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Doraville Whitney was the
first Black settler in Isabella County in 1860. The first documentation of
an African-American settler in Mecosta County Michigan was James Guy.
His deed was signed by Abraham Lincoln. He obtained 160 acres in Wheatland
Township on May 30, 1861. Lloyd & Margaret Guy were the first
Black settlers in Montcalm County in 1861. The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed each
settler 160 acres in Michigan. By 1873 African-Americans owned
1,392 acres in the three counties of Isabella, Mecosta and Montcalm.
In the 1860's most of the land in Remus was owned by the Old Settlers.
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William Todd -
(1882 - 1963)
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William & Emma
(Norman) Todd |
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Marriage License |
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Emma Norman-Todd |
William Todd, fourth child, third son of
Stephen and Caroline Todd was the oldest one at home when his father
died. Census shows the family enumerated under William and Caroline
Todd. Being the oldest, much responsibility fell to him working away
and at home. He married Emma Norman, daughter of Joseph Dow and Mary
(Harding-Thompson) Norman. He moved to the area of his wife's folks in
Broomfield Township. He was a farmer. Emma Todd taught William to read
and write. He only completed the second grade.
To this union five children were born:
Durward, Virgil, Norma, Marshall, Zane and one infant son died at birth
or shortly thereafter. William Todd died January 12, 1963 in Lakeview,
Michigan.
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Front: Johnnie, Deonna,
Diana, &
Marsha Todd
Back: Emma (Norman) &
William Todd |
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Durward Todd & Wilfred
Gale |
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Durward (Bunk) Todd |
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Johnny Lee Todd |
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William Todd Family |
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Ken Lett &
Marshall Todd
1925 |
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Zane Todd, Willie Norman, Dort Todd
Harry Norman |
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Virgil, Marshall & Durward Todd |
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Norma Todd-Timmons |
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Norma Todd-Timmons |
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F: Dorothy, Ione, B: Zane Lee,
Virgil, Johnnie
Marshall & Zane Todd |
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Emma & Durward Todd
presented with
Centennial Farm Award |
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Old Todd Farm House
Virgil, Marshall &
Norma Todd |
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Virgil Todd |
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Dorothy (Ricks-Lett)
Todd |
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Norma (Todd) Timmons |
Norma (Todd) Timmons |
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Ione (Sawyer) Todd &
Marshall Todd |
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Norma Todd |
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Marsha, Deonna, Diana, Ione &
Marshall
Todd |
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Helen Sleet, Johnnie, Deonna, Diana
&
Marsha Todd |
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Diana, Marsha, Deonna Todd
Sueann & Glenn Norman
School Section Lake 1950 |
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Marsha Todd & Sueann Norman - 1950
Evelyn Cross in Background |
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Marsha Todd - 1947 |
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Marsha Todd - 1948 |
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James & Norma Timmons
Evelyn Norman |
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Rufus Harvey |
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Zane, Decola Todd & Keisha Meeks
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Johnny Todd |
Glen Todd |
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Eli Green, Amira
Salloum, Morgan Green |
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Jillian & Aya Salloum
Back: Peggy
Sawyer-Williams
& Robert Sawyer |
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Todd Centennial Farm Certificate |
Back to Top
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There are "Old Settlers"
who came from Canada via "The Underground Railroad." It was the
most dramatic nonviolent protest against slavery in the United States
that began in the Colonial Era and reached its peak between 1830 and
1865. An estimated 30,000 to 100,000 slaves
used the "railroad" to get to Canada; many others escaped to Mexico,
the Caribbean, and Europe.
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