Col. John Todd

Col. John Todd was one of 6 Trustees (Colonel Stephen Trigg (Colonial Militia), Col. George Slaughter, Col. John Todd, James John Floyd, Colonel William Pope,  Marsham Brashear) to lay out the town of Louisville.  

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Col. John Todd, whose name honors Todd county of Kentucky, was the eldest of three brothers, and a native of Pennsylvania. He was educated in Virginia, at his uncle's-the Rev. John Todd-and at maturity entered upon the study of the law, subsequently obtaining a license to practice. He left his uncle's residence, and settled in the town of Fincastle, Va., where he practiced law for several years; but Daniel Boone and others having explored Kentucky, Col. Todd, lured by the descriptions given him of the fertility of the country, about the year 1775 came first to Kentucky, where he found Col. Henderson and others at Boonesboro. He joined Henderson's party, obtained a pre-emption right, and located sundry tracts of land in the present county of Madison, in Col. Henderson's land office. He afterward returned to Virginia, and in the year 1786 again set out from Virginia with his friend, John May, and one or two others, for Kentucky. They proceeded some distance together on the journey, when for some cause Mr. May left his servant with Col. Todd to proceed on to their destination, and returned to Virginia. Col. Todd proceeded on to the place where Lexington now stands, and in its immediate vicinity improved two places-the one in his own name and the other in that of his friend, John May-for both of which he obtained certificates for settlement and pre-emption of 1,400 acres. These pre-emptions adjoin and lie in the immediate vicinity of the city of Lexington. It appears from depositions taken since his death, that he accompanied Gen. Clarke in his expedition against Kaskaskia and Vincennes, and was at the capture of those places. After the surrender of these posts it is supposed lie returned to Kentucky, but it appears from letters written by Gen. Clarke that Col. Todd was appointed to succeed him in the command at Kaskaskia. Under an act of Virginia Legislature passed in 1777, by which that part of Virginia conquered by Clarke, and all other of her territory northwest of the Ohio River, was erected into the county of Illinois, of which Col. Todd was appointed Colonel-Commandant and County-Lieutenant, with all the civil powers of Governor. He was further authorized, by enlistment or volunteers, to raise a regiment for the defense of the frontier. He immediately entered upon the duties of his office, and was seldom absent from his Government up to the time of his death. The regiment was raised for one year's service, but was continued in duty until about 1779, when the State of Virginia raised four additional regiments-two for the eastern and two for the western part of Virginia. Col. Todd was appointed to the command of one of these. In the spring of 1780, Col. Todd was sent a delegate to the Legislature of Virginia, from the County of Kentucky. While attending on the Legislature he married Miss Hawkins, and returned subsequently to Kentucky, settling his wife in the fort at Lexington. He again visited Illinois, and was engaged continually in the administration of its Government and in military affairs, so that he was seldom with his family until the summer of 1782, when in the month of August the Indians besieged Bryan's Station in great force. The disastrous battle of the Blue Licks followed on the 19th of that month. Among the noble brave who fell, fighting to the last, was Col. John Todd, in the midst of usefulness and in the prime of life. His wife survived him, and an only child, a daughter, about twelve months old. This daughter was still living in 1847 (as wife of Robert Wickliffe, Sr.), and was then the oldest female native of Lexington.

Col. Todd was a man of fine personal appearance and talents, and an accomplished gentleman; was universally beloved, and died without a stain upon his character, and it is believed without even one enemy upon earth. From the year 1778 he might be considered as residing in Illinois until his marriage in 1780. Settling his wife at Lexington, he was obliged to make a long and dangerous trip to visit his family, and besides aiding in the councils held by Clarke, and accompanying him in one or more of his expeditions, it is believed he passed the journey from Lexington to Kaskaskia twice, and often four times each year. An anecdote illustrative of his character as related by his wife is to this effect: During the winter succeeding their marriage the provisions of the fort at Lexington became exhausted to such an extent that on her husband's return home with his colored man, George, one night, almost famished with hunger, she had been able to save for him a small piece of bread, about two inches square, and about a gill of milk, which she presented" to him. He asked at once, if there was nothing for George; she answered, "not a mouthful." He called George, and handed him the bread and the milk, and went to bed supperless himself www.kentuckygenealogy.org/todd/origin_of_todd_county_kentucky.htm

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TODD, John, soldier. b. in Montgomery county, Pa., in 1750; d. at the Blue Licks, Ky., 19 Aug., 1782. He took part in the battle of Point Pleasant, Va., in 1774, as adjutant-general to Gen. Andrew Lewis. He settled as a lawyer in Fincastle, Va., but, with his brothers, emigrated to Fayette county, Ky., in 1775, took part in the organization of the Transylvania colonial legislature that year with Daniel Boone, and penetrated southwest as far as Bowling Green, Ky. In 1776 he settled near Lexington and was elected a burgess to the Virginia legislature, being one of the first two representatives from Kentucky county, where he served as county lieutenant and colonel of militia. He accompanied Gen. George Rogers Clark to Vincennes and Kaskaskia, and succeeded him in command of the latter place. In 1777 he was commissioned by Gov. Patrick Henry, of Virginia, to be colonel and commandant of Illinois county, and served two years. He organized the civil government of this county, which afterward became the state of Illinois. Col. Todd went to Virginia in 1779, and was a member of the legislature in 1780, where he procured land-grants for public schools, and introduced a bill for negro emancipation. Afterward he returned to his family in Kentucky. While there he, as senior colonel, commanded the forces against the Indians in the battle of Blue Licks, where he was killed. Levi, brother of John, was a lieutenant under George Rogers Clark in the expedition of 1778, and one of the few survivors of the Blue Licks; and Levi's son, Robert S., was the father of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln.

Source: Appletons' Cyclopaedia of American Biography, vol. 6. James Grant Wilson and John Fiske, eds., New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1888, p. 126

RECORD:

1. wikipedia. "John Todd (March 27, 1750 – August 18, 1782) was a frontier military officer during the American Revolutionary War and the first administrator of the Illinois County of the U.S. state of Virginia before that state ceded the territory to the federal government.

[edit] BiographyTodd was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the son of David Todd and the brother of Robert and Levi Todd, the latter being great-uncle of Mary Todd Lincoln. He was educated in Virginia at a school run by his uncle, the Rev. John Todd. After obtaining a license to practice law, Todd settled in Fincastle, Virginia.

In 1774, Todd served in the Battle of Point Pleasant, which was fought near present-day Point Pleasant, West Virginia and is celebrated in West Virginia as the first battle in the American Revolutionary War. He was then drawn west into the recently opened frontier of Kentucky where he purchased land near Lexington.

Todd served in the Virginia legislature in 1776 and then participated in the expedition led by George Rogers Clark against Kaskaskia and Vincennes that captured the Illinois Country from the British in 1778. With Clark as commandant of the entire territory north and west of the Ohio river, Todd was appointed as County Lieutenant and Civil Commandant of "Illinois County", which had been organized by the Virginia legislature in 1778 with the government based in Kaskaskia.

In 1780, Todd returned to Richmond, Virginia, as a delegate from the Kentucky County to the Virginia Legislature, where he married Jane Hawkins. His wife settled on their property in Lexington, while he left to administer affairs in Illinois County. Because of his duties on the frontier, he was seldom home. In 1780, the Virginia Legislature divided the original Kentucky County into three counties: Lincoln, Jefferson, and Fayette. Colonel Todd was placed in charge of Fayette County militia with Daniel Boone as Lieutenant Colonel.

Todd died in 1782 in the Battle of Blue Licks in Robertson County, Kentucky, one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War. Todd County, Kentucky is named after him.

[edit] ReferencesFamily of Mary Todd Lincoln see Generation Four
Origin of Todd County, Kentucky A brief history of St. Clair County, Chapter III of Transition to American Rule by Prof. W. C. Walton Allen, William B. (1872). A History of Kentucky: Embracing Gleanings, Reminiscences, Antiquities, Natural Curiosities, Statistics, and Biographical Sketches of Pioneers, Soldiers, Jurists, Lawyers, Statesmen, Divines, Mechanics, Farmers, Merchants, and Other Leading Men, of All Occupations and Pursuits. Bradley & Gilbert. pp. 55–57. http://books.google.com/books?id=s_wTAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 2008-11-10. Colonel John Todd's record Book of 1779."

2. David Andrew Todd Descendants, http://genealogyconnections.blogspot.com/2007/11/david-andrew-todd-.... "2. COLONEL JOHN5 TODD (DAVID ANDREW4, ROBERT3, JOHN2, JAMES1) was born 27 March 1750 in Montgomery Co., PA, and died 18 August 1782 in Blue Licks, KY. He married JANE HAWKINS 1780 in VA. She was born 1757 in VA. Notes for COLONEL JOHN TODD: The oldest son of David Todd and Hannah Owen, John, was ducated in Virginia by his uncle, Parson John Todd, studied law, and became one of the deputy surveyors employed by Col. Wm. Preston. He is asserted by John Mason Brown to have been an aide to Gen. Andrew Lewis in the battle of Point Pleasant. He came to Kentucky early in 1775, and was at St. Asaphs with John Floy and Gen. Logan in the spring of that year. He represented St. Asaphs in the abortive attempt to establish the territorial government of Transylvania. In 1777, he was one of the first two burgesses sent by Kentucky Co. to the Virginia General Assembly. He succeeded George Rogers Clarke in command at Kaskaskia, and was for sevral years civil governor and colonel of the company of Illinois. When Bryant's Station was besieged, in August 1782, Col. Todd was again in Kentucky. With such men as could be assembled at Lexington, and with the forces at Boonesboro and Harrodsburg, he marched without waiting for Gen. Logan with the well-equipped veteral fighters of Lincoln, and fell at the Blue Licks. While a Burgess at Richmond he married Jane Hawkins, by whom he had a daughter. This daughter married first, Col. Russell, and after his death became the seond wife of Robert Wickliffe, Sr. Her son by Russell dying, she made a deed of gift to her second husband by which all the large estte of Col. John Todd passed to the family of Mr. Wickliffe, to the exclusion of those of her own blood. Mildred Hawkins, a sister of Jane, married Capt. Pierce Butler of the revolution, and was the mother of Maj. Thomas L., Gen. William O., and Richard Butler, of Carrollton, and of the late Pierce Butler of Louisville.

Col. John Todd was the best educated and most accomplished, and is represented to have been the most richly endowed by nature, of all the early pioneers and surveyors of Kentucky. He was one of the best educated men in Kentucky; possesed a nice sense of honor, was strictly moral, and stood high in the confidence of the people.

Excerpt from "History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois - Centennial Record," by John Carroll Power, 1876: "John Todd, under commission from Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, dated Dec. 12, 1778, at Williamsburg, then the capital of the state, was authorized to establish the county of Illinois. He was styled in his commission as the County Lieutenant Commandant. As such he organized the county, and thus became in fact, though not in name, the first Governor of Illinois. His first act was to issue a proclamation with reference to land titles, June 15, 1779. Nearly three years later he had been to Virginia, and on his way back made it convenient to visit his family in Kentucky. While at Lexington, news came that the Indians west of the Ohio River were crossing over into Kentucky. Colonel Todd, as one of the commanders, was slain at the battle of Blue Licks, August 18, 1782."

From Emma Siggins White, "Descendants of John Walker of Wigton" 1902, p. 56: "John, Robert and Levi Todd were educated in Va., in a school taught by their uncle, Rev. John Todd. The eldest, Col. John Todd, studied law, and was the first civil governor and Lieutenant Commander of Illinois. These three brothers were in the Revolutionary War under Gen. George Rogers Clarke. Col John Todd was appointed by Patrick Henry, Dec. 12, 1778, Lt. Commander of Illinois. He represented Kentucky in the General Assembly of Virginia in 1778, and his brothers formed a part of the expedition to Illinois County. For three years Col. John Todd held the responsible position of Lt. Cmdr. In 1780 he was again chosen a delegate to the Virginia Legislature. In this year Kentucky (county) was divided into three counties, Lincoln, Jefferson and Fayette; and Thomas Jefferson, then governor of Virginia, appointed Col. John Todd colonel of Fayette County, Daniel Boon Lieutenant Colonel, and Thomas Marshall Surveyor. During the summer of 1782, an Indian uprising aroused the county, and the militia was summoned to repel it. Col. Todd, as senior colonel, took command of the little army sent in pursuit of retreating savages. The force included Daniel Boone and many other illustrious Kentuckians. On Aug. 18, 1782, they came up with the Indians at Blue Licks, and one of the most disastrous battles to the whites on Kentucky soil followed. Col. John Todd fell at the head of his men, shot through the body. Nearly all of this little band was killed or wounded. Among the wounded were his brothers, Gen. Levi and Gen. Robert Todd. Gen. Levi Todd, the 3rd brother, was the grandfather of Mrs. (Abraham) Lincoln and father of Hannah, who married Robert Stuart."

It is noted that three members of a scouting party in 1775 carved their names on a tree near what is now Boonesboro, Kentucky; one was Daniel Boone, and another was this John Todd. From http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyfayett/lexfort.htm is a description of the fort in Lexington built by troops commanded by Colonel John Todd.

From "Todd Family," by Emily Todd Helm, Kittochtinney Magazine, published by G.O.Seilhamer, Chambersburg,PA, Vol. 1, No. 1(Jan 1905), pp 83-84: "JOHN TODD (born in Montgomery Co., Pa., March 27, 1750 -- died at Blue Licks, Ky., Aug. 19, 1782), son of David and Hannah (Owen) Todd, was educated in the school of his uncle, the Rev. John Todd, in Louisa County, Va., and studied law with Gen. Andrew Lewis, under whom he served as adjutant-general in the expedition against the Indians that resulted in the battle of Point Pleasant, in 1774. In 1775, he went to Kentucky, then a wilderness. On the north side of Barren River, about three miles from Bowling Green, a group of beech trees is still standing on which were cut the names of thirteen members of an exploring party from Harrod's Station, now Harrodsburg. One of these names is that of J. Todd, with the date of June 13, 1775. Another tree is inscribed, "J. Todd, June 17, 1775." In 1776 he settled at Lexington, where he served as judge of the first court in Kentucky county. With Richard Calloway he was chosen a burgess in the Virginia Legislature, April 19, 1777, and he was appointed county lieutenant and colonel of militia for Fayette county upon its creation. After the conquest of the Illinois, by Gen. George Rogers Clarke, in 1778, in which he participated, Colonel Todd was appointed by Gov. Patrick Henry, Dec. 28, 1778, county lieutenant of the county of Illinois, and he arrived at Kaskaskia from Vincennes early in May 1779. He thus virtually became the first governor of the Illinois territory. He was instructed to use every effort to win the friendship of the French; to conciliate the Indians as far as possible, and to punish all violations of their property, especially of their lands; and to give assistance to General Clarke in his projected expedition against Detroit. Todd's administration though brief was vigorous. He organized the militia and directed the election of judges and court officers. Licenses to trade were granted. Being a shrewd man he provided against an inrush of a horde of Virginia and Kentucky speculators, who would seize upon the best land on the river bottoms, by a decree that each settler should take up his land in the shape of the narrow French farms that stretched back from the water front, no claim to exceed the number of acres in one of these French farms. His financial policy, however was a failure because it was based on Continental money, and this rendered it difficult to get the creoles to furnish supplies. Finally, Todd was compelled to resort to impressment to feed the troops, paying at the regulation prices one-third in paper money and two-thirds in peltries. Colonel Todd's 'Record Book' contains the history of his rule as the first civil governor of Illinois. The MS. of this 'Record' is in the possession of the Chicago Historical Society, and there is an account of it in the Fergus Hist. Series. In 1780, Todd was again elected a member of the Virginia Legislature, and he afterward made one of two flying visits to Illinois, but took little active part in the affairs of the country, leaving their control to his deputy or lieutenant commandant. In the Virginia Legislature he secured the passage of acts that resulted in the foundation of Transylvania University, and he introduced a bill for negro emancipation. The three brothers, John, Robert, and Levi, were all opposed to slavery as a permanent institution, and though each owned slaves, they were treated in the most humane manner. At the time of the Indian attack on Bryan's Station, in 1782, Col. Todd, as County Lieutenant of Fayette county, by virtue of his commission in the Virginia line, was next to General Clarke, the ranking officer of the Kentucky forces, and Colonel Commandant he led the centre at the battle of Blue Licks. The defeat was precipitated by the headlong disobedience of Major McGarry. While Todd, by voice and example was doing all in his power to keep his men firm, he was shot through the body and mortally wounded. The blood gushed from his mouth; his strength failed him; he leaned forward and fell from the saddle. According to some accounts his horse carried him to the river and he fell in its current. An account of his death was written in the Lexington Observer & Reporter, June 17, 1848, in which his brother Levi gave in writing the facts connected with the death of his brother. "He rode a white horse, and being struck with a ball and faint he dismounted, but recovered, remounted and a second shot closed his career. After the troops had recrossed the Licking the Indians were observed in considerable numbers around the white horse where he lay." With Todd's death the battle became a rout. Todd was the only officer in the fray that carried a sword, which he had borrowed from Boone. The blade was short and roughly made of good steel. The hilt was buckhorn and the guard was of iron, oneeighth of an inch thick. This sword was lost in Licking river. When recovered it was identified by Mrs. Todd as the one that her husband borrowed from Daniel Boone. Colonel Todd was a man of generous impulses and of high and noble character. He was once before defeated by the Indians at the Licking, while conveying a quantity of power to Clarke from Limestone Ridge, in 1777. With him was a party of nine men, four of whom were killed. Todd county was named in his honor, in 1819. Colonel Todd married in Virginia, in 1780, Jane Hawkins; A daughter, born after his death, and his only child that lived was MARY, married (1) James Russell; they had one son, John Todd, who died aged twenty. Mrs. Russell married (2) Robert Wickliffe, Esq. of Lexington, Ky., but they had no children."

Notes for JANE HAWKINS: Jane had a sister, Mildred Hawkins who married Capt. Pierce Butler of American Revolution. Their children were: Maj. Thomas L. Butler, Gen. William O. Butler, Richard Butler, and Pierce Butler. Child of JOHN TODD and JANE HAWKINS is: 7. i. MARY6 TODD, b. Aft. 1780."

Killed at battle of Blue Licks great uncle of Mary Todd Lincoln1818-1882

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via sister Hannah Smith (born Todd) by SmartCopy: Feb 18 2015, 17:55:44 UTC