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Spouses/Children:
Middlebrook, Grace 1622-1686
- Todd, John, bapt. Dec. 2, 1642.
- Todd,
Samuel, bapt. April 20, 1645.
- Todd, Mercy, bapt. Sept. 16, 1647.
- Todd, Grace, bapt. Dec. 15, 1650.
- Todd, Michael, b. June 15, 1653.
- Todd, Mary, b. Feb. 18, 1655.
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Todd, Christopher1
- Born: 11 January 1617, born at Pontefract, West Riding, Yorkshire,
England, baptized Jan. 12, 1617
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Married: 1636, Pontefract, West Riding, Yorkshire, England
- Died: 23
April, 1686 at New Haven, Connecticut
- Buried:
Noted events in his life were:
Todd,
Christopher1
The following data is extracted from Todd Family Genealogy.
Christopher Todd1, was born at Pontefract, West Riding, Yorkshire,
England, baptized Jan. 12, 1617, died April 23, 1686, at New Haven, Conn.,
married Grace, daughter of Michael Middlebrook, of "Hold Mills" Yorkshire,
England.
He was barely twenty years of age, when he and his young bride sailed with
Mr. Davenports company on the Hector, probably sometime in April 1637. Two
months was perhaps, the average time consumed in sailing from London to
Boston in vessels of that day. The Hector arrived in Boston on the 26th of
June 1637. The immigrants received a warmer welcome than ordinary. The
eminence of "the famous Mr. Davenport" and the opulence of the merchants
who accompanied him, gave to this company, in the estimation of the
colonists, an unusual value. Most of the company remained in Boston or the
vicinity during the following winter, many of them having found employment
suitable to their several vocations. Though somewhat scattered, some
finding lodgings and employment in one place and some in another, they
were still an organized company.
On the 30th of March, the leader of the company and most of the followers
embarked at Boston, having formally decided to fix their plantation at
"Quinnipiac" on long Island Sound. After a tedious voyage of "about a
fortnight they arrived at their desired port."
It was perhaps, a peculiarity of New Haven, that cellars were used for
temporary habitations. They were, as the name suggests, partially under
ground and perhaps, in most cases on a hill side. On the Sabbath, they
worshipped under an oak tree, near the landing place: and Mr. Davenport,
in a sermon on Matthew IV, I, "insisted on the temptation of the
wilderness, made such observations, and gave such directions and
exhortations, as were pertinent to the present condition of his hearers."
The English, soon after their arrival at Quinnipiac, observed a day of
extraordinary humiliation, when they formed a social compact, mutually
promising "that as in matters that contain the gathering and ordering of a
church, so likewise, in all public offices, which concern civil order, as
choice of magistrates, and officers making and repealing of laws, dividing
allotments of inheritance, and all things of a like nature," they would
all of them be ordered by those rules which the scripture holds forth. For
more than a year, they had no other civil or ecclesiastical organization
for the transaction of business and, if we may judge of that year by the
years that followed, there were penalties inflicted on evil-doers; but if
any individuals were authorized to act as magistrates, the record of their
appointment has not been discovered.
The plantation covenant, like the compact signed in the cabin of the
Mayflower, was a provisional arrangement of men, who finding themselves
beyond the actual jurisdiction of any earthly government, attempted to
govern themselves according to the law of God. The elective franchise was
limited to church members.
At first, Christopher Todd seems to have been one of the less prominent of
the colonists. He signed the "General Agreement" modestly, with his mark
and quietly took his allotment in the "Yorkshire Quarter," and when the
meeting house was "dignified," he had his place assigned him, not in one
of the honorable "Middle seats," but in "the third seate on the side,"
though "Sister Tod"--for they worshipped in those days, "the men apart and
their wives apart"--was a little more fortunate, had one of the more
honorable "Middle seates." It was not long however, before Christopher
Todd began to make another kind of mark. He bought a grist mill, which was
the first mill erected by the town of New Haven, "at the falls over the
trap dyke at the east end of Mill Rock, two miles from the center of the
town." This was at first, hired and then bought of the town, before the
year 1686. This mill stood on or near where Whitney's Gun factory now
stands and was long known as Todd's mill, and after 1798 passed into the
possession of Eli Whitney, who erected there, the first establishment in
America for manufacturing fire arms.
The records of the "General Court," show that he was "continually adding
to his real estate." He even rose to the dignity of a "Viewer of fences."
In 1650, he bought of Jasper Crane, an acre and a half in the "London
Quarter" with the buildings thereon. There he passed the remaining years
of his life. This lot, which was on Elm street, between Church and Orange
streets remained in the possession of he and his descendants for nearly a
hundred years. It was later known as the "Blue Meeting house Lot," on
account of the interior of the building, which the "New Lights" erected
upon it, being decorated in that color. St. Thomas's Church now stands on
a part of it.
Mr. Todd was a farmer, miller and baker and acquired considerable
property, some of his land being remote from his residence.
He lived to be a little over sixty-nine years of age, having died in April
1686, leaving a will which is a model for sense and wisdom, and may be
seen in the Probate records at New Haven, Ct.
He had three sons and three daughters, the descendants of whom the whole
country around and in distant states, has been overspread. Of the sons,
John, the eldest and his descendants for a long time continued to till the
paternal acres at New Haven. Samuel, the second son succeeded his father
in the grist-mill. His descendants have been the most numerous. Michael,
the third son also had a large family and many descendants many of whom
have been farmers. Mercy, the eldest daughter married John Bassett and
became the mother of a large family. Grace, the second daughter seems to
have been mentally deficient, and though she married Richard Mattock, was
soon deserted by him, and was especially provided for in her father's will
as being "incompetent to take care of her self or any estate." Mary, the
youngest daughter was married to Isaac, son of Capt. Nathaniel Turner.
Children:
*2. John, bapt. Dec. 2, 1642.
*3. Samuel, bapt. April 20, 1645
*4. Mercy, bapt. Sept. 16, 1647.
5. Grace, bapt. Dec. 15, 1650, married Mar. 2, 1668-69, Richard Mattock.
When about thirteen years of age she was called before the court and
sentenced to be "whipt for some improprieties of conduct." She seems to
have been mentally unsound. Soon after her marriage she was deserted by
her husband. Her father, in his will, provided for her as one being
"incompetent to take care of herself or any estate."
*6. Michael, b. June 15, 1653.
*7. Mary, b. Feb. 18, 1655.
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