James Todd Death – click to see full image

James Todd Death Certificate
Transcribed by Alexander Conrad from photocopy of original
Photocopy is poor, suggestions of alternate transcriptions welcome.

Place of Death: Phila. 2421 E. Cumberland St.
Full Name: James Todd
Sex: M
Color or Race: W
Widowed
Date of Birth: July 12 1843 [or 1842?]
Age: 74 Years 6 Months 8 Days [birthdate & age don’t match but this is definitely 7- years and above is definitely 184-]
Occupation of Deceased: Retired
Birthplace: Scotland
Name of Father: Alexander Todd
Birthplace of Father: Ireland
Name of Mother: Not known
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland
Informant: Mrs. Bacon, 242? E Cumberland st. [daughter]
Date of death: January 20 1927
Burial date: 1/24
Burial place: North Cedar Hill

Original Source Citation:
Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certificate 2348 (1927), James Todd; Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

Feral the Cat, 2011

Feral is our newest furry family member adopted from the wild. Yes, we really did name him that. He is a sweetheart, but he lives up to his name by leaving us dead rodents to find.

Click to see full image

Frank A. Todd Social Security Application for Account Number (SS5)
Transcribed by Alex J. Conrad from photocopy of original

Employee’s Name: Frank Alexander Todd
Business: Baldwin-Southwark Corp., Paschall Station, Philadelphia, Pa.
Age at last birthday: 43
Date of Birth: April 16, 1893
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pa.
Father’s Full Name: John Alexander Todd
Mother’s Full Maiden Name: Olivia Rush Moore
Sex: Male
Color: White
Date signed: December 3, 1936

My great-uncle, Frank Alexander Todd, was born 120 years ago this week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was my grandmother Susan L. Todd’s oldest sibling. Even though according to the Social Security Death index he passed away in 1981, I don’t remember him. My grandmother came from a large family and there were 11 years between her and her brother. He was born April 16, 1893.

I have two pieces of evidence for his birth. The first is his application for a social security number. The second is his World War I Draft Card. According to the draft card he was a machinist, an occupation he shared with his father, John Alexander Todd.

I have not found him in the Philadelphia Births 1860-1906 index on FamilySearch. In fact, I have found very few of the Todds there.

Our dog, Inky, and my grandmother’s cat Buffy

This photo was taken in the early 1970’s. I don’t remember our dog Inky and this is the only good picture I have of him. I have another one that is so dark all you can see are his glowing eyes. He died when I was five or six, I think, so this photo is before 1974. My grandmother’s cat Buffy was less than 5 years old here and lived to be about 18 years old. He was always a grumpy old cat, at least to us kids. I’m sure we deserved every hiss.