Todd Family # 1 (TF1): The Family of Christopher Todd 1617-1686

The family of Christopher Todd 1617-1686 who came to New Haven Connecticut in 1687 is the most well known family of Todds in America because of the widespread distribution to genealogical libraries of the book, “The Todd Family in America”, compiled by John Edwards Todd 1833-1907, edited by a distant cousin George Iru Todd 1872-1925 and published in 1920.

This book linked Christopher Todd to the Christopher Todd baptized in Pontefract, Yorkshire in 1617 and provided copies of the parish registers which identified the ancestors of Christopher.

The book also contained two contradictory statements concerning the connection between the Christopher Todd family and the family of John Todd who settled in Rowley Massachusetts. One was that the origins of John Todd of Rowley were unknown and the other stated that John was a cousin to Christopher identified in the parish registers. Male DNA samples from descendants of these two families revealed that the two families do not share a common male ancestor.

DNA also revealed numerous other families that shared a similar DNA and hence a common male ancestor, including the family of:

· John Todd d 1677 who went to Bermuda from London area in 1651, .

· James Todd b 1765 , resided prior to 1800 in Prince George County, Virginia, then moved to North Carolina, and then to Roane County Tennessee where he died in 1823

· Henry Todd b 1799 of Dinwiddie County, Virginia who moved to Fayette County Virginia

· William Todd d 1820 Horry County, South Carolina

· Joseph Todd 1742-1809 Ontario County New York who may have been born in England

See the DNA Analysis section of this website for more details about the implications of the DNA results.

Information about Specific Branches

1. Nelson Todd May 1802 Connecticut died 14 Aug 1875 Newark, Essex County New

Nelson shows up in Philadelphia in 1835 where his son Nelson was born and then is reported as the owner of a building that burned in a fire in Newark in 1836. He was listed in the 1850. 1860 and 1870 census as born in Connecticut, and as a tailor, but the 1880 census shows Nelson Todd (son of Nelson b 1802) as having a Massachusetts born father. Male DNA shows he matches the Christopher Todd family of New Haven CT, so this is sufficient evidence that he is part of Christopher’s family and born in Connecticut. The reason for his disappearance from CT may be implied in the following: “Ran away from the subscriber on Tuesday evening last, NELSON TODD, an indented Apprentice to the tailoring business, about 18 years of age. Whoever will return said boy shall have 2 cents reward, but no charges nor thanks. All persons are forbid harboring or trusting him. on penalty of law. THADDEUS AUSTIN, New Haven, April 18 1820.” We can infer from this that Nelson was from a New Haven branch of the family rather than one of the branches that moved to Massachusetts or New York. He therefore should appear as a child in the 1810 census in New Haven.

2. Augustus Todd 1808-1881

A descendant of Augustus Todd b 1808 either in Batavia (about 40 miles east of Black Rock) or in Black Rock (near Buffalo, Erie County) was trying to prove that Augustus Todd b 1808 was the son of Farrington Todd b 1787 Cheshire, New Haven, CT died 1845 Erie PA. Augustus had a son Horace b 1850 and Farrington Todd reportedly had a son Horace b 3 Jun 1803 CT d 1882 Newark MI. DNA samples were collected from 2 descendants of Augustus and 3 descendant of Horace. The preponderance of evidence suggested that Horace b 1803 and Augustus b 1808 were close kin.

CAPT. AUGUSTUS TODD, deceased, was born in New York State March 26, 1808 ; was educated in Ohio, and at the age of eighteen began sailing, and was on the water for twenty years. (source for the first sentence is online family tree which is not verified) Capt. Todd, widely known at one period throughout the lakes as commander of vessels and steam crafts, resided at Mackinac since his retirement from the lakes in or about 1840; he came to the Island of Mackinac, and began the general merchandise business, which he followed until 1855; was with the light-house business five or six years; was Village President for nine years; was School Director and School Trustee, and filled several other offices. Capt. Todd was married to Miss Sophia Hamel. They had eight children. Capt. Todd died October 2, 1873. History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 1883, pp 361-366

AUGUSTUS TODD was purportedly a sea captain, born in 1808 in New York (possibly Batavia or Black Rock), educated in Ohio and went to sea at age 18 (about 1826). The History of the Great Lakes and the Maritime History of the Great Lakes identifies him as being a captain and an owner of at several ships/schooners that sailed the great lakes out of Buffalo NY and Conneaut OH. From at least 1830-1838 he and Arrua resided in Black Rock, NY (I have copies of deeds) (Black Rock was a rival town to Buffalo in Erie County until its annexation in 1853 by the City of Buffalo).and owned and/or was master of the Morning Star, the Benjamin Ruth and the Farmer, all registered in Buffalo. Between 1838 and 1840, Augustus resided in Conneaut and owned and captained his last schooner, the James G. King.

His name is linked with several ships out of Conneaut and Buffalo, including the schooner, “Morning Star” built at Venice, Ohio which Augustus owned with John Bean of Ashtabula County, Ohio. In 1836 he also commanded the “Owanunyah,” a three masted schooner built at White Haven on Grand Island. Augustus Todd of Buffalo is reflected as an owner of the two masted schooner “Benjamin Rush,” built in Erie PA and originally owned by the U.S. Revenue Service, from approximately 1835 – 1838. A schooner, “James G. King” is shown in the Buffalo Permanent Enrollment #12 issued May 30, 1839 with Thomas R. Abell of Dunkirk, New York as managing owner and half owned by Augustus Todd, as master, of Conneaut, Ohio. In a book on Chicago biographies (not the bio of Augustus) he is cited as being master of the J.G. King arriving in Chicago in 1838. In 1840 (April 6), Augustus was one of the petitioners to the US government to have Chicago designated as a port of entry where captains and masters could obtain their licenses. He retired from the lakes about 1840. One source has Augustus as registered owner of the “Rufus King” in 1841.

Lighthousefriends.com lists Augustus Todd as the head lighthouse keeper of the Waugoshance Lighthouse from 1855 - 1861. Waugoshance Lighthouse was deemed excess by the Coast Guard in 2009 and was transferred to the Waugoshance Lighthouse Preservation Society. The Lighthouse Keepers Association states that Augustus was on the federal payroll for only a few months, according to their records.

In 1837/9, Augustus was a commissioned officer in Canada’s patriot war. per Bancroft Library, California records.

Possible Resolution of Augustus Todd having children with two wives: Arrue Cole and Sophia Hamel:

The 1830 census has a Captain Augustus Todd residing in Buffalo as one of 4 men aged 20-29. There is another A. Todd also in Buffalo in 1830 having 1 male under 5 (which could be Henry), and 1 male 20-29 (Augustus); 1 female under 5 (which could be Elizabeth), 1 female 5-9 (unknown), and one female 20-29 (possibly Arrua Cole Todd). [It is likely that Augustus was double counted – once with the other ship seamen and once with his family.] Deeds place Augustus and Arrua (Cole) Todd in Black Rock New York from 1828 through 1834. Black Rock was a town near Buffalo New York. The 1835 Westfield NY census has Augustus Todd and family in Westfield, owning no land. It has 2 males (1 male is a voter), and 5 females (4 under 16) and one cattle. The second male is likely son Henry F. Todd. The 4 females are likely daughters: Elizabeth, Emma Jane, Charlotte (blind) and possibly Cornelia. (Names taken from later censuses)

The History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Mackinac County, says Augustus moved to Mackinac in 1840, as one of its early settlers. In 1840, he married Sophia Hamel in Michigan and had several more children. Interestingly, one of the children ascribed to Augustus and Sophia was William, who was born in 1839 and could be, instead, a son of Arrua, not Sophia. Augustus was village president in 1848 and his son, Horace A.N. Todd was village president in 1882. It is possible Augustus was involved in the fur trade with the Astor family. There is a Todd House in Mackinac. Augustus’ death certificate indicates he was an inn keeper and Sophia Todd, after Augustus died in 1873, is noted as the keeper of the Todd House. The 1840 census does not have an A. Todd or Augustus Todd in Buffalo. Instead there is Augustus Todd in Conneaut, Ohio. This Augustus had 1 male under 5 (possibly William), 1 male 10-14 (possibly Henry), 1 m 20-29 (should not be Augustus at that age), 1 male 30-39 (probably Augustus). 1 female under 5 (possibly Emma Jane), 2 females 5-9, 1 female 10-14 (possibly Elizabeth) and 1 female 20-29. 1 employed in navigation and 1 employed as a farmer. Augustus would have left Conneaut in 1840 to move to Mackinac Michigan and marry Sophia. [If the 30-39 year old in the 1840 census was Augustus, he was living for a time with another couple. I find it difficult to understand, however, that he would leave Henry, Emma, Elizabeth and possibly William and start a new life with Sophia in Michigan, except for the fact that Arrua remarried around 1840 to a Lewis Ward.] I found a LEWIS WARD in Lyme, Huron County Ohio in the 1850 census who was born in Massachusetts approx. 1814, a hotel keeper and married to Anne or Arna/Arrua (. The other individuals listed in the household include Anne/Arna/Arrua Ward, born in NY approx. 1812, Emma J. (Ward) 18 years old born in New York, Charlotte A. (Ward), 16 years old, blind, born in New York and William (Ward), 13 years old born in Ohio. Other children listed are Cornelia Ward, 11 born Ohio, George A. Ward, 9 born Ohio, Lucy Ward, 7 born Ohio, Mariah Ward, 4 born Ohio, and Harriet Ward, 2 born Ohio. If you recall Emma Jane Todd was married in 1850 in Lyme, Ohio.

I believe Emma Jane, Charlotte, Cornelia and William were not “Ward”, but “Todd” and the census person was unaware of that information. On his death certificate, his occupation is listed as hotel keeper, his birthplace listed as New York (but no date of birth). Augustus died in Mackinaw City on October 2, 1873 – no parents names are given. On the Mackinac Island website, Mrs. Todd (Sophia Hamel Todd) is listed as the proprietor of the inn then known as the Todd House. One obituary from the Detroit Free Press indicates that Augustus served one term as a representative to the Michigan legislature when it met in Detroit, which I have been unable to verify. I believe it was an obit that indicated he is buried in a catholic cemetery in Mackinac.

Children by second wife, Sophia Hamel are: Rosalie, Ellen, Julia, Sophia, Hora