Biographical Sketch of Robert Bradshaw

ROBERT BRADSHAW, farmer and miller, two miles south of Elk-ton, Todd County, was born in Halifax County, Va., on the 22d day of May, 1834, and is the son of Benjamin and Lucy (Wilkinson) Bradshaw, who came from Virginia to Kentucky in 1840. They settled in the southern portion of Todd County, purchased a farm, on which Benjamin died, and where his widow is now living. They had a family of seven children, as follows: James, Robert, Joseph, Benjamin, Martha, Richard and Charles Bradshaw, the latter of whom is deceased. The subject of these lines, Robert Bradshaw, attained his manhood … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John W. Tutt

JOHN W. TUTT, merchant and farmer, was born November 23, 1846, in Todd County, Ky., where he has resided all his life. His father, James F. Tutt, was born in 1814, in Woodford County, this State, and is still living. He is the son of James L., born 1777, and he the son of Lewis, an Englishman, who was the grandfather of Gov. John M. Palmer, of Illinois. Subject’s mother is Mary (Fletcher) Chiles. Her children are: Arthur C., William J., John W. (subject), Georgia A. (Beazley) and Samuel L. John W. obtained a classical education. He was married, in … Read more

Biography of Dr. Virgil T. Shelton

DR. VIRGIL T. SHELTON, practicing physician in Kirkmansville, Ky., was born November 7, 1836, in Todd County, Ky. His parents are Crispin and Polly B. (Dodd) Shelton. His father is a native of Kentucky and a resident of Todd County since his seventh year. He is now a farmer, of robust health, in his seventy-seventh year. Dr. Shelton’s mother is still living at the age of sixty-six years, with powers of mind and body well preserved. These parents had seven children, five of whom are now living. His brothers, W. Ira and W. Bell, are practicing, physicians. Two brothers are … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Davis W. Jessup

DAVID W. JESSUP was born February 21, 1836, in Logan County, Ky.; his parents were Acey W. and Sarah (Johnston) Jessup. The father was a farmer; his death occurred in 1866, aged sixty; the mother died in November, 1857, aged forty. They were both reared in Logan County, and had seven children, four now living. David W. began life for himself at the age of twenty-one; he rented a farm for several years, and ‘in 1874 he came to his present location; he owns 110 acres of land, about thirty-five acres of which are well improved; this has been done … Read more

Biography of J. M. Simpson

J. M. SIMPSON is a son of Peyton and Jane (Waugh) Simpson; the former was a son of William and Nancy (Hawley) Simpson, the grand-parents of our subject. William Simpson was born December 3, 1769, and died June 9, 1854. His wife Nancy was born June 19, 1785, the time of her death is not known. Both she and her husband were natives of Virginia. Peyton Simpson, the father of J. M. was born September 22, 1799, in Virginia. In youth he learned the cooper’s trade and followed it for many years. On November 23, 1828, he started over the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Vertner R. Johnson

VERTNER R. JOHNSON was born July 11, 1861, in Todd County; he is a son of J. H. and G. A. (Wims) Johnson. The parents were both born in this county. The mother was born on this farm; they are now residents of Allensville Precinct. Subject was raised on his father’s farm, where he remained till his marriage, which event occurred March 13, 1881, to Miss Nannie B. Pennington. She was born in Louisiana. This union has been blessed with two children-one son and one daughter. After marriage Mr. Johnson came to this farm, which he owns, consisting of 316 … Read more

Todd County, Kentucky Census Records

1790 Todd County, Kentucky Census Records Free 1790 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – 14 Days Free Hosted at Census Guide 1800 U.S. Census Guide 1800 Todd County, Kentucky Census Records Free 1800 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – 14 Days Free Hosted at Census Guide 1800 U.S. Census Guide 1810 Todd County, Kentucky Census Records Free 1810 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – 14 Days Free Hosted at Census Guide 1810 U.S. Census Guide 1820 Todd County, Kentucky Census Records Free 1820 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com … Read more

Biography of Samuel Horace Wells

SAMUEL HORACE WELLS, County Clerk of Todd County, was born December 25, 1850; is a son of William H. and Mary (Porter) Wells, and a native of Todd County. His father was also born in this county October 23, 1822; was a son of Jesse Wells, and descended from an old Virginia family, which was represented in the State of Kentucky at a very early day. William H. married Mary E. Porter, daughter of Samuel Porter, once a resident of Elkton. She was born February 11, 1827, in Todd County, and died September 26, 1872. William H. Wells was a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas H. White

THOMAS H. WHITE was born in Northumberland County, Pa.. July 12, 1852; he is a son of James and Isabella (Frymire) White, also natives of Pennsylvania. Our subject was raised in his native State, there took up the printer’s trade, which he followed three years. In 1871 he came to Mason, Tenn., and was employed by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad two years, after which he moved to Covington, Tenn., and was Agent for the C. &. O. R. R. March 25, 1880, he secured a position as Express Messenger for the Southern Express Company, in which capacity he was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wade M. Clark

WADE M. CLACK was born November 13, 1826, in Simpson County, Ky. The parents were Sterling and Elizabeth (Jones) Clack. The father was a farmer, born in Tennessee; he died in 1868, at the age of sixty-five. The mother died in 1854, aged fifty-five. She was a member of the Baptist Church. Wade M., on starting for himself, worked as a hand for several years. In 1858 he bought a farm of forty acres; he then bought and sold three times before coming to his present location in 1874. He has improved his farm, which contains 140 acres. He was … Read more

Biography of George Street

GEORGE STREET, who settled in the eastern part of Trigg County, Ky., soon after its formation, came from Richmond, Va., where for several years he had been a prominent merchant. In Trigg County he opened an extensive farm, and spent the remainder of his life in that place, devoting himself to the pursuits of agriculture. He had a family of several children, among whom was one son-George P. Street-who became a minister of much prominence in southern Kentucky. George P. Street was born in Virginia, in March, 1814, and when of sufficient age went to Illinois and obtained a collegiate … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Robert R. Grady

DR. ROBERT R. GRADY was born September 28, 1842, in Todd County, Ky., where he still resides. His father, James T. Grady, was born in Todd County, and is still living here; he is the son of Jesse Grady, of Virginia, who came to Kentucky in an early day and died here. Dr. Grady’s mother, Nancy C. (Pendleton), whose parents came from Virginia, was born in this county and is still living. To her and her husband were born Nannie C. (Webb), Mary E. (married to Smith, afterward to Nelson), Sarah F. (Moore), subject, and Lucy P. (Tinder). The Doctor … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aaron Virgil O’Daniel

AARON VIRGIL O’DANIEL, one of the enterprising young farmers of Todd County, was born September 12, 1845, in Christian County, Ky. He is the second of seven children-four boys and,three girls-three still living, all boys-born to Joshua and Nancy (Colvin) O’Daniel, natives of Christian County, Ky., and of Irish origin. Subject’s grandparents, Joshua and Susan A. (Grissam) O’Daniel were natives of North Carolina, and emigrated to Christian County about 1812, and engaged in farming. Mrs. Susan A. O’Daniel is still living, and is ninety-three years old. Our subject’s early educational advantages were poor; he attended school but little on account … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Col. M. D. Brown

COL. M. D. BROWN is a native of Christian County, Ky., born March 15, 1838, the youngest member of the famous Brown family, which consisted of fifteen children, twelve of whom lived to be grown. His parents were Thomas and Rebecca (Stuart) Brown. He was reared on the farm, and had in his early career no advantages of an education, and through life has relied on his own individual efforts to attain positions of social worth and of business prominence. A considerable portion of his time, since he attained the age of seventeen, has been spent as a teacher 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 William W. Stinson

WILLIAM W. STINSON was born April 23, 1832, in Rutherford County, Tenn.; his parents were Archibald and Elizabeth (Smothers) Stinson. The father was a native of Kentucky, the mother of Tennessee. The father was a blacksmith, and died in 1865, aged seventy years; he ‘ was a minister in the Baptist Church for more than thirty years. The mother is still living with her grand-daughter in Logan County at the advanced age of eighty-two years. She is a member of the Baptist Church. William W. was married, December 10, 1851, to Miss Margaret E. Vanderveer, a native of_ Scott County, … 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 John W. Murphy

JOHN W. MURPHY was born August 26, 1846, in Todd County, Ky. His parents are William and Nancy (Shelton) Murphy, both natives of this State and still living. The father is a member of the Baptist and the mother of the Christian Church. The mother was previously married to Joseph Allison, who departed this life in November, 1836. By him she had four children. Our subject began for himself at the age of twenty-one. His start was one horse. Farming has always been his business. He is now comfortably situated and owns 100 acres of land located one mile from … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sr. Alexander T. Byars

ALEXANDER T. BYARS, SR., is a native of and has always resided in Todd County, Ky., and was born May 5, 1816. He is the son of John S. Byars, who was born in Louisa County, Va., removed to Todd County, Ky., about 1810, where he died about 1826, and Martha, daughter of Stephen and Mildred (Bagby) Terry, of this county. Unto John S. and Martha Byars were born Stephen, James, Mary A. (Petty), Alexander T. and Sarah M. (Grant). Mr. Alexander Byars was married April 6, 1843, to Miss Harriet, daughter of John and Nancy (Taliaferro) Ederington, of Todd … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Josiah Wilson

JOSIAH WILSON was born in Washington County, Ky., on March 11, 1837, and is a son of John II. and Harriet (Pettit) Wilson. The parents were also natives of Washington County, and there they lived and died. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the battle of New Orleans. Our subject was the tenth of eleven children, of whom three are now living, viz.: Mrs. Catherine Brook, of East Liver-pool, Ohio; Anthony, in Washington County, Ky., and Josiah (our subject). The field schools of his native county furnished the latter’s education. He commenced life … Read more