Biography - William Todd
WILLIAM B. TODD, who was in the army When the great conflict was waging between the North and the South, is an industrious farmer of Johnson County, and has a good farm in Bloomfield Township. A native of Hopkins County, Ky., he was born December 5, 1837, a son of John Todd, who is thought to have been a native of Tennessee. He in turn was a son of Jesse Todd, who was a soldier in the War of the Revolution.
The father of our subject learned the trade of a cooper in his youth, but usually followed farming. He died in Webster County, Ky., just before the war. His wife was Angelina Brown in her maiden days. She was born in Tennessee, a daughter of Richard Brown, and died in Hopkins County, Ky.
The subject of this biography was but an infant when his mother died, and he was reared by a stepmother, growing to man's estate on his father's farm. He was engaged in farming until the year 1863, when he laid aside his work to enter the army, enlisting in the Thirty-fifth Kentucky Infantry, which was under the command of Capt. Ed Campbell and Col. Ed Starling. He remained in the service until the Union forces were victorious and peace was declared. He saw some hard fighting, and gallantly bore his part in it. His regiment was for the most of the time in Kentucky, but for a while was in Virginia, where the men were despatched for salt, for which they had to fight, and our subject had a hand in the battle that took place at the salt works.
Mr. Todd was honorably discharged from the service, with an excellent reputation as a brave and patriotic soldier. He soon after located in Union County, this State, and worked at the trade of a carpenter, which he followed two years. After that he farmed in the same place for several years. In 1887 he came to Johnson County, and bought the farm in Bloomfield Township which he is still carrying on with good profit.
Our subject and Miss Sarah Linn were married in 1858, and they are blessed with two children, John P. and Susan. Mrs. Todd is an estimable Christian woman and an earnest member of the Free-will Baptist Church, while her son and daughter belong to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Todd is a man of sound character and standing in the community, and the Republican party finds in him a faithful supporter. His record as a soldier is kept in remembrance by his connection with the Grand Army as a member of Vienna Post No. 221.
Extracted 24 Jul 2016 by Norma Hass from 1893 Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, page 268
