Biography of Col. John Todd

Col. John Todd, whose honored name this county bears, 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. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of R. H. Coleman

R. H. COLEMAN was born in Dinwiddie County, Va., on July 24, 1840, and is a son of Edmund N. and Eliza (Watkins) Coleman. The parents were both natives of Virginia, the father being born there on September 29, 1797; the mother on October 17, 1798; the former was of Irish descent, the mother of Welsh. When subject was about eighteen months old the parents came to Logan County, Ky. They lived there only one year, and then came to this county; here they settled on the farm now owned by subject, and here the father died on April 28, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas P. Dance

THOMAS P. DANCE, Trenton, was born October 15, 1822, in Simpson County, Ky., where he grew to manhood. He removed to Logan County in 1850, and to Todd County, his present place of residence, in 1882. His father, Peter Dance, born in 1792 in Chesterfield County, Va., settled in Kentucky in 1816. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1856. He was the son of Edward Dance, of Virginia, who died about 1800. Subject’s mother, Lucy Boiseau, of Prince Edward County, Va., and later of Simpson County, Ky., was born in 1.790, and died in … Read more

Geography of Todd County, Kentucky

The county thus organized and named is situated in the southern part of the State, on the Tennessee line, and in the eastern border of that section of Kentucky arbitrarily called the Southwest. It is bounded on the north by Muhlenburg County, east by Logan, south by Montgomery, in State of Tennessee, and west by Christian, and contains about 330 square miles. The county lies partly in the Green River Val- ley, and partly in that of the Cumberland River, and represents the characteristics of both valleys. The dividing line between these valleys passes in a northwesterly direction through Todd … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Levi Tucker

LEVI TUCKER was born March 13, 1828, in Todd County, Ky. His parents were Joshua and Betsey (Powell) Tucker, both natives of North Carolina. The father was a farmer, and died March 3, 1884, at the age of eighty-six years. The mother died many years since; she was a member of the Baptist Church. Our subject on reaching his majority began for himself without a dollar. He has raised a large family and now owns nearly 400 acres of land; success has attended his labors. Ile is well known and duly respected in his precinct; he was married in 1849 … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. H. Deason

W. H. DEASON was born in 1840 in Todd County, Ky.; his parents are James N. and Eliza J. (Tacker) Deason, natives of Kentucky. The father was a farmer; his death occurred in 1864, at the age of forty-seven years; the mother is living in this county, at the age of sixty-five years. These parents have eight children all living in years of maturity (a very uncommon thing). W. H. began for himself at the age of twenty years; he farmed on rented ground for fifteen years, when he bought 150 acres, located on the East Fork of Pond River; … Read more

Biograhical Sketch of George R. Russell

GEORGE R. RUSSELL, son of Jesse and Huldah (Standard) Russell, is a native of Elkton, where he has spent his life thus far. His father came to Todd County, when the site of Elkton was a brushwood; and for the many years, until his death, which occurred in August, 1883, was a prominent factor in the history of the county and especially so of Elkton. When quite young he married Miss Huldah Standard, who was a native of the county, and who at the time of marriage was but fourteen years old. She was the mother of four sons, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Downer

BENJAMIN DOWNER was born August 10, 1819, in Todd County, Ky., and has continued to reside here to the present time. He is the son of Benjamin Downer, Sr., a native of Spottsylvania County, Va., where he was born in 1782, and in 1809 removed to Todd County, then a part of Christian County, Ky., where he died in 1826. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John S. Slaughter (of Revolutionary fame), was born in Culpeper County, Va., in 1782, and died in Todd County, Ky., in 1862. From this union sprang Susan (Eddins), Frances (married first to Clark and afterward … Read more

Biography of Dr. Joseph W. Bartlett

DR. JOSEPH W. BARTLETT was born July 27, 1833, a son of Joseph S. and Amanda F. (Porter) Bartlett. His father was a native of Massachusetts. In early life he was a teacher, later a’ minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and for many years a missionary among the Cherokee Indians. He came to Kentucky after the war of the Rebellion, and died in Todd County in 1875, at the age of seventy-eight. The mother was a native of Virginia, and removed with her father to middle Tennessee, when a child. She was first married to Elisha Zachariah, who … Read more

Todd County, Kentucky Geological Speculations

No geological survey has been made of Todd County, and the State work is of such a general nature as to forbid the gathering of anything approaching a particular review of the geological features of this county from its pages. A brief general review is all that can be attempted in the time and space assigned to this topic here. The geological formations of Kentucky, in common with those of the other Western States, generally belong to that great system which extends from the Alleghanies on the east across the Mississippi and to the Rocky Mountains on the west. Throughout … Read more

Biographical Sketch of P. C. Griffin

P. C. GRIFFIN. Among the genial, hospitable and worthy citizens of the precinct, Phillip C. Griffin, our subject, deserves mention; his birth dates November 27, 1845. His parents, James J. and P. C. Griffin, and he as well, were natives of this county. The father was a farmer, later a merchant, who died February 15, 1880, at the age of sixty-six years. The mother makes her home with her youngest child, Mrs. Lacey, aged sixty-four years. The father was, and the mother still is, a devoted member of the Christian Church. At the age of eighteen Phillip C. began on … Read more

Biography of Andrew Norton Moore

ANDREW NEWTON MOORE. The worthy subject of this sketch was born June 2, 1840, on the family homestead, where he now resides, in Todd County, Ky. His father, John Moore, was born in 1799, in Augusta County, Va.; after the death of his wife, removed to Tennessee, remained there one year, and then came to Todd County, Ky., about 1808, where he died in 1882. He was the son of David Moore, Jr., a Virginian, who purchased this tract of land in 1804, and died here in 1826, at the age of sixty-two years. David, Jr.’s wife was Jennie McClung. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James R. Pendleton

JAMES R. PENDLETON, Trenton, was born in Todd County, Ky., November 20, 1850, and has always retained his residence here. His father, Harvey B. Pendleton, was born in 1811 and died about 1854; he was the son of John Pendleton. Subject’s mother, Louisa M., daughter of George and Betsey Carnall, of Todd County, was born in 1831. To her and her husband, Harvey B., were born: Martha A. (deceased), James R. and Cenara (deceased). James R. in youth procured a good English education, and is a reader of good books and papers. He was married, November 10, 1874, to Miss … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edgar H. Morton

H. EDGAR MORTON was born on the place where he now resides, November 5, 1835, and has retained his residence here all his life. His father, George, was born in 1795, in Orange County, Va.; removed to Todd County, Ky., about 1832, where he died in 1882. He was the son of John, who was the son of Elijah Morton, of Scotch descent. Subject’s mother was Amanda, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Adams) Tandy, and to her and husband were born: Ann E., subject, Hulda F. (Tandy), and John G. Mr. Morton was favored with a good English education, is … Read more

Biography of David N. Russell

THE RUSSELL FAMILY. In 1806, David N. Russell, of Linlithgo, Scotland, came to this country, on a visit, and in consequence of the embargo affecting the transportation between the United States and Great Britain, during that troublesome period, he was hindered from returning to his native country, and about 1807 or 1808 settled in Logan County. He was born July 12, 1782, and married shortly after coming to Logan County, Ky., Miss Lydia McElwain, who was born in Londonderry, Ireland, June 17, 1780; her mother, Frances McElwain in company with her children, eleven in number, came from Ireland in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John W. Fulcher

JOHN W. FULCHER was born September 13, 1826, in Goochland County, Va.; removed with his parents to Lexington, Ky., in 1831, and to Todd County in 1832, where he still resides. His father, Dr. Alexander Fulcher, was born in Richmond, Va., 1791; was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died at this place in 1853., He was the son of Philip Fulcher, of Virginia, who served seven years in the war of Independence, and died about 1828. Alexander’s wife was Sallie B., daughter of Tavnor W. Wisdom, of Spottsylvania County, Va., born in 1796, and died in 1873. … Read more

Biography of Romulus A. Lindsey

ROMULUS A. LINDSEY, a native of Todd County and an enter-prising farmer, was born September 1, 1839. He is the fourth of eleven children-four boys and seven girls-nine now living, born to John and Martha (Johnson) Lindsey,’ natives of Christian County, Ky., of Irish descent. Subject’s father is the on of Archibald and Jane (Meacham) Lindsey, son and daughter respectively of John Lindsey and John and Lucy (Brewer) Meacham. The Lindsey family first emigrated from South Carolina to Virginia, thence to Christian County, Ky., about the year 1805 or 1806, where they entered lands and endured the privations of a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lucy A. Fox

MRS. LUCY A. FOX was born in Christian County, Ky., April 11, 1824, and removed to Todd County in 1838, where she still retains her residence. She is the honored daughter of James Clark, who was born in 1791, reared at Frankfort, Ky., and served his country as a gallant soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1877. He was the son of Matthew Clark, a native of Virginia, who died in Kentucky about 1830. Subject’s mother, Susan S., daughter of Col. Beverly Stubblefield (of Revolutionary fame) and his wife Mary (Shelton), was born in Virginia, 1797, and … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Haddox

CHARLES W. HADDOX was born in Logan County, Ky., on November 5, 1842, and was a son of Joseph and Mary (Williams) Haddox. The parents were natives of Virginia, and came to Logan County in an early day, where they lived and died. Subject was the fifth of eight children, of whom three are now living: Amelia W., wife of William Drain, of Clarksville; Mary L., wife of J. T. Donalson, and Claude E. The schools of Keysburg furnished his education. He remained at home until seventeen, and then went into the war; he first went out . in Col. … Read more

Biography of Samuel W.Taliaferro

SAMUEL W. TALIAFERRO is a resident of Guthrie Precinct, and lives upon the farm where he was born April 15, 1843. He is the fifth child of a family of six, born to Samuel W. and Sallie (Moore) Taliaferro. The father was born in Albemarle County, Va., July 19, 1798. In youth he came to Greene County, Ky., a few years later he came to Todd County and settled on this farm, where his widow now resides; he died October 11, 1879. On coming here he worked at the brick-laying trade, and at the end of a few years had … Read more