- William Todd
William Todd (
1739 -October 10 ,1810 ) was an Americansoldier andpolitician fromPennsylvania .Early life
Todd was born in
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania , in 1739, to Irish Immigrants Robert Todd and his second wife Elizabeth. His ancestors had been Scottish rebels and Jacobites,Cavaliers in theScottish Civil War who had raised the standard of rebellion too often and been exiled toIreland from their nativeAngus ,Scotland .French and Indian War
In the
French and Indian War , Todd served with thePennsylvania troops. He fought at the Battle of Kittaning and was involved in the capture ofFort Duquesne , earning the honor of joining the Rangers.Revolutionary War
Todd was a good friend of
Benjamin Franklin and was a player in the brewing situation that would explode into theAmerican Revolutionary War .He traveled around
Pennsylvania and theNew England colonies and was active inBoston . He joined the militia and then the Continentals, and served at the war's early battles, includingBunker Hill , before returning toPennsylvania , where he was a member of the convention which establishedPennsylvania 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 atYorktown .Later Years
After the Revolutionary War, Todd was chosen as a member of Pennsylvania's
Constitutional Convention and voted against the proposal. 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 [ [http://members.aol.com/beaufait/biography/geneology.htm Mary Todd Geneology] see generations four and six retrieved 14/06/2008 ] would later becomeAbraham Lincoln 's wife, and his descendant Robert Todd (named for a rebellious Jacobite ancestor) served in the 8th Kentucky Infantry, C.S.A. duringThe American Civil War .References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
