Tillmon Todd

TODD, GIFFORD, ANDRE

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 6/19/2018 at 08:20:44

26 June 1913 - West Branch Times

Well Known Pioneer Citizen of Springdale Dies at His Home, Monday, June 16th.

Tillmon Todd of Springdale, who died last week, was one of the oldest and best known citizens of the county, and the news of his death came as a shock and surprise to his many friends, few of whom knew that his health had been in a precarious condition. However, his closest friends were aware that his had been failing. A few weeks ago he went to a sanitarium in Michigan for treatment without securing the desired results. He was brought home Sunday June 15th, and from that time failed rapidly until the end came Monday.

Mr. Todd has been a resident of the Springdale community since the year 1852, when he came from Ohio with his parents and settled on a farm in this township. The family made the journey from Ohio with four covered wagons, three teams and one horse and buggy. In his early manhood he taught school and later studied law in the office of Wolf & Landt of Tipton, being admitted to the bar in 1883 and continuing in the practice until his death.

He was married in 1865 to Miss Mary Gifford of Ohio. She died in 1870 and the two children born to that marriage are also deceased. In 1882 he was married to Miss Lou Andre of this county, who, with one son, Carr Todd, survives.

Mr. Todd was always active in every movement for the welfare or betterment of the community in which he lived. The projected interurban railroad through Springdale, found in him a most earnest supporter, and he gave liberally of his time and means to promote its success. He was always optomistic of ultimate success of the enterprise, and when others grew discouraged he only worked the harder.

With his other duties he found time to act as the Springdale correspondent for several newspapers, and few if any villages were represented in the news columns of neighboring papers as was Sprindale by the pen of Tillmon Todd. One of the pleasing characteristics of the deceased, and always noted by those who knew him, was his broad spirit of tolerance for the views and beliefs of others. He will be greatly missed, in the community in which he lived for more than sixty years.

The funeral took place Friday, June 20, from the Springdale Friends church, Rev. Will J. Erwood of Philadelphia, Pa. officiating. Among those from a distance who attended the funeral were Mrs. Sibella Beeson, Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Randall, Mrs. Etta Smith, Mrs. Esther Sexsmith of Iowa City, Mr. and Mrs. Elliott of Elkhart, Ind., I. Hamiel, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Maxson of Tipton, W. S. Bye and Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Maxson of Cedar Rapids.