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                     NOTE R.-PAGEN 102.

   I am indebted to the Hon. R. Wickliffle, for the following par-
 ticulars of Col. John Todd:
   He was the eldest of three brothers, and a native of Pennsylva-
nia. He was educated in Virginia, at his uncle's-the Rev. John
Todd-and, at maturity, entered upon the study of the law, and
finally obtained a license to practice. He left his uncle's resi-
dence, and settled in the town of Fincastle, in Virginia, where he
practiced law for several years; but Daniel Boone and others
having discovered Kentucky, Col. Todd lured with the descrip-
tions given him of the fertility of the country, about the year
seventy five, came first to Kentucky, where he found Col. Hen-
derson and others at Boonesborough. He joined Henderson's
party, obtained a pre-emption right, and located sundry tracts of
land in the now county of Madison, in Col. Henderson's land
office. He afterwards returned to Virginia; and, in the year
1786, again set out from Virginia with his friend, John May, and
one or two others, for Kentucky. They proceeded some dis-
tance together on the journey, when, for some cause, Mr. May
left his servant with Col. Todd, to proceed on to Kentucky, and
returned to Richmond, Virginia. Col. Todd proceeded on to the
place where Lexington now stands, and in its immediate vicinity,
improved two places-the one in his own name, and the other in
that of his friend, John May-for both of which he obtained cer-
tificates for settlements and pre-emptions, of 1,400 acres. These
pre-emptions adjoin, and lie in the immediate vicinity of the now
city of Lexington. It appears from depositions, taken since his
death, that he accompanied Col. Clark, since Gen. Clark, in his
expedition against Kaskaskia and Vincennes, and was at the cap-
ture of those places. After the surrender of those places, it is
supposed that he returned to Kentucky; of this there is no record
or living evidence; but it appears from a letter written by
General Clark, that Colonel Todd was appointed to succeed him
in the command at Kaskaskia. Under an act of the Virginia
legislature, passed in 1777, by which that part of Virginia con-
quered by Clark, and all other of her territory northwest of the
Ohio river, was erected into the county of Illinois, of which John
Todd was appointed Col. commandant and county Lieutenant,
with all the civil powers of Governor. He was further author-
ized, by enlistment or volunteers, to raise a regiment for the de-
fence of the frontier.  His commission and many papers, all
show that he immediately entered upon the duties of his office,
and was seldom absent from his government, up to the time of
his death. The regiment was only raised for one year, but was
continued in service until about 1779, when the State of Virginia