William Todd
Encyclopedia
William Todd was an American soldier
and politician
from Pennsylvania
.
, Cavaliers in the Scottish Civil War
who had raised the standard of rebellion too often and been exiled to Ireland
from their native Angus
, Scotland
.
His parents moved to Chester County Pennsylvania about 1755 and then by 1760 to the portion of neighboring Philadelphia County that later became Montgomery County. (See History of the Todd family http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mcmurtriecfr/richard/todd/mtltodds.htm)
, Todd served with the Pennsylvania
troops. He fought at the Battle of Kittaning and was involved in the capture of Fort Duquesne
, earning the honor of joining the Rangers.
and was a player in the brewing situation that would explode into the American Revolutionary War
.
He traveled around Pennsylvania
and the New England
colonies and was active in Boston
. He joined the militia and then the Continentals, and served at the war's early battles, including Bunker Hill
, before returning to Pennsylvania
, where he was a member of the convention which established Pennsylvania
as a Commonwealth and State. He became a Judge from his district at the first elections.
He fought bravely for Independence and re-enlisted, this time being more active in the South, serving until 1781 when Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown
.
. He held several further political positions in his State, and received a pension for his service in the Revolution, so was well taken care of in his old age.
He died in the town of Unity in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
on October 10, 1810.
His grand niece Mary Todd would later become Abraham Lincoln
's wife, and his descendant Robert Todd (named for a rebellious Jacobite
ancestor) served in the 8th Kentucky Infantry
, C.S.A. during The American Civil War.
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Early life
Todd was born in Somerset County New Jersey in 1739, to Irish Immigrants Robert Todd and his second wife Elizabeth. His ancestors were alleged to be Scottish rebels and JacobitesJacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
, Cavaliers in the Scottish Civil War
Scottish Civil War
Between 1644 and 1651 Scotland was involved the Wars of the Three Kingdoms during a period when a series of civil wars that were fought in Scotland, England and in Ireland...
who had raised the standard of rebellion too often and been exiled to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from their native Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
His parents moved to Chester County Pennsylvania about 1755 and then by 1760 to the portion of neighboring Philadelphia County that later became Montgomery County. (See History of the Todd family http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mcmurtriecfr/richard/todd/mtltodds.htm)
French and Indian War
In the French and Indian WarFrench and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, Todd served with the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
troops. He fought at the Battle of Kittaning and was involved in the capture of Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....
, earning the honor of joining the Rangers.
Revolutionary War
Todd was a good friend of Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
and was a player in the brewing situation that would explode into the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
He traveled around Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
colonies and was active in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He joined the militia and then the Continentals, and served at the war's early battles, including Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
, before returning to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where he was a member of the convention which established Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
as a Commonwealth and State. He became a Judge from his district at the first elections.
He fought bravely for Independence and re-enlisted, this time being more active in the South, serving until 1781 when Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
.
Later years
After the Revolutionary War, Todd was chosen as a member of Pennsylvania's ratifying convention and voted against ratification of the United States ConstitutionUnited States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. He held several further political positions in his State, and received a pension for his service in the Revolution, so was well taken care of in his old age.
He died in the town of Unity in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
on October 10, 1810.
His grand niece Mary Todd would later become Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's wife, and his descendant Robert Todd (named for a rebellious Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
ancestor) served in the 8th Kentucky Infantry
8th Kentucky Infantry
The 8th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...
, C.S.A. during The American Civil War.