Todds of Tennessee

January 2007, Rev November 2011

In early Tennessee, the various Todd families were grouped in 3 different areas.

Eastern Tennessee

Jefferson County

Low Todd (TF19) 1723-1793, son of William Todd, came from Bedford/Campbell County Virginia around 1787 and died in Jefferson Co in 1793.

Low’s son Low Todd Jr co-inherited land from his father, married Delia Edwards in 1797. He appears on records in Knox Co and Campbell Co. Low Todd Jr.’s daughters married in Jefferson Co between 1814 and 1821. Much of his family migrated to Livingston Co MO around 1819 and some went to Sangamon Co IL.

His son Samuel co-inherited land from his father, married Ann (or Diana) Harrison in 1802, obtained grants in Jefferson Co in 1825 and 1826, died in Knox Co in 1836 leaving only daughters.

There is a reference in Jefferson or Knox Co that links James Todd to Knox County KY where John and James Todd appear on tax lists between 1805-1807.

There is a James Todd who married Elizabeth Taylor in 1813 who is presumably either a son of Low Todd Sr or a 16 year old son of Low Todd Jr.

There is a reference to James Todd in Knox Co 1800-1817 (Lou Todd security for James Todd), a James Todd as a defendant in a Knox Co court case, and James Todd in Anderson Co, a chain carrier to a survey. (See 1810 Reconstructed 1810 TN Census).

There is a court case involving James Todd in Campbell Co where we have records of Jesse and Isaac and Low Todd.

Blount County

Sarah Todd Houston (TF19) daughter of William Todd abt 1700 – 1760/70 died in Blount Co in 1795.

A Low Todd married there in 1821 to a Polly Simons, presumably a second marriage of Low Todd Jr.

Campbell Co

Jesse Todd b KY 1790-95 and Issac Todd b 1790-1800 were in the 1818 tax list and served in the same company in the war of 1812. Jesse was in Granger Co TN by 1830. Jesse went to Moniteau Twp Cole County MO by 1835 and appears on the 1840 census there next door to Preston Todd b 1805 TN. Jesse died in Moniteau Co in 1874. Jesse had a son Tilman 1811-1850. Since Preston’s DNA matches the Low Todd family, it is likely that Jesse and Preston are grandsons of Low.

Low Todd (TF19) appears on numerous entries in the court records index 1813-1817; he appears on the 1818 and 1823 tax lists.

Knox County

A Samuel Todd born 1770-1780 and living alone, appears here in the 1830 census. He got divorced about 1831 and left a will in 1836. Probably son of Low Todd (TF19).

James Todd had a deed here referring to Knox County KY.

Roane County

James Todd (TF144) 1765-1823 and wife Frances Hughes came from Virginia (reportedly Prince George County) between 1800 and 1802 and James died there in 1823. Sons: Williamson 1792, Holston 1793, William 1795,Coleman 1798 TN,Henry 1802 ,George 1804,Smith 1808, Martin 1812. Some descendants to Scott and Morgan Co IL in 1820s. DNA matches only a Joseph Todd of NY.

South Central Tennessee

Franklin County

A Samuel Todd appears on the 1820 census for Franklin Co. being b 1775-1794 with 3 sons and daughters born 1810-1820. This could be son of Low but the geography doesn’t fit. This could be Samuel (TF161) who md in Davidson Co in 1810 whose descendants were in Lawrence and Wayne Co TN, just west of Franklin Co. He bought a piece of land in 1816 and the property on Elk River he sold in 1821 may be the same parcel. He bought a half acre in the town of Salem in 1820. He obtained small grants (5-10 acres) in 1822. Should be deed records after 1840 for land he bought but didn’t sell before 1840. This Samuel is son the William Todd who came from Richmond Co Va to Rockingham Co NC.

Lincoln County

By 1814/1817, John Todd 1746-1829 (TF19) moved to the county from Bath Co KY and died in the county in 1829.

In 1820, there is also a John B. b 1775-1794 (TF 161) with three sons b 1810-20 and 4 females and a Mary with several children. He got a 50 acre grant in 1828. He appears to be the John B. Todd b 1777 VA who appears in Shelby Co TN by 1840 and dies there in 1851 with two physicians in the county of the age to be his sons: Joseph J b 1808 NC and Thomas H. b 1809 NC. He appears to have come from Virginia to Rockingham Co NC before moving to TN and was son of the William Todd who came from Richmond Co VA to Rockingham Co NC..

There is also a John N Todd who appears in the 1830 census and then dies in Davidson Co in 1847.

Maury County

Pleasant Todd b 1791 NC was married in 1814 to Charity Fagg in Rockingham Co NC and came to Maury County by 1820. He may be part of TF 161 based on the connection to Rockingham Co.

Christopher Todd b 1781 VA (TF31) was in Maury Co by 1830 from Charlotte Co VA and descendant of Thomas Todd, 1600s immigrant to Virginia.

Giles

A John S. Todd b 1775-1794 with a wife and young son and daughter was in the county by 1820.

North Central Tennessee

Sumner County

Thomas Todd (wife Susannah) died in 1802 and left a daughter Penelope who married Abraham King in 1804. Contemporaries were Asa Todd md 1804, Lemuel Todd b pr 1775, Amy Todd md 1814, Nancy Todd md 1823, Polly Todd md 1824. Lemuel may have left a will in Henry Co in 1837.

Peggy Todd b 1780-1790 had a son b 1820-25 who may be the Henry N Todd b 1824 in the 1850 census. However, this seems to not have any connection to the earlier family.

Wilson County

David Todd married in the county in 1817 and William married 1820.

Davidson County

Samuel Todd (TF161) b abt 1785 NC? (TF161) md 1810 Nancy Newton and later settled in Lawrence Co TN. Sons: William J b 1811=>Lawrence Co TN, Presley Newton b 1814, Bennett D b 1818=>Lauderdale Co AL. Possibly in Franklin Co 1820.

James Todd (TF58) b 1749 came from Ireland and had children in Nashville in 1783. Went to Greene Co Ohio by 1806-1813 and died there in 1815. Dau Nancy md 1798 Henry Phenix. Sons John Buchanan Todd (to Madison Co IN) and James Mulherin Todd (to Shelby Co KY).

Rutherford County

Benjamin Todd 1758/9-1855 (TF17) came from Rowan Co NC to Madison Co KY about 1797 and after a decade came to Rutherford Co. His sons Robert b 1784, Benjamin b 1785 and his nephews William b 1781 GA and Reuben born 1785 GA (sons of his brother Caleb)also made this move. About the same time, an unrelated family moved to the portion of Rutherford Co that because Cannon County, James B Todd b 1788 NC, William T. Todd b 1793 NC and Jesse Todd b 1770-1780.