The Writing of the Todd Family History

as reflected in the

Emilie Todd Helm Papers

By Richard K. McMurtry

May 2003; revised May 2019

This essay on the Todd Family History is based on a one day perusal of the Emilie Todd Helm Papers in the Kentucky Historical Society. The essay describes the evolution of the collaboration between Emilie Todd Helm and Dr. S. S. Todd, the scope of the materials collected by Emilie Todd Helm, the sources of the early history in America and origins in Ireland, the organization of the materials, and excerpts from the collection. It is hoped that this essay will encourage other family historians to visit the Kentucky Historical Society and conduct the necessary research and writing to make these materials available to a wider audience.

Emilie Todd Helm (1836-1930), half-sister of Mary Todd Lincoln, spent the last 50 or 60 years of her life collecting Todd Family History. Dr. Simeon Seymour Todd, a third cousin, joined her in this effort and may even have surpassed her in sheer tenacity and persistence of research effort up until his death in 1899. Their major focus was on the descendants of their common ancestor, Robert Todd (1697-1775), and his brother Andrew Todd (d 1791) who settled in Philadelphia and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania in the colonial era. The culmination of this combined effort along with the contributions of dozens of family members was the publication in 1905 of portions of Mrs. Helm’s collection in a Pennsylvania genealogical periodical and in the eventual donation of her entire collection of papers to the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort, Kentucky. We are fortunate to have such a historical society committed to the preservation of the heritage of Kentucky families.

Beginning of the Research

Emilie Todd Helm suffered the loss of her husband General Ben Hardin Helm at the Battle of Chickamaugua in September of 1863. She subsequently went to live at the White House where she was known as the “rebel in the White House”. Once when challenged about the appropriateness of her living there, Lincoln is reported to have replied, “Mrs. Lincoln and I will allow anyone we choose to visit us in the White House.”

She responded to her personal loss by acting to preserve her husband’s memory, the sense of family tradition, and the way of life that she saw threatened by the victorious armies of the North. She became an active historian of the Todd family and became active in various Confederate Reunion organizations.

She appears to have begun her correspondence with Todds and other family members prior to 1874. Dr. S. S. Todd appears to have begun his writing independently prior to that year as well. In that year, she received a letter from C.H. Todd, a descendant of Thomas Todd, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, that mentioned her “memorandum on her branch of the family” and mentioned Dr. Todd as well.

In those early years of her research, she must have made written inquiry about connections between the Todds and the McMurtrys, because there is a letter in the collection (responding to a letter of hers) from David S. Sharp, who died in 1877. He was a grandson of Kentucky pioneer John McMurtry whose mother-in-law was a Todd.

Dr. Todd first wrote to Mrs. Helm in 1879 expressing his interest in learning about the origins of David Todd who was great grandfather to both he and Emily. Thereafter began the collaboration that has preserved so much of the Todd family history.

Early Discoveries

The years 1879, 1880, and 1881 were very productive years for the research. Contacts with key individuals yielded important discoveries about the early origins of the family, notably Robert Todd of Missouri, John Todd of Chester County, Pennsylvania, and Margaret G. McClintock of Paris, Kentucky.

Dr. Todd reported in 1879 that he had received from Robert S. Todd of Columbia, Missouri a verbatim transcript from a religious book containing the birth dates of David Todd (b 1723) and his wife Hannah Owen (b 1727) and their family. Dr. Todd reported, in 1880, information from John Todd of Chester County, PA describing the land acquisitions by the family in the 1760s. John still lived on one of these parcels. Margaret McClintock, a descendant of the immigrant Andrew Todd, included a transcription of a narrative of the arrival and settlement of the Todds in Pennsylvania written in 1833 by John McFarland who mother was a daughter of Robert Todd, the immigrant. Margaret also sent copies of correspondence of her branch of the Todds written in the late 1790s and early 1800s.

From John McFarland’s essay, Emilie and S.S. had accepted that Robert and Andrew Todd had come to America in 1737 disembarking at New York, that Robert had come immediately to Philadelphia County, but Andrew had remained in New York and married a Mrs. McDowell there before coming to Chester County at a later date. They also knew that Andrew had moved to Bedford County when his wife died and then moved to Louisa County, Virginia where his son Dr. Andrew Todd lived and where he died in 1791.

In 1880, Dr. Todd received a letter from Lyman Draper, of the Wisconsin Historical Society, informing him of the family history written in 1867 concerning the descendants of one Adam Todd. So, they were already beginning to learn about unrelated Todd families.

In 1881, Emilie was corresponding with one of the descendants of Samuel Todd of Botetourt County, Virginia. This was Sister Gabriella Todd, a Catholic nun of the Sisters of Charity, daughter of Judge Samuel Todd, and granddaughter of Samuel Todd of Botetourt County. Gabriella had an aunt who married Rev. John Todd, son of John Todd of Louisa County, VA. They were already finding possibly unrelated Todd families that had married into their branches of the family.

In 1881, Dr. Todd made a trip to Pennsylvania and transcribed tombstone inscriptions in Chester and Philadelphia Counties and found relevant marriage records in the Pennsylvania Historical Society library in Philadelphia.

Around this time, they began to branch out into searching for their family origins before coming to America. In May 1882, Dr. Todd suggested leaving it to him to research the progenitors of their immigrant ancestor. But in September, he was asking Mrs. Helm about the source and authenticity of what she had written to him about the Irish origins of the family. Mrs. Helm had written that John Todd a Scottish laird had come to Co Down, Ireland ca 1665 or 1670 and that his son Robert had come to American and that two grandsons (possibly more) had come to America and settled in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, there was nothing found in the collection that told what the source of this tradition was, though a more meticulous search might disclose this.

There was also a shift in the early to mid 1880s. When Dr. Todd had first gotten involved with Mrs. Helm ca 1879, he did so with a sense of urgency to complete his branch of the family and provide it to Mrs. Helm for a book she intended to publish in the near future. As the years progressed, it became apparent that her publication of a book was not imminent. Dr. Todd then began writing about his intent to prepare the book himself. At this point, he may have decided to stop sending material to Emilie, because we find no record of his discoveries about the Todds of Augusta County, Virginia and their interrelationships with the McMurtrys that he was investigating between 1885 and 1895. It is unfortunate that he did not send these materials to Mrs. Helm because her collection has been preserved for posterity, but Dr. Todd’s collection was destroyed after his death by the administrator of his estate.

Scope of Materials

The collection’s primary focus is the descendants of Robert and Andrew Todd of Philadelphia and Chester Counties, PA. However, the collection also included numerous Todd families:

1. New Hampshire/Massachusetts: Andrew Todd came to Londonderry, NH about 1720 and had descendants who migrated to Rowley, MA.
2. Connecticut: Christopher Todd came to CT about 1637.
3. Virginia: Thomas Todd came to tidewater Virginia in the early 1600s.
4. Virginia: Mallory Todd came to the Isle of Wight from Bermuda after the Revolution.
5. Virginia: Samuel Todd came from Pennsylvania to Augusta Co. VA, living also in Botetourt, and Rockbridge Counties, VA before migrating to Kentucky ca 1807.
6. South Carolina: Andrew Todd b 1756 Co Down moved to Co. Monaghan with his parents in 1760 and then came to Laurens County, SC about 1816.
7. Irish Tombstone Records: (I did not inspect these records.)

The collection did not include information on the New York Todds, the William Todd whose children were baptized at Abingdon Presbyterian Church 1723-1738 and who migrated to Augusta County, VA ca 1750, nor the Lancaster County, PA Todds, nor the James and John Todd who settled in south-central Chester County in the 1710s.

Publication and Innovations

Emilie sold her manuscript to George Seilhammer who published the work in the Kittochtinny Magazine, a short-lived Pennsylvania genealogical quarterly, between January and October 1905. In 1882, she had written to Dr. S.S. Todd: “John Todd was a Scotchman, a lowland laird and in his old age about 16__ to 16__ during a time of political and religious frenzy went with his family to Co. Down, Ireland. Some of his family remained in Ireland where their descendants are at the present time. Two of his grandsons (perhaps others) in 1737 came to America with their families, Andrew Todd and his brother Robert Todd.” In 1889, she was more explicit: “John Todd was a Scotch laird and in or about 1665 or 1670 left Scotland with his family and settled in Co. Down. One of his sons, Robert, came to America. Two of his grandsons in 1737 came to America with their families…” Presumably this John Todd was the father of James Todd d 1704 who had sons Robert, Andrew and James, but this is not clear in what she wrote. A later family historian claimed that John Todd was the father of James d 1704 and that his sons were Robert, Andrew and James d 1748.

In the published version, he made an important innovation. He claimed that Robert b 1697 and Andrew d 1791 were not descendants of the James Todd of Co. Down d 1704 as he wrote that Emilie has claimed. Instead, he said they were sons of a John Todd d 1718 in Co. Armagh who had children James (who he said died in Ireland), Robert, Andrew, William and Samuel which he said “met the conditions” of Emilie’s family.

He claimed that the James Todd who died in Co. Down in 1704, had a son James 1693-1757, but did not have children that corresponded to Emilie’s family. Recent information from a descendant of this James Todd shows that James d 1704 had a son Robert and a son Andrew as well as a son James who died 1747. However, though Robert and Andrew were the names of the Todds that Emily knew as her ancestor Robert Todd and his half-brother Andrew, the sons of James Todd all died in Ireland. They lived in the townland of Ballynaskeagh, Parish of Aghaderg, in southwest County Down where Todds still live today. DNA from this family does not match the Robert 1697 family.

DNA evidence shows that there were Todds in the area of Ballyclare/ Ballyalbanagh/ Coggry in central County Antrim having the same DNA pattern as the Todds of the Mary Todd Lincoln family. This may be the place of origin of the Mary Todd Lincoln family.

Another innovation of George Seilhammer is that he suggested that the William Todd, identified as a brother to Robert and Andrew Todd in the Irish records of the Armagh family, might be the William Todd who children were baptized in the Abingdon Church in 1736 and 1738. He must have done his own research into the Abingdon Church records, but it is surprising he makes no mention of the William Todd who had children baptized there 1723 to 1729. DNA and research in New Jersey and Virginia shows that William Todd could have been a brother of Robert and Andrew, but could just as easily have been a cousin. None of these three were children of James Todd d 1704 Co Down because the DNA of this Co Down family does not match that of William, Robert 1697, or Andrew.

Mr. Seilhammer reportedly, according to a letter of Clementine Railey, gave the Todd manuscript to a Senator Bard of California, but there is no indication what became of Mr. Seilhammer’s collection. The will abstracts he had are precious because the original wills were all destroyed in the Civil War in 1922. It would be worthwhile to attempt to locate his materials in a Pennsylvania historical library.

Later Information

After publication of her manuscript, additional data were sent to Mrs. Helm.

In 1905, she was sent a copy of a letter describing that Dr. Todd had died several years before and that his nephew Elmer Todd had been administrator and died shortly thereafter. The letter indicated that Dr. Todd’s brother (Elmer’s father) was Richard S. Todd who lived in Kansas City, Missouri.

In 1913, she received copies of 3 letters of Mrs. Clementine Railey concerning Samuel Todd of Augusta, Botetourt, and Rockbridge Co, VA. This information corroborated, supplemented and corrected information provided to Emilie by Sister Gabriella Todd in 1881 and her brother William Todd in 1888. In 1923, Mrs. Railey wrote Emilie directly, mentioning that Dr. Todd’s nephew had burned all Dr. Todd’s materials. She also indicated that her information on the family came from Mrs. Railey’s grandmother in a letter dictated to Dr. Todd in 1883.

Organization of the Emilie Todd Helm Papers and Companion Todd Materials in the Kentucky Historical Society

The Emilie Todd Helm papers are preserved in both original hardcopy format and on microfilm (85M01). I did not inspect the microfilm and do not know how the materials are organized on the film. The hard copy materials were reorganized a few years ago in more chronological order and in some cases labeled by topics. The hard copy materials are not normally available for inspection because of their fragility.

What follows is not a complete listing of all materials in the collection but rather a listing of those materials I found that addressed the following questions:

1. What was the source of the information regarding Irish origins of the Todds?
2. What was the source regarding birth dates of the first generations in Pennsylvania?
3. What was the source of the info re: Robert and Andrew’s arrival in America and Andrew’s sojourn in New York?
4. What data were in the collection re: Samuel and William Todd of PA and Augusta Co., VA?
5. What was the source of Mrs. Railey’s assertion that Samuel Todd of Augusta County was son of Samuel Todd and Ann Houston and nephew to Emilie’s ancestor Robert Todd?
6. What was the source of Dr. S.S. Todd’s assertions about the Augusta County Todds and their McMurtry connections?
7. What information is in the collection about unrelated Todd families?

Some of these questions were answered, but some were not.

I estimate it would take three full days to make a complete catalog using hard copy materials and 5 days using microfilm.

There are four boxes of correspondence and two boxes of genealogy.

Box 1: Correspondance: 1855-1890

Box 1, Folder 1: 1855-1860

Box 1, Folder 2: 1862-1868

Box 1, Folder 3 : 1869-1880

1. Ltr from Charles H. Todd, Owensboro, KY, descendant of Thomas Todd b 1765, Supreme Court Justice
2. 1879 ltr from S.S. Todd re: interest in origins of David Todd
3. June 1879 ltr from S.S. Todd re: transcript of David Todd’s family birth dates
4. Feb 1880 ltr from Margaret G. McClintock
5. March 1880 ltr from S.S. Todd
6. 1880 ltr. From John Todd, Chester Co. to S.S. Todd

Box 1, Folder 4: 1881

1. 1881 ltr from Sister Gabriella Todd re: Virginia origins and aunts and uncles
2. 1888 ltr from William Todd, brother of Gabriella Todd
3. ltr of David Sharp to ETH re: Todds and McMurtrys

Box 1, Folder 5: 1882-1890

1. 3 Feb 1887 ltr of S.S. Todd, re: date of arrival of Todd in PA.
2. 31 May 1882 ltr from S.S. Todd, re: employing genealogists
3. 31 Feb 1892 ltr from John Todd of Chester Co saying he can’t come to Blue Licks.
4. 22 Sept 1882 ltr from S.S. Todd, re: asking for source of Mrs. Helm’s Irish origins statements.

Box 2: Correspondence: 1891- 1904

ltr of S.S.Todd “especially was I in error as to names of Todds who migrated to this country:”

Box 3: Correspondence: 1905-1943

1. 1905 letter re death of Dr. Todd
2. ltr from J.K. Mitchell 1913 with copies of Clementine Railey’s letters of 12/12/1912, 1/22/1913, and 5/16/1913
3. ltr from Clementine Railey 4/24/1923
4. ltr re: William Todd md 1804 Spotsylvania Co, VA

Box 4: Correspondence with children and cousins

Box 5:

Box 5, Folder 3: Todds in America by Robert L. Breck

Box 5, Folder 6:

1. History of the Todd Family by John McFarland, 1833; copied by Margaret G. McClintock, 1880
2. Chart based on data of Clementine Railey showing alleged cousin relationship between Sarah Todd (dau of Samuel Todd of Augusta Co.) who married Rev. John Todd (son of Parson John Todd of Louisa Co., VA).
3. Discussion of geography of Todd land in Philadelphia County
4. Todd Tombstone Inscriptions in Ireland (I did not look through this material.)

Box 5, Folder 7:

1. Dr. Todd’s transcriptions of Tombstones in Chester and Montgomery County in 1881.
2. Dr. Todd’s history of Hannah Todd Jack’s family
3. Marriage records found in PA Historical Society for Abingdon Pres. Church

Box 5, Folder 8:

1. Family Sketch of Mallory Todd family of Bermuda and Virginia
2. Family Sketch of Andrew Todd b 1756 Co., Down, went to SC about 1816
3. Letter from James G. Todd, grandson of Samuel Todd of Stafford Co., VA

Box 5, Folder 10: Letters of John McCullough to Andrew Todd 1799

Box 6:

Box 6, Folder 1:

1. 3 pages of brief notes of McMurtry-Todd connections

b. Letter of Henry Todd, son of Sarah Todd and John Todd

Box 6, Folder 14:

1. Andrew Todd of New Hampshire
2. Thomas Todd of Norfolk VA (10^th part)
3. Andrew Todd, son of Robert (8^th part)
4. Andrew Todd, Sr (9^th part)
5. Todds in Pennsylvania (6^th part)
6. John Todd of Louisa Co, VA (5^th part)
7. Emilie Todd Helm Manuscript of 1889 (her family, includes Irish origins)

“John Todd was a Scotch laird and in or about 1665 or 1670 left Scotland with his family and settled in Co. Down. One of his sons, Robert, came to America. Two of his grandsons in 1737 came to America with their families…”

Box 6, Folder 18: Papers of Margaret McClintock, including copies of Todd letters

Other materials

1. Todd letters microfilm (Microfilm 82-0392 through 0395)

There is a collection of Todd Family letters of 4 reels of microfilm in the main reading room with a well-catalogued list of the letters. I inspected only two letters of S.S. Todd. There is also a “Miscellaneous Letters 1802-1900” that I did not inspect.

2. Todd Family Folders

There are 15 family folders in the open stacks area containing various Todd materials.

Excerpts from Papers:

Box 1:

Folder 3: 1869-1880

a. 1874 letter to ETH from C.H. Todd, mentions “memorandum of your branch of the Todds”, mentions S.S. Todd. “My great grandfather Richard Todd was born 1700 near Todd’s bridge in Ramunkey (sp?) River in King and Queens Co., VA.

b. 1874 ltr from C.H. Todd: Charles Henry Todd b 1833 m 1865 to Rosa Burnwell (sp?) of Bedford Co, father Charles Steward Todd b 1791 m 1816 Letitia Shelby (dau of Gov Isaac Shelby)

c. 1879 ltr from Dr. S.S. Todd to John Stewart: “I want to learn something of the ancestry of the said David Todd.

d. Jun 29, 1879: ltr from Dr. S.S. Todd: “Verbatim transcript from an old book that belonged to David Todd, now in possession of Robert S. Todd of Columbia, Mo in which David Todd in his own handwriting says the book is his and gives the date of his own birth and that of his wife Hannah.” “I will get the history of the Owen Todd as fast as my opportunities will allow.”

e. Feb 1880 ltr fr. Margaret G. McClintock to ETH: “I will send you letters of parson Todd to my grandma,”; mentions aunt Elizabeth McCalla; “My grandfather b Mar 18, 1758, Mary Todd b Mar 12, 1765. They were married May 25, 1785. Rev. John Todd d 24, 1793 aged 74 years his wife Margaret Todd d Sept 17, 1809 aged 74.

f. 9 March 1880 ltr from S.S. Todd: “send you a history of the Missouri branches of Levi Todds’ family by Robert L., Todd, a banker of Columbia and son of Roger North Todd.” “had no conception when I began of the magnitude of what I had thought a simple and easy task.”

g. 31 March 1880: Ltr from John Todd, Warren Tavern, Chester co, PA to S.S. Todd “My father David Todd”, “My father and grandfather died when I was only 5 years old.” “My father died in 1814 and my grandfather in 1816” “after that all communication with our Kentucky relatives ceased.” “Robert and Andrew Todd settled near..Trappe..then Robert my grandfather moved to Great Valley now called Chester Valley 12 miles south of Trappe, Chester Co. …purchased two farms..about 400 acres..one of them I now own and live on.

h. Oct 1880 ltr from S.S. Todd, “I have received from Lyman Draper “An Index to American Pedigrees”. In the list..5 or 6 works that refer to Todds, e.g. Descendants of Adam Todd 1867”

i. Ltr to ETH, 1880: “The MS of John McFarland is no doubt the correct history of the Todds.”

Folder 4:

a. 1881 ltr. Sister Gabriella Todd to ETH: “I never heard the name of either of my grandfathers. Father was born in Virginia, studied law in Richmond, married my mother at Eagle Tavern, came to the wilds of Kentucky 1811, settled in Gallatin, thence moved to Frankfort. He had 11 children but only 5 lived to be grown. Only my oldest brother Dr. William Todd and myself remain. He is living in Clark Co., MO. Father had only one brother, John Todd who lived in Oldham Co, KY. …4 sisters.. Mrs. Lowery, Mrs. Crawford in Indiana, Mrs. Alice Craig whom I remember to have visited at her home in Scott Co., Mrs. Sarah Todd who married her cousin Rev. John Todd.” She mentions her birth name: “Alias Maria Louisa Todd”

c. 7 Dec 1888 ltr from Dr. William Todd: “My father married a daughter of Capt William Dabney of Louisa Co, VA. Her maiden name was Charity Dabney and must have married about 1808 in VA and emigrated to Lancaster, Garrard Co in 180-9 and then removed to Gallatin Co about 40 miles above Louisville and here they resided until after my mother’s death which occurred about 1822. I being about 11 years old. My father’s name was Samuel Todd and he was born in Rockbridge Co., VA about Apr 5, 1778 and was about 82 when he died at his farm near Frankfort in 1859 I think.”

”from the manner I heard him speak of his father that they had a misunderstanding and he left his father’s house when he was quite a young man and never returned and was disinherited by his father. I have heard him speak in terms of great dislike of him and say that he had never given him anything. My father had 4 sisters and one brother.”

d. Ltr from David Sharp, Salvisa, KY (must have been prior to his death in 1877) “I have had the assistance of Rev. A.A. Hogue formerly of Lebanon, KY, a cousin of mine whose mother was a McMurtry, in preparing this.”

”Respectfully, David S. Sharp”

Box 2:

1. 31 May 1882 ltr from S.S. Todd,

(1) “My dear cousin, Why don’t you write. You must not stop…”

(2) “I am going to Blue Licks and want to visit Lexington, Paris, etc with you.”

(3) Leave to me for the present ….(5) Todd Ancestry of Robert Todd, (6) Coat of Arms,

(4) “I will employ a genealogist in New York or in Chicago.”

2. 22 Sept 1882 ltr from S.S. Todd, “Will you please tell me where you get this information and if it is authentic?: John Todd was a Scotchman, a lowland laird and in his old age about 16__ to 16__ during a time of political and religious frenzy went with his family to Co. Down, Ireland. Some of his family remained in Ireland where their descendants are at the present time. Two of his grandsons (perhaps others) in 1737 came to America with their families, Andrew Todd and his brother Robert Todd.”
3. 3 Feb 1887 ltr of S.S. Todd, “They must have come between 1733 and 1735 instead of coming in 1737.” (Ed note: This statement was made in commenting on Dr. McFarland’s history of the Todd family and noting that Dr. McFarland had said that 5 children were born in Ireland.

Box 3: 1905-1906:

Folder 1:

a. May 6, 1905: Dr. Todd’s last wife died shortly before himself. The administrator (of the estate) was his nephew Elmer Todd who died soon afterwards. A brother of Simeon S. Todd and father of Elmer is living here. His name is Robert S. Todd. He works for the North American Investment Co and has offices in Bryant Bldg in Kansas City, MO.” (Ed. note: I suspect that this Robert S. Todd is a cousin not a brother.)

Folder 2:

a. Ltr 2 Jan 1912: “George Seilhamer gave Emily Todd Helm manuscript to a Senator Bard of California.”

b. Ltr 3 Feb 1913 from J.K.Mitchell to ETH: “I have copied a portion of two letters from Mrs. C.A Railey (Sterling, Kansas) great granddaughter of Jane Todd Crawford.” (Ed note: Mr. J. Knox Mitchell was a descendant of a sister of Thomas Crawford (husband of Jane Todd Crawford.)“lists Lydia, Polly, Jane, Sarah, John, Hannah, Samuel, James..children of Samuel Todd of Botetourt Co, VA”

(1) 21 Dec 1912: “it is from a copy of a letter dictated by my grandmother Alice Crawford Brown, Jane Todd Crawford’s daughter, to Dr. S.S. Todd.. who was some 30 years ago..a history of the Todd family. He visited my grandmother at Morning Sun, Iowa… This letter of my grandmother gives this information: Mrs. Jane Todd Crawford and Parson John Todd were second cousins – their fathers were first cousins – Jane Todd Crawford’s father Samuel Todd and Rev John Todd of Louisa Co., VA were first cousins.”

”Jane Todd Crawford’s brothers and sisters were: Lydia who md John Lewis, her first cousin and lived in Jessamine Co., KY (Ed note: Lewis may be misinterpretation of Lowry); Polly md Evan Thomas (Ed note: Francis);, Ella or Alice md John Craig and lived in Scott Co., KY; Sarah md Parson John Todd her 2cd cousin and lived in Louisa Co., VA; John Todd md Sarah Sterrett and lived on Herald (Harrod’s) Creek; Hannah md David Ewing and lived in Wayne Co., Ky. Mr. Ewing died 4 years after and his widow md Mr. Minatt. They moved to TENN and lived near Knoxville; Samuel Todd md Charity Dabney and lived in Richmond, VA, then moved to Ky whence he was made judge and moved to Frankfort and died there; Jane Todd Crawford died at Greysville, Indiana; Polly (Francis) in Bourbon Co; Alice Craig in Owen Co.; John Todd near Somsville (Louisville); Hannah in TN.; Sarah at Southport, IN.”

“The family bible with the record was burned when Rev. James Crawford house was burned. The family Bible with the records of the Todds was given to James Todd, a brother of Jane Todd Crawford, the eldest son in Clay Co., KY.:”

“Grandmother closes her letter by saying “I do not know that any of my cousins are living”. This was in 1883”

(2) letter 22 Jan 1913: “cousin Amelia Crawford is mistaken in the relationship of Mrs. Lincoln and her father. They were the same relation that we are – 4^th cousins – grandmother had told me that but I (neglected to remember).” Mentions “brother Howell Crawford Brown”.

c. Ltr 16 May 1913 from Mrs. C. A. Railey to Mrs. Mgt Woodrow

“ in 1797, when my grandmother was 6 years old they left Rockbridge Co and went to Green Co, Ky.. to Madison, Jefferson Co., Indian near Hanover.”

“The brothers and sisters of Jane Todd Crawford were:

Lydia who md John Lowrie her first cousin and lived and died in Jessamine Co., KY

Jane was the second child

Polly md Evan Frances and died in Bourbon County.

Ellice or Alice md John Craig and lived in Scott Co. KY and died in Owen Co.

James md Polly Lowrie and lived and died in Clay Co., KY

To James the family bible of Todds was given. Can you tell me any things about this family Bible?”

“Can you tell me about the relationship of Sheriff Samuel Todd of Botetourt and Maj Gen Levi Todd of the Revolutionary Army or of Gen Levi Todd and Judge Samuel Todd of Frankfort…” “I want to find some history.. connection between the families of Gen Levi Todd and Samuel Todd. “ Letter continues with same info in the 1912 letter above.

d. ltr 24 Apr 1923 from Mrs. Railey to ETH: “Dr. S.S. Todd visited my grandmother in Iowa and got much from her. This was some 35 or more years ago. Nothing more was heard of his book or the photographs loaned him.” “I tried to trace the nephew and found that he had not known or cared what to do with Dr. Todd’s History material, photographs, letters and had simply burned everything that he had.”

e. Ltr re: family of William Todd, migrated VA to KY 1831. William was son of Richard Todd. William was Episcopal minister and lived in Spotsylvania Co, near Fredericksburg, VA. md Catherine Winslow 1804 Apr 12, had Emily Ann Maria 1805, Beverly Winslow 1807, Wm Hayward 1809, Hugh B. 1811, Catherine R.W. 1813, Richard J. Bellingsley 1815, Mary Francis 1817.

Box 5, Folder 6

a. History of the Todd Family, copied by Margaret McClintock, Paris, Ky 1880

page 1: Robert Todd and Isabella his wife together with five children came from Ireland to America about 1737 and three children were born afterwards.

David, the second son, settled in Montgomery County, Pensylvania Providence Township

And raised four sons and two daughters.

page 2: Andrew Todd, half-brother to Robert Todd (above) came to America from Ireland 1737 at the same time 1737 a young man. They both landed at New York. Robert and his family came immediately to the Philadelphia County (now Montgomery County) Pensylvania. Andrew remained in New York State where he married the widow McDowell and had several children. Afterward removed to Chester County, Pensylvania where he remained until his children scattered. Then went to Bedford with his son William his other children went to Kentucky.

page 3: The foregoing was written by the undersigned as what he believes to be traditional generally of the families as received in part from his mother and in part from his own knowledge. The increase and migrations since settlement in Kentucky he is not particularly informed of.

John McFarland, the son of Arthur and Elizabeth mentioned before

Montgomery County

Pensylvania May (or March) 27, 1883

To the Rev. Andrew Todd of Kentucky and grandson of Andrew Todd (above) and grandson also of the John Todd first mentioned.

Note: Mrs. McClintock adds a note: This Rev. Andrew Todd was my father’s brother.. we live in Paris on Main Street.

2. Letter of Mrs. C. A. Railey of Sterling, Kansas: claimed that Jane Todd Crawford, fourth cousin of Mary Todd Lincoln. Accompanying chart showed the Jane’s sister Sarah married John Todd 2cd cousin of Mary Todd Lincoln’s grandfather.
3. letter mentions that New Providence is 4 miles south of Trappe, Montgomery Co.
4. Todd Tombstone Inscriptions in Ireland

Folder 7:

a. Fourth Generation: Children of Elijah and Hannah (Todd) Jack: (Note by ETH says: This family branch was written by Dr. S. S. Todd)

b. Tombstone Inscriptions of Chester and Montgomery Co, PA by Dr. Todd 1881

c. Marriage Records of Abington Presbyterian Church in PA Historical Society

Folder 8:

a. Mallory Todd settled Isle of Wight, VA, came from Bermuda before the Revolutionary War, a brother came with him and went west. Mallory md Ann Robinson of York Co., VA

b. 1898 letter from Samuel Agnew who mentioned corresponding with Dr. Todd 9 or 10 years prior (Ed. Note: i.e. 1888-1889) and had family sketch of Andrew Todd b 1756 Co. Down, went to Co Monaghan 1850, d 1843 Laurens Co, SC

c. Ltr from James G. Todd, son of Howard Todd, grandson of Samuel Todd of Fredericksburg, VA, 1885.

Folder 10: Letter from John McCullough to Andrew Todd 1799

Box 6:

Folder 1

a. Page of notes on Todd-McMurtry connection: (1) David Todd had a sister Nancy Todd md to Joseph McMurtry and a sister Elizabeth Todd md Samuel McMurtry of North Carolina. Nancy Todd children: Elizabeth McMurtry md Lusk, Joseph McMurtry, William McMurtry; Elizabeth Todd’s children: John McMurtry whose son was Dr. Joseph McMurtry of Paris, KY. (Ed Note: Myra McMurtry was the daughter of Dr. Joseph McMurtry. These notes seem to be a garbled version of the Todd-McMurtry connections that were provided to Myra by Dr. S.S. Todd in the 1880s. However, these notes do not seem to be Myra’s handwriting. It would be valuable to determine whose handwriting this is, because it could be the source of the tradition that Dr. Wm McMurtry of Oakland, CA reported that Nancy McMurtry was a great-grandaunt of Mary Todd Lincoln. … The note would suggest that Joseph and William McMurtry were cousins to John McMurtry and that they were all cousins to the PA-KY Todds. There are many errors in this note. The father of Elizabeth, Joseph and William McMurtry was James McMurtry, not Joseph McMurtry. Samuel McMurtry was the brother of John McMurtry, not his son. Elizabeth Todd, sister of David Todd, married James Parker, not Samuel McMurtry.)

b. Letter of Letter of Henry Todd, son of Sarah Todd and John Todd

“John Todd of Louisa Co is my grandfather. My grandmother on my father’s side was Thomson and her first name was Margaret. …My knowledge of my mother’s ancestry is imperfect. I learned from her that her father’s name was Wm and that his family first landed in this country at Philadelphia and that they were not first cousins to my father. …My mother had 3 sisters…one of them married a Lowry of SC, one md a Mr. Crawford of Madison, Indiana, one md a Mr. Craig of Georgetown and two brothers, John who lived and died on a farm in Oldham Co., KY and Samuel who was a lawyer…. I never had an uncle Wm Todd, know nothing of the Alabama Todds or McMurtrys or Nichols…. I think I am not mistaken when I say my mother’s father was William…My mother was the youngest of her father’s family…My father was a son of Rev John Todd of Louisa Co., VA. He was also Rev. John Todd…was married to Sarah Todd abt 1795, a distant relative belonging to a Pennsylvania family.

+++

Folder 1 in Family Folders Sections for Todd surname in open stack area

1931 Ltr of Clementine Railey:

“father was Hamilton Brown, grandparents William Paul Brown and Alice Crawford.”

“I have an idea that John Todd’s first wife was Houston”

“My grandmother told me that a shipload of 100 persons all Todds took ship hurriedly in the night from Ulster.”

“Samuel Todd settled on the isolated frontier, his wife perhaps a Houston.”