The Story of this Site and How to Use It

Richard McMurtry

May 2006

The Story

Way back in 1895, Dr. Simeon Seymour Todd (1826-1899), a cousin of Mary Todd Lincoln, wrote to the McMurtrys in Indiana telling them of the Todd-McMurtry family connections in colonial Augusta County, Virginia.  One hundred and five years later, Richard McMurtry began searching for the lost manuscripts of Dr. Todd to see what light they might shed on the sources of the traditions Dr. Todd used.  Along the way, Richard became involved with a group of Todd researchers who were exchanging information, trying to solve their own family origins puzzles. In the end, one set of puzzles was solved and the other remains a mystery today awaiting further research.  Also, along the way, the scope of the website expanded to include all the Todd families encountered in the search – which now number 60 different Todd families from Georgia to New Hampshire. 

The crowning achievement of the cooperation was the Todd Genetic DNA Project started by Terry Todd in 2004 and built upon with parallel efforts by Cherie Ohlsson and Richard McMurtry.  The DNA project enabled several Todd families to identify their colonial ancestral family even though there were no written records to show precisely what the connection was.

All the materials collected were microfilmed and are available at the many local Mormon Family History Centers throughout the world by means of the microfilm loan program of the Salt Lake City Family History Center.

Using this Site

The key elements of this site and how to use them are:

1. Todd Family in America (Narrative)

      Organized by state and county, this narrative discusses each Todd family that lived in each county. 

      Use this to determine likely families you are connected to and the Todd Family Number associated with your family or families you are potentially connected to.  You can use the family number in the Todd Family Numbering System (see below) to locate the names and emails of family historians who have may have useful information for you.

2. Todd Family Numbering System and Historians

      This table is organized geographically – first by families with immigrant ancestors identified and second by families whose origin is either unknown or the immigrant ancestor has not been located.

      Use this to determine the origins of potential ancestors and whether the migration of their descendants matches your family.  Use also to find email addresses of family historians that may help you make a connection with their family.

3. DNA Project

      The DNA project compares the DNA results of over 50 Todd individuals from over 18 families.

      Use this by getting a DNA sample from your family and comparing it with those already analyzed.  If you find a match, then the matching family shares a common ancestor with your family.

      For more information, contact:  Terry Todd (tlt@tltodd.com) or Cherie Ohllson (Cherie_ohlsson@yahoo.com)

4. Data by State and County

      This section contains abstracts of original records from the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, and a few Tennessee and Indiana records.

      Use this to get documentary sources (deeds, wills, court records) for members of your family.

5. Specific Families

      This section has information about specific families.  Considerable research has been done on various branches of the Todd family connected to Mary Todd Lincoln and families genetically connected to the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Todds.  There is also information on 10 other Todd families posted in this section.

6. Table of Contents

      This Section contains the detailed table of contents for the 2004 and 2005 microfilm editions of the Todd Families in America Collection.  It also identifies the number of the Mormon film that corresponds to each section in the table of contents.

      Use this to find on which film you could find records on families you are interested in or which might connect with your family.