Elnathan Todd6, (John5, John4, John3, John2, Christopher1) born May 5, 1774, died Oct. 10, 1819, married in 1798, Sally Smith, who was born Sept. 17, 1778, died Dec. 19, 1819. Resided in Pound Ridge, Westchester County, New York.
Mr. Todd was a man of sterling character, and marked ability, always conducting himself in public and private life with dignity and temperance. He was very successful in all his undertakings, and became a prominent citizen and a large and wealthy land owner. Sudden worry and anxiety over business troubles caused his untimely death at the early age of 41. With the loss of her husband, Mrs. Todd lost all interest in life and would daily, in sunshine or in storm, wander to a hilltop near her home, with her youngest children’s hands clasped in her own, where she could see in the distance the hallowed spot where her loved one lay. There she would remain for hours, tears coursing down her checks, till the tired little ones, aroused her from her grief, and teased her to go home. Grief so intense soon absorbed her strength and in a little over two months, she too, passed away and was laid by her loved one’s side. She seems to have thought that life was not worthwhile after her husband’s death.
Nine orphans were left to struggle for an existence, the eldest barely twenty years of age, the youngest not quite two, in this home that was once so happy, one that had been unusually free from gloom and care, that the people for miles around would tell stories of its pleasures. Harriet, the oldest child, bravely tried to hold the home together, but sad to say the usual cruel story followed, the undertaking was too great for her to accomplish unaided and alone. The available funds disappeared and later she married, the younger ones were put out to live in strange homes. When the youngest child became of age, there was but little left for each to share, of the once large estate. Some of them were fortunate and happy, some were very sad. James called his brothers to him one day, and told them when he grew rich in the sunny south, he would return to them; he was never heard from after his departure.
The writer has often listened to this story as she sat on her father’s knee and heard him tell how he had often stood in the dark, outside the brightly lighted homes and watched other mothers take their tired little ones on their knee, draw their heads to their shoulders and rock them to sleep, then run from the spot with an aching heart, to cry himself to sleep–alone.
Contributed by Mrs. S. M. Pine.
Children:
533. Harriet Todd, b. Sept. 26, 1799, d. 1898, m. Oct. 27, 1827, Daniel, son of Isaac and Abigail (Ayers) Hait.
534. Emily Todd, b. Nov. 21, 1801, m. James Parshall.
535. James Todd, b. March 2, 1804; went south and was never again heard from.
536. Darius Webb Todd, b. April 11, 1806.
537. William Alonzo Todd, b. Sept. 16, 1807.
538. John Todd, b. Oct. 5, 1810.
539. Elnathan Todd, b. Oct. 15, 1812.
540. Charles H. Todd, b. Sept. 17, 1814, m. (1) Thankful Townsend; (2) Aurelia A. (Hilton)
541. Benjamin Todd, b. Jan. 28, 1817, m. Mary(???).