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Ancestry and Early Life

John Todd, the second son and fifth child of Capt. James Todd and Sally Ainsworth Todd, was born November 10, 1818, in West Hanover, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.

His father, named James, was son of James the son of James, who came from the north of Ireland and founded the family on the then frontier of Pennsylvania, which later went west to Ohio and Illinois. His father, Hugh, soon joined him, and also a brother who, becoming dissatisfied, moved on to Kentucky, and is supposed to be the ancestor of the numerous family of that State and Missouri.

The race was frugal, thrifty, and religious. the Presbyterian stone church in which the family worshiped was standing in 1870, though it had been deserted for several years and was much dilapidated.

Every generation has been well represented in the ministry of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches.

His father, James Todd, was universally respected, was captain of a company of infantry in the defense of Baltimore in 1814. though of moderate education he had a sincere love for knowledge and withal a readiness to welcome new ideas - in short, was ready to render sympathetic assistance to all reasonable reforms. He was one of the first to banish whiskey from the harvest field, and to espouse the anti-slavery cause. though a staunch supporter of the Presbyterian church he early recognized the force of the New School views. He, therefore, became interested in the principles of the colony and college just starting at Oberlin, Ohio. In September, 1835, he sent his son John there, who pursued his studies eagerly, receiving the degree of A.B. in 1841, and finishing the theological course in 1844. Most of the time he had the companionship of his younger brother, David, who was two years behind him. He was there in the early, exciting days of frontier life, self support, the beginning of co-education, anti-slavery agitation, and of revolts against hyper-Calvinism. Nothing could have promoted more the cultivation of clear, independent thinking, combined with most unselfish and courageous devotion to truth and to liberty, both civil and religious. In a paper which he was invited to read at the Jubilee of Oberlin in 1883, on "The Early Home Missionary," he testifies: "Without at all disparaging the wholesome influence of godly parents, I may truly say that whatever of aid I have been able to render in the cause of the Master, I owe, under God, to Oberlin."

From a journal which he kept in 1892-94 it appears how deeply he drank of the Oberlin spirit of those days, and how consecrated was the heart with which he taught and preached during vacations at North Amherst and New Baltimore in those years.

After graduating from theology he became pastor of the Congregational church at Clarksfield, Ohio, a small country town in an adjoining county. He was ordained August 15, 1844, and September 10^th following he was wedded to one whose affections he had won in college days, belonging to the class of '43, Miss Martha Atkins, A.B., ninth daughter of Judge Q.F. Atkins, of Cleveland, Ohio.

Endowed with excellent physique, a thorough education, a beautiful voice, a devoted spirit, fully sympathizing in the convictions and unselfish aims of her husband, she should be credited with a full share of his successes. The hardships of pioneer life, the sacrifices for church and college, the burdens of a family of seven children, six attaining maturity, most of whom were given a college education, the peculiar burdens of a pastor's wife, which she patiently and bravely bore, need only to be mentioned to indicate how great and grand was the work she wrought in her forty-four years of married life. Afflicted with epilepsy for several years before her death, she fell asleep July 20, 1888.

Near Oberlin lived a young farmer, George B. Gaston, who with true missionary spirit had sought and obtained a commission under the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions among the Pawnee Indians in what is now Nance county, Nebraska. Four years' work among them acquainted him with the wonderful natural resources of the Middle West, and with a Christian statesman's prophetic vision he saw something of the future possibilities of the region. Forced by his wife's ill health to return home to Ohio, he became more acquainted with the early history of Oberlin, and drinking deeply of the consecrated spirit of its early founders, he conceived the plan of planting a similar colony and college on virgin land in the Missouri Valley.

Meanwhile, his sister Elvira and her husband, Mr. Lester W. Platt, who had been with him among the Pawnees, had located on the broad, fertile plain of the Missouri River near where the little town of Percival, Iowa, now stands. I know not the links in the chain of events which led Deacon George B. Gaston to choose and persuade Rev. John Todd to join him in his enterprise as pastor and educated leader of the colony. But I do know that their mutual admiration and friendship were strong and unbroken to the end. This strong bond was born of their being largely complements of one another in temperament and education, and was nourished by their common interest in Christian education and the kingdom of God.

Of the long journey to Iowa in 1848 with Deacon Hall, the choice of location and the return to Ohio, the moving to Iowa, the difficulties of the first location, the founding of Tabor, Iowa, with many other events for many years, little need be said here. They are fully treated in the Reminiscences.

The choice of the location near Percival was most natural. To those inexperienced in the great differences between different years in the interior, and much impressed by the nearness of the "Great American Desert" of those days, what could have been more wise than to choose the fertile bottom lands by the great Missouri, which they thought would ever be their main channel of communication with the rest of the world? The floods of the following seasons were a damper on their enthusiasm in more ways than one.

The choice of Tabor, though relieving their immediate need, withdrew the colony from lines of traffic and made the place more difficult of access. this, in time, became a great drawback to the purpose of the colony, though it may have at first promoted it.

After the home at Tabor was temporarily broken by the death of his wife, he again spent a few months on a homestead with his unmarried daughter, near Drakola, Kingsbury county, South Dakota, in the summer of 1889. As an example of his venturesomeness, ingenuity, and perseverance, he dug and walled a well about 12 feet deep without help.

Trained upon a farm in early life and paid but meagerly by his parishoners at first, like Paul he labored with his own hands for his support. He cultivated for many years several acres of ground, kept cattle and horses, kept a timber lot from which he got his own fuel. His faithful partner shared with him in these labors and cares. Early rising was a rule of the family. Habits of ease or indolence were not permitted to grow. Economy, industry, and frugality were early instilled in all the children.

His Ministry

As a preacher he was successful above many. This is attested by his having in his thirty-eight years of active service but two charges, - first at Clarksfield, six years, which place he left regretted by all, to go with the new colony to Iowa. the Civil Bend or Gaston church virtually followed their pastor to Tabor, where he was the active pastor for more than thirty years. His brief work as a chaplain was with some of his Tabor men, and was only very temporary. His preaching was like that of many others trained under President Finney. It was conversational rather than oratorical, though it not infrequently rose to such heights of earnestness as to become truly eloquent. His vocabulary was large, but the words were mainly simple and well-chosen, not ornate. His style was logical rather than rhetorical, was argumentative rather than positive, concrete rather than abstract. His appeal was to the reason and intelligent conviction rather than to preference or to feeling. Even in deep solemnity, over-excitement and rash decision were carefully guarded against, as also the allowing of noble purposes to fade away in mere sentiment. Mere enthusiasm and extravagant statements were so lacking in his own language and manner that some demonstrative and over-sanguine people overlooked the constant fire of zealous purpose, which was an unfailing inspiration to him. Nor was he without that elevation of feeling which enabled him to rise equal to a special occasion. Impassioned language when used by him meant more than from many. His voice was not strong nor rich, but was usually clear and agreeably modulated. At one time in the later 60's it failed so that he rested for about a year.

His custom at first was to speak from a brief, or skeleton, the introduction being somewhat carefully written out. He later became convinced that speaking extempore was not the best way for him, and so adopted the plan of writing out his discourses fully and reading them. I think he was influenced to do this by the desire to close the morning service promptly for the Sunday school which followed. He could cover his subject in shorter time and more effectively by writing in full. He left scores of "skeletons" each upon one-fourth of a sheet of letter paper folded once. The written sermons are usually on packet size, written on both sides of the leaf, and neatly bound. All are written in a clear, distinct hand almost as plain as printing. On each is written the places and dates at which it was preached.

As a pastor he was faithful. He called regularly and impartially, except to be more with those who needed encouragement. He did not overlook the young and the children; they were taken into the church early. Yet he never baptized infants. those who wished to have their children baptized he provided for by engaging others to do it.

Rev. G. G. Rice, long the pastor at Council Bluffs, thus spoke of him:
      "His presence in the family, his presence in the sick room was always felt to be a benediction, and everywhere that he was known families loved to have him come, felt it a privilege, and our own children looked for his coming as they did for a near relative. there was a familiarity; he won their hearts."

Dr. R. R. Hanley, former pastor of the Tabor Baptist church, said: "So far as Father Todd's ministry was concerned, I learned to regard especially the just judgment that he exercised, the wise and politic course that he took in the conduct of the church of which he was pastor, so that mingling many characters from different nationalities he was able to mold and influence them, to make them united in heart and purpose, and to work in the upbuilding of the institution of education as well as in the upbuilding of the church."

Rev. J. K. Nutting, of Glenwood, testified of his influence among his brother ministers in association meetings: "I remember Brother Todd as being a helpful member everywhere, the wise counsellor, the trusted leader, yet as having such remarkable simplicity of character and humility that he never seemed to be putting himself at the head at all. There are some persons that are born to lead and will draw you by their art, i. e., they mean to lead, and there are others who are so quiet about their leadership, that you hardly think of them as being leaders until you look back and see so many things suggested by them, and so they do not attract the attention they deserve as leaders until the time is past, and we look back upon their work. It was something so with Brother Todd. His was the headship of Christian work. I think that is exactly delineated in the words of the Saviour, 'He that is greatest among you shall be servant of all.'
     "I have several times been with him on councils, and I never knew Brother Todd to give an unwise sentiment or advice, never knew him to be forward for Congregationalism rather than for Christianity."

Some considered him too severe in rebuking evil, but most were convinced, I think, that he did it from a sense of duty and with the kindest of intentions. He considered himself an unfaithful friend if he did not do it. If he became convinced that he had gone too far, he was very ready to acknowledge it.

He preached a consistent and practical religion. Being sincere, he believed in practicing what he preached, and expected all others to do the same, so far as they were convinced.

Some perhaps thought him conservative because of his conscientiousness, but he was one who was ready to welcome any new measure which promised better things.

He adapted himself to new customs more easily than many, because he had perfect self-control, and when he was once convinced that anything was right and best he promptly and persistently adopted it heartily.

His War Record

Though earnestly and eloquently advocating the support of the government in the Civil War, he did not feel called to take part personally till in 1864, in the supreme effort to bring the war to a close, when the "Hundred Days Men" were called out. He was then first selected by the 29^th Iowa Infantry as chaplain, but another had a preference with some of the leading officers, so he was later commissioned chaplain of the 46^th Iowa Infantry, and served in western Tennessee.

One who was a member of the regiment and from Tabor testified: "We know that his life in the army was not like the life in the army. It was just as pure in the camp as it was in his own home. His words were just as earnest, just as clean when he talked to the soldiers around the camp fire as when he spoke from the sacred desk here in Tabor. He knew the men.
     "Father Todd not only preached every Sunday, but we had a prayer meeting on Wednesday evening, too. There was one of those little earthworks where we used to go and hold prayer meeting. Father Todd was there always. *** One of the most earnest prayers I ever heard from mortal lips I heard from him. It was beside the cot of a poor ignorant colored man, who had just been taken from slavery, and the musket put in his hands, and who was mortally wounded. He was one chaplain who was earnest, constant in season and out of season, doing his duty no matter where it was."

His Missionary Work

Besides being a pastor he was much of the time a missionary. We need not repeat the details given in the Reminiscences. It should, however, be said that he states in his address at the Oberlin Jubilee in 1883 that he never held a commission under the American Home Missionary Society. Oberlin men were not acceptable to that Society because of a prejudice against Oberlin ideas and customs on one side and impatience with pro-slavery conservatism on the other. He received, however, small sums from the American Missionary Association, which was organized for work among the negroes, but for a time encroached on the work of both the Home and Foreign Missionary Societies for reasons just mentioned. This was for three or four years at the beginning of the colony. He covered in a monthly circuit an area about 100 by 40 miles, and services were held at eight or ten places.

It is a notable fact that this was done before the Methodists, who are deservedly famous for being at the forefront in religious work, had sent any one into that region.

The region at that time was filled with Mormons, lately driven out from Illinois, who were lingering about Kanesville (Council Bluffs) before going on to Salt Lake. After their departure - though several settlements remained - emigrants largely from the South filled the region. These were for slavery, and familiar with liquor. It was with these unfriendly classes that he had much to do. Yet in many places his labors were blessed with conversions and the starting of vigorous churches.

His charitable and catholic spirit enabled him frequently to join readily with the Methodists when they came and with other denominations in conducting revival services, usually to the mutual satisfaction of all. Later, it will be noticed from his Reminiscences, he was aked by eastern churches to take a more extended religious exploring tour, which greatly advanced the cause of religion by bringing out many new settlers who had not before committed themselves, and by their being brought into communication with one another, and re-established as active Christians.

Not only were such active efforts engaged in, but an interest in missions, foreign and home, was sustained in the Tabor church, which has always given liberally. Several have gone from the church into the foreign field, and many into home missionary work.

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