forest

                                    Hill, Moores Hill)

                        Ellen b 1846 single 1880

                        James b 1847

                        George b 1850 single 1880 possibly md Emma b 1863  (possibly George 1849-

                                    1928 buried Forest Hill, Moores Hill)

                                    Possibly Arthur H. Todd b 1886 (b 1892 IL? Mother Emma b 1859 IL:

                                                possibly died Nov 1969 Moores Hill, Dearborn Co IN

                                                Haskell W Todd b 1915

                                                Herschel A. Todd b 1917

                                                Vernon R Todd b 1919

                                    Possibly Ellen J Todd b 1887

                        Francis M Todd b 1853 (1870)

                        Rosanna b 1831

            James b 1808

            John 1810 (probably John b 1810 in Manchester in 1850) md Jane Todd b 1815 PA

                                    Hannah Todd b 1834

                                    Isabel b 1836 d Mar. 21, 1838 aged 1yr 4m 5d buried Hogan Hill

                                    Nathaniel Todd b 1838 (Mar. 1, 1838 d. Dec. 20, 1868 bur. Hogan Hill)

                                    William Todd b 1840 md Anna M in 1885 (( Sep. 19, 1840 d. Aug. 11,

                                                            1909 buried Hogan Hill)

                                                Maggie 1886

                                                John B. 1889

                                                Inez b 1892

                                                Joseph G. Todd b 1894 d 1972 (buried Hogan Hill) md Mary

                                                            Edith Todd b 1918/19 d 1960

                                                            Lois Todd

                                                            Clyde Todd b 15 Jan 1930 d 9 March 2003 buried Hogan

                                                                        Hill Cemetery, Dearborn Co IN md Phyllis (1932-                                                                            1993)

                                                                        David Allen Todd b 1958

                                                                                    Michelle Lynn

                                                                                    Amanda Marie

                                                                                    Kevin Todd b 1987

                                                                        Bonnie Todd

                                                                        Brenda Todd md OCHS

                                    John Todd b 1842

                                    Isabella Todd b 1848

                                    Joseph Todd b 1846-1853

                                    Mary Todd b 1850

                                    Joseph Todd b 1853 (1852-1915 buried Hogan Hill) md 1885 Myra

                                                            (Mar. 21, 1858 d. Dec. 22, 1923 bur Hogan Hill)

                                                Mamie Todd

                                                Laura B

                                    Amelia Todd b 1855

            Robert 1812

 

Andrew Todd b 1773 md Isabella Todd (possibly Mackey) b 1779 per church census b

                        1786 per 1850 census

            Hugh Todd b 1823 d 1898 Ireland md abtou 1844 Margaret Beggs b 1828 (based on                                Hugh’s mother being Isabella b1786 in the 1850 census)=>Nodaway Co MO

                        about 1857 (1870,1880)  Margaret in Guilford, Nodaway Co MO. 

                        James Todd b 1848 md 1877 Anna Curman b 850

                                    Hugh C. Todd b 1878

                                    Estella Todd b 1880

                        Ann J. Todd b 1849 md Hugh C. Skidmore b 1849

                        Louisa Todd b 1852

                        Louis Todd b 1854 (single 1880 nd 1900 in Washington , Nodaway

                        Mary Todd b 1856

                        Sarah b 1858

 

William Todd b 1790 md Ann Jane Todd b 1791

            William Todd b 1826 (per 1870)

            Esther Todd b 1828 (per 1870)

 

The John Todd b 1820 could be the son of William Todd b 1790 per the 1840 census or could be one of the unidentified males living with James Todd in the 1830 census or could be the son of the Isabel Todd, mother of Hugh Todd b 1823 who we can’t find in the 1840 census.  In any event, this John is most likely a nephew of Nathaniel b 1786 and James b 1778.

 

John Todd b 1820 Ireland md Mary Todd b 1823 Ireland

            Jane b 1844

            Ann J Todd b 1847

            James Todd b 1849

            Esther Todd b 1850

            Mary Todd b 1852

            William J. Todd b 1854

            Thomas Todd b 1856

                        Lewis Todd b.1877

                        Flora Todd b.1882 d.1978   married George Sticker

                        Pearl Todd b.1884  d.1966 married Herbert Bireley in 1902 he died in 1918 and                                        Pearl married Ferdinand Schmidt in 1920

                                    Hester Bireley b 1903

                                    Harry b.1904

                                    Glendora b.1905

                                    Imegon (Helen) b.1909

                                    Thomas L b.1918

                        Thomas R  b.1886 d.1960

                        Bertha b.1889 d.1980    married Albert Harding

                        Myrtle b.1895

                        Harry Edward b.1896 d.1976

            Robert b 1862

            Elizabeth Todd b 1866

 

Census Documentation

 

 

 

 

 

1830 Dearborn Co IN

James Todd 0231 0001 – 0110 001  (James born 1770-1780 males born 1810-1825)

Nathaniel Todd 1111 01 - 0111 001 (Nathaniel born 1780-90: 4 sons: James b 1815, Nathaniel b 1819, John b 1823, Samuel b 1827)

 

1840

Henry Todd  1001 01 – 1110 01               (Henry b 1800-1810  image 42 of 121

William Todd 1000 01 – 1000 1               (Wm b 1800-1810) Dearborn, Indiana 42 of 121

 

x John Todd 1010 01 – 0000 1                   (John b 1800-1810)  Dearborn, Indiana  4 of 121

 

x Samuel Todd 1000 01 – 1000 01            (Samuel 1800-1810 Manchester, Dearborn, IN25 of 28

  (this is probably Samuel b 1805)

           

Sparta 1 of 4

x James Todd   0001  0000 1 – 0001 1001  (James b 1770-80, 1M 1820-25) Sparta, Dearborn, IN

x Nathaniel Todd 2000 01 – 1300 01         (Nathaniel b 1800-1810) Sparta, Dearborn, Indiana   8 

 

Sparta p 3 or 4

James Todd 0000 01 - 2100 1                   (James 1800-1810 w mother 1770-80) Sparta 

x William Todd 0001 1001 – 0011 101      (Wm 1780-1790)   Sparta, Dearborn, Indiana  

x Nathaniel Todd 0002 2001 – 0101 2001  (Nathaniel 1780-1790)

 

We have identified all those with an “x”.  It is not clear who the other three are.

 

Note that William b 1790 has a son b 1810-1820 and a son 1820-25. 

 

Two branches of the family went to Nodaway Co. MO.  Hugh Todd b 1823 son of Isabella Todd b 1786 and Robert Todd b 1838, son of Nathaniel b 1806 and grandson of James b 1778.

 

Grant ,Nodaway Co MO 1900

Robert Todd 62 v 1838 IN md 1880

Jane Todd 55

Francis N Todd 19 1881

John E Todd 17 1883

Bernice Biggs 12

 

1920 Washington, NOdaway, MO

 

Jane Todd 75

John E Todd 37 b 1883

Sophronia O Bledsoe 27

 

 

1850 Dearborn Co IN

Nathaniel Todd 65 b 1785 Ireland

Margaret Todd 65

Jane Todd 36

Nathaniel Todd 29 b 1821

Samuel Todd 22 b 1828 Ireland

Matilda Todd 17 b 1833 Indiana

 

 

Sparta, Dearborn, IN

William Todd 60 Ireland b 1790 (This could be the William Todd and Ann Jane Todd in

                        the Ballyeaston Church census with son James b 1813)

Ann J Todd 58

Esther Todd 22 Ireland b 1828

 

Sparta

 

Nathaniel Todd 44 b 1806

Jennette Todd 43

Elizabeth Todd 17

Isabella Todd 15

Jane Todd 14

Robert Todd 12

Thomas Todd 10

John Todd 9

Nathaniel Todd 6

Ellen Todd 4

James Todd 3

George Todd 0

Rosanna Todd 19 b 1831

 

Sparta

 

James M Todd 33 Ireland b 1817 

Jane Todd 27

Ellen Todd 7

Henry Todd 5

John Todd 2

Hannah Todd 0

 

 

Manchester

John Todd 30 b 1820 Ireland

Mary Todd 27 b 1823 Ireland

Jane Todd 6

Ann J Todd 3

James Todd 1

 

 

Manchester

 

John Todd 40 b 1810

Jane Todd 34

Hannah Todd 16

Nathaniel Todd 12

William Todd 10  b 1840

John Todd 8

Isabella Todd 2

Joseph Todd 4

Mary Todd 0

 

 

 

Sparta

Name Age (right above Nathaniel b 1785)

John Todd 28 b 1822 Ireland 

Barbara Todd 30 b 1820 Ireland

George Todd 3

Omer Todd 2

 

 

Sparta

Hugh Todd 27 b 1823 Ireland  (could he be the son of Andrew Todd b 1773 and Isabella

                                    Todd b 1786 of the 1813 Ballyeaston Church census?)

Margaret Todd 22 b 1828 Ireland

James Todd 2

Ann J Todd 1

John Boyd 12

Isabella Todd 64 b 1786 Ireland

 

Sparta

Family 61 9 of 39

Samuel Todd 45 b 1805

Esther Todd 45

William J Todd 11 b 1839

Isabella Todd 9

Ann J Todd 7

Jennette Todd 5

Mary Todd 2

 

1900 1900 manchester

 

William R Todd 59 b 1840 Indiana fb Ireland mb Indiana (Could this be William J. Todd

                        b 1839, the son of Samuel and Esther or William Todd b 1840 the son of

                        John Todd b 1810?)( Sep. 19, 1840 d. Aug. 11, 1909 buried Hogan Hill)

Anna M Todd 37

Maggie J Todd 14  b 1886

John B Todd 11 b 1889

Inez M Todd 8 b 1892

Joseph G Todd 5 b 1895

Mary A Laughlin 62

Frank Rand Unkn

 

Sparta

George Todd 58 b 1842 (Could this be George b 1850 son of Nathaniel b 1806? Or           George b 1847 the son of John b 1822/1823?)

Emma Todd 37 b 1863

Arthur H Todd 14 b 1886

Ellen J Todd 13

 

1910

George W Todd 60 b 1850

Erna J Todd 47 b 1863 Indiana

Alma Vert 22

Arthur P Vert 24 b 1886

 

1930 Terre Haute, Vigo, IN

Arthur H Todd 38  b 1892 IL

Haskell W Todd 15

Herschel A Todd 13

Vernon R Todd 11

Emma V Todd 71   b 1859 IL

(could this possibly be Arthur H b 1886 IN and his mother Emma b

 

 

Arthur Todd

SSN: 048-01-7673

Last Residence: 47032  Moores Hill, Dearborn, Indiana, United States of America

Born: 19 Aug 1885

Died: Nov 1969

State (Year) SSN issued: Connecticut (Before 1951)

 

 

1860

Sparta

William Todd 49 b 1811 or 79 b 1781

Ann Todd 77 b 1783

William Todd 31 b 1829

Esten Todd 26 b 1834

 

1860 Sparta

Samuel Todd 55

Esten Todd 54

Wm J Todd 21

Ann J Todd 16

Jinnety Todd 15

Mary Todd 13

Wm J Barkley 8

 

1860 Sparta

Tharry Todd 54  b1806 (page before William Todd)

Jinnet Todd 52

Eliza Todd 26 b 1834

Jane Todd 23 b 1837

Robert Todd 22 b 1838

Thomas Todd 20 b 1840

John Todd 18 b 1842

Thanal Todd 16

 

Manchester1860

John Todd 50 b 1810

Jane Todd 45 b 1815 PA

Nathaniel Todd 22

William Todd 19

John Todd 17

Isabella Todd 11

Joseph Todd 7 b 1853

Amelia Todd 5 b 1855

 

1860 Hogan Twp

James Todd 48 b 1812 Ireland

Ann J Todd 36  b 1824 Ireland

Ellen Todd 17

Henry Todd 15

Joann Todd 12

Hannah Todd 10

Clara Toddo 8

Ida Toddo 5

--- Toddo 3

--- Toddo 1

Next family

 

Jane Todd 50 b 1810 Ireland

Nancy Todd 18 b 1842

John Todd 12 b 1848

Charles 9 b 1851

 

1860 sparta (No immediate Todd neighbors)

John Todd 40 b 1820 Ireland

Mary Todd 34 b 1826 Ireland

Jinnet Todd 16 b 1844

Angane Todd 14 b 1846

James Todd 12 b 1848

Easter Todd 10 b 1850

Mary Todd 8  b 1852

William J Todd 6 b 1854

Thomas Todd 4 b 1856

 

 

1860 sparta

James Stevans 41

Marget Stevans 39

Theordore S Stevans 14

Alles Stevans 11

Ada Stevans 2

James Stevans 6/12

John Shanks 18

Barrett Inmon 20

John Clake 16

Ellin Todd 14 b1846

James Todd 12 1848

George Todd 10 1850

F M Todd 7 b1853

 

1870 Sparta

William Todd 79 b 1791 Ireland

William Todd 44 b 1826 Ireland

Ester Todd 42 b 1828

Anna Whiteford 18

 

1870 sparta Moores Hill

Samuel Todd 65 b1805 Ireland

Ester Todd 63 b 1807 Ireland

John F Todd 24 b 1846 IN

Jennetta Todd 23 ab 1847

 

1870 Sparta

Nathaniel Todd 63 b1807 Ireland

Jennet Todd 61

Robert Todd 32

Thomas Todd 30

John Todd 28

Nathaniel Todd 26

James Todd 22 b 1848

George Todd 20 b 1850

Francis Todd 17 b 1853

Eliza Todd 36

James Todd 36

Ellen Todd 23

 

1870 Manchester

John Todd 60 b 1810 Ireland

Jane Todd 54

William Todd 29 1841

Isabell Todd 22 b 1848

Joseph Todd 17  b 1853

Amelia Todd 15 b 1855

Hannah Thompson 60 b 1810

 

1870 Hogan

Nathaniel Todd 55 b 1815

Matilda Todd 33 b 1837

James Morrison 58

James Bertley 24

 

1870 Manchester

James Todd 58 b 1812 Ireland

Ann Todd 48

Henry Todd 23 b 1847

Joanna Todd 21 b 1849

Clara Todd 16 b 1854

Ida Todd 14 b 1856

Dora Todd 12 b 1858

Joseph Todd 10 b 1860

 

1870 Hogan

John Todd 52 b 1818 Ireland

Mary Todd 46

Jane Todd 23 b 1847

Ann Todd 20 b 1850

James Todd 19 b 1851

Esther Todd 17 b 1853

Mary Todd 16 b 1854

William J Todd 14 b 1856

Thomas Todd 12 b 1858

Robert Todd 8

Elizabeth Todd 4

 

1870 Hogan

Jane Todd 36 b 1834 Ireland

Jemima Thompson 21

Isibell Ach 8