George was born on October 5, 1835 in Monroe Co., Indiana. He was the son of William Brooks Todd and Elizabeth Newton. George was the second oldest child in a family that included thirteen siblings; a total of ten boys and four girls. William was born in Virginia and Elizabeth was born in Kentucky. When George was born, his father was age 22 and his mother was age 17, and he already had a sister, Millie Jane, who was a year old by that time.
When George was two, his brother William Field was born and on July 25, 1840 his sister, Catherine, came into the world. They too were born in Indiana. By the time his brother Thomas Eli was born on August 23, 1842 the whole family had moved to Wright Co., Missouri. The family grew by the addition of another of George’s brothers, Nevels Newton, when he was born on May 20, 1844. The family continued growing with the addition of Andrew Jackson who was born on March 9, 1846, Floyd Magnet born February 7, 1848 and Alexander Newton born on March 9, 1850.
So, by the 1850 Census, the whole family was living in District W-102, Wright County. George, William, Catherine and Thomas had attended school within that year. On September 1, 1851 James Newton became another of George’s brothers, and on October 17, 1854 John Preston was born. In 1856 another sister, Catharine, entered their world.
On February 18, 1858, Jacob Mingus, Minister of the gospel, conducted the ceremony and George married Rebecca Ann Price in Webster Co., Missouri. Rebecca had been born in Missouri on March 25, 1831 and was living in Webster County. She was the daughter of William and Anna Price, and was the oldest child with six siblings. On December 1, 1858, George’s new sister, Sarah Elizabeth, was born.
Sometime in 1859, George and Rebecca started their own family with the birth of their first son, William B. According to the 1860 Wright County Census, George’s parents and all of his siblings except William were living on a farm near Hartville. George, Rebecca and William were living in Hazlewood Township, Webster Co., Missouri. George was a farmer, his Real Estate Value was $50 and his Personal Estate Value was $295. They were living next to his brother William and his family. Incidentally, William had also married a Rebecca. On September 3, 1860, George and his wife, Rebecca, welcomed their first daughter, Anne Elizabeth.
On March 24, 1862, George enlisted at Linn Creek in Captain Moore’s Co., Missouri State Militia. This subsequently became Co. H, 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry. He had blue eyes, light hair, a fair complexion and was five feet ten inches tall. His horse was valued at $75. On August 16, 1862, George, William and Nevels all entered the fight at Lone Jack as part of Company H. William was killed, George was wounded, but appears to have gone back to Lexington on his own horse, and Nevels was neither wounded nor captured but did lose his horse and equipment. His service records do not report the details of the wounding, but George was hospitalized in Lexington and then sent to the hospital in Jefferson City. Since he was marked “Present’ on the November-December Muster Roll, he must have returned to service during that time frame. George was discharged for disability from the wounds received at Lone Jack. There were several dates shown on his service records, but it appears he must have been discharged in late December of 1862 or early January of 1863.
On October 15, 1862, Martha J. was born to George and Rebecca, in Marshfield, Missouri. On October 19, 1863, the war again took its toll on the Todds, as George’s brother Thomas Eli was killed by bushwhackers. George filed for a Veteran’s Pension on November 16, 1863. Another son, James N, entered the world on November 28, 1864 and George’s father passed away on August 26, 1865. Sometime in 1867, Sarah C. was born into the family.
According to the 1870 Census, George and his family, now with five children ranging in age from eleven to three, lived in Wright County. All the children, except Sarah, attended school. George was a farmer with a Real Estate Value of $300 and a Personal Estate Value of $250. He was living next to his mother and many of his brothers and sisters. On April 8, 1871, George Washington Todd Jr. was born.
On November 10, 1876, George’s mother, Elizabeth, died. At some point, George and his family decided to move to Texas. By the 1880 Census the whole family was living in Precinct #4, Montague Co., Texas. Their dwelling was the last one visited on June 26, 1880 in the enumeration. George was farming and Rebecca was keeping house. On November 4, 1887, their 22 year old son, James died. On July 16, 1892, George died and was buried in the Sunset Beasley Cemetery, in Sunset, Texas. Rebecca filed for a Widow’s Pension on September 3, 1892 but died less than a year later, on February 6, 1893, and was buried next to her husband and their son, James.