Todd Family Papers, 1786-1967

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Todd Family 

Title:  Papers, 1786-1967 

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department. 

Size of Collection:  0.66 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. A T636 

Scope and Content Note 

Collection includes correspondence, a journal, genealogies, certificates, wills, bills of sale, deeds, land grants, business papers, Freemason material, and photographs. Correspondence, 1802-1967, of the Todd and Shelby families concerns politics, the Mexican War, Civil War, business and land affairs, Freemasons, and family matters. Correspondents include Charles Stewart Todd, Letitia Shelby Todd, Thomas Todd, Cassius M. Clay, Humphrey Marshall, J. Proctor Knott, General William Preston, Benjamin Edwards Grey, Thomas Anderson, Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss, General Walter C. Whitaker, Isaac Shelby Todd, and others. 

Genealogical materials cover the Anderson, Beale, Clark, Field, Griffith, Howard, McClanahan, Potter, Shelby, Strother, Thomas, Todd, Townsend, and Watkins families. Additional material includes photographs of members of the Shelby, Todd, McClanahan, Griffith, and Watkins families; “Stockdale,” the Todd family home in Shelby County, Ky.; and ruins of “Travellers Rest,” the Shelby home in Lincoln County, Ky. Newspaper articles concern Isaac Shelby, Charles Stewart Todd, Thomas Todd, Dr. Ephraim McDowell, and other family members. Miscellaneous items include pamphlets on General Evan Shelby, the Battle of Kings Mountain, and “Isaac Shelby and the Genet Mission.” 

Biographical Note 

Charles Stewart Todd 

• 1791 Born near Danville, Ky. in 1791. 
• 1809 Graduated from the College of William and Mary. 
• 1811-1812 Practiced law in Lexington, Ky. 
• 1812 Joined the army to fight in the war of 1812. 
• 1815 Left the army with the rank of colonel and began to practice law in Frankfort. 
• 1816 Married Governor Shelby’s youngest daughter and served under Governor Madison as secretary of state. 
• 1817-1818 Represented Franklin County in the state legislature. 
• 1818-1823 Served as charge de affaires to Colombia. 
• 1837, 1839 Was a commissioner to the Presbyterian General Assembly in Philadelphia when the separation was effected. 
• 1841-1845 Served at the mission in St. Petersburg. 
• 1871 Died. 

Thomas Todd was born in King and Queen County, Va. in 1765. He served as a soldier with the Continental Army following which, he came to Kentucky in 1786. He stayed with the family of Judge Harry Innes while studying law. He served as clerk of the Federal Court , clerk of the Court of Appeals until December, 1801; was appointed judge of that court by Governor Garrard; was appointed chief justice by Governor Greenup; was appointed judge of the U.S. Circuit Court, embracing Ohio, Ky., and Tenn. by Thomas Jefferson, and served until his death in 1826 

Folder List 

Box 1 

1 Correspondence, 1839-1850.

2 Correspondence, 1852-1859.

3 Correspondence, 1861-1864.

4 Correspondence, 1866-1962.

5 Business correspondence, 1860-1875.

6 Freemasons and Knights Templar, 1872-1957.

7 Slavery in Ky., 1798-1858.

8 Mission of Charles Todd to Colombia.

9 Journal of Daniel M. Griffith kept at Centre College, Danville, Ky.,1844-1846.

10 Miscellaneous items. 

11 Material about Isaac Shelby, 1802-1967. 

12 Newspaper clippings.

13 Miscellaneous printed material.

14 Photocopies of Todd family members and Isaac Shelby.(Originals transferred to Photographs and Prints Dept.). 

 

Box 2 

15 Photocopies of Todd family houses.(Originals transferred to Photographs and Prints Dept.). 

16 Field family genealogical material.

17 Griffith family genealogical material.

18 McClanahan family genealogical material.

19 Potter family genealogical material.

20 Shelby family genealogical material.

21Strotherfamily genealogical material. 

22 Todd family genealogical material.

23 Watkins family genealogical material.

24 Watkins family genealogical material.

25 Miscellaneous material.