North Cedar Hill Cemetery, Section A
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Photo by Find-A-Grave user Balvana.

Todd Gravestone, North Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Click to view the Find-A-Grave memorial page for John A. Todd, Sr.

TODD

1870 John A. Sr. 1953
1869 Olivia R. 1955

1894 John A. Jr. 1974 (son)
Elizabeth M. Tilsner, 1906 – 2000 (daughter)

Original Source Citation:
Find A Grave, Find A Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : accessed 29 April 2017), John A. Todd, memorial no.142341746.

Find-A-Grave is a wonderful site where volunteers take photos of gravestones and upload them, allowing distant researchers like myself to view them without getting in a plane and trekking across country. It is a growing site with new photos being added all the time  including, recently, my great-grandparents John Alexander and Olivia Todd.

I had the death date for my great-grandfather from his death certificate which has been made available on Ancestry.com, but my great-grandmother’s death certificate was not there. I suspected, and still suspect as I’ll detail below, that she died in New Jersey, even though she lived (nearly) her whole life in Philadelphia and was buried there.

Todd gravestone at North Cedar Hill cemetery by Find-A-Grave contributor Balvana

I knew they were buried at North Cedar Hill cemetery, along with many other Todds and related families, and had been checking Find-A-Grave regularly, but I came across their gravestone through the index on Ancestry.com and the “hints” function there. A pleasant surprise.

So, now I knew Olivia passed away in 1955. I knew that there was an index for the North Cedar Hill cemetery in the Pennsylvania Church and Town Records database on Ancestry, and by browsing to the cemetery’s records I found she was buried on December 10. With that information I was able to find her obituary that stated she died on December 7, 1955 and that her residence at the time was Taunton Lake, NJ, thus my assumption that she passed away in New Jersey.

TODD — Dec. 7, OLIVIA R. (nee Moore), wife of the late John A. Todd, Sr., of Berlin rd., Taunton Lake, N.J., formerly of 2075 E. Tioga st., Phila., aged 86 years. Relatives, friends, also members of St. Philip’s Methodist Church are invited to services Sat. 1 P.M., at her son’s residence, 4248 Griscom st. Int North Cedar Hills Cemetery. Friends may call Friday evening.

Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/9/1955, p.51

The next step will be to request her death certificate from New Jersey. [Received it 9/23/15] Of my great-grandparents, that leaves only the death date of my mother’s father’s father, John Samuel Garrison, unknown.

Transcriptions of my Todd birth and death registrations in Govan, Scotland,
from ScotlandsPeople website (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/).

1866 BIRTHS in the District of Govan in the County of Lanark
No. 526
Name and Surname: Ellen Todd
When and Where Born: 1866 June Twenty first 7h. P.M., Sauchie Place
Sex: F
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father: James Todd, Joiner Journeyman
Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother: Elizabeth Todd M.S. Martin
Date and Place of Marriage: 1861 September 9th, Newry, Ireland
Signature and Qualification of Informant, and Residence, if out of the House
in which Birth occurred: James Todd, Father
When and Where Registered, and Signature of Registrar: 1866 July 11th, At Govan,
James Fulton, Assistant Registrar

1868 BIRTHS in the District of Govan in the County of Lanark
No. 464
Name and Surname: Robert James Todd
When and Where Born: 1868 June Sixth 8h. P.M., 27 Albert Street, Govan
Sex: M
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father: James Todd, Joiner Journeyman
Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother: Elizabeth Todd M.S. Martin
Date and Place of Marriage: 1861 September 9, Newry, Ireland
Signature and Qualification of Informant, and Residence, if out of the House
in which Birth occurred: James Todd, Father
When and Where Registered, and Signature of Registrar: 1868 June 22d, At Govan,
Wm. Fulton, Registrar

1869 DEATHS in the District of Govan in the County of Lanark
No. 397
Name and Surname: Robert James Todd
Rank or Profession and whether Single, Married or Widowed: Single
When and Where Died: 1869 August Third, 11h. 30m. P.M., 9 Albert Street, Govan
Sex: M
Age: 1 year 6 mos.
Name, Surname and Rank or Profession of Father: James Todd, Joiner Journeyman
Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother: Elizabeth Todd M.S. Martin
Cause of Death, Duration of Disease & Medical Attendant by whom certified: Measles,
Diarrhoea, As cert. by Jno. Sitken M.D.
Signature and Qualification of Informant, and Residence, if out of the House
in which Birth occurred: James Todd, Father, present
When and Where Registered, and Signature of Registrar: 1869 August 4th, At Govan,
James Fulton, Assistant Registrar

1870 BIRTHS in the District of Govan Church in the County of Lanark
No. 740
Name and Surname: Alexander Todd
When and Where Born: 1870 August Sixth [7h. 0m. P.M.] (faded, difficult to read), 9 Albert Street, Govan
Sex: M
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father: James Todd, Joiner Journeyman
Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother: Elizabeth Todd M.S. Martin
Date and Place of Marriage: 1861 September 9th, Newry, Ireland
Signature and Qualification of Informant, and Residence, if out of the House
in which Birth occurred: James Todd, Father, Present
When and Where Registered, and Signature of Registrar: 1870 August 27th, At Govan,
Thomas Steel, Registrar

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Original Source Citation:
Scotland. Lanark. Govan. Statutory Birth and Death Registers. Digital images. ScotlandsPeople. http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

John Alexander Todd (6 August 1870 – 13 November 1953)

John A. Todd signature from SS-5 form, 1938

Born:

6 August 1870 in Govan, Lanark, Scotland, United Kingdom^1,2,3

Married:

30 March 1891 in Camden, Camden, New Jersey, United States to Olivia Rush Moore⁴

Died:

13 November 1953 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States³

Parents:

James Todd (12 Jul 1843 – 20 Jan 1927)^1,2
Elizabeth Martin (30 Nov 1840 – 10 Feb 1907)^1,2

Spouse:

Olivia Rush Moore (8 Oct 1869 – )

Children:

Frank Alexander Todd, John Alexander Todd, Clayton Moore Todd, Robert James Todd, Lucy Honour Todd, James Todd, Susan Lippencott Todd, Elizabeth Martin Todd, Olivia R. Todd, Margaret Anna Todd, Thomas Charles Todd, Eliza Ellen Todd.

Ancestors
John Alexander Todd is a descendant of James Todd & Elizabeth Martin.

Biography
John Alexander Todd was born on 6 Aug 1870 in Govan, Lanark, Scotland, United Kingdom.^1,2 He was known as Alexander to his family. My father and grandmother both called him Alexander, and his birth certificate and the 1880 census have Alexander for his name.^1,6,11 All of the documentation I have found after 1880 has listed him as John A. or John Alexander, including his Social Security Application.² John Alexander immigrated in 1872.⁵ On 1 June 1880, he lived at 959 Emlen Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.⁶ John Alexander Todd and Olivia Rush Moore were married on 30 Mar 1891 in Camden, Camden, New Jersey, United States.⁴ Olivia Rush Moore was the daughter of Charles D. Moore and Lucy H. Ogle. Between 1900 and 1920 he was a Machinist at a Ship Yard.^5,7,8 On 1 Jun 1900 John Alexander lived at 2447 Tulip in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.⁷ He lived at 2423 Almond Street in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States on 15 Apr 1910.⁸ From 1920 until his death in 1953 he lived at 2075 E Tioga Street in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.^3,5,9,10 In 1930 he was an Estimator in a Hardwood Floor Shop.⁹ My father told me that John Alexander and his son, John Alexander, Jr., ran a hardwood flooring business together.¹¹ John Alexander died on 13 Nov 1953 at the age of 83 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.³ He was buried on 17 Nov 1953 at North Cedar Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.³

Last updated: 27 February 2014

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Citations

1. Govan, Lanark, Scotland, Statutory Birth Registers, p. 247, Alexander Todd, 1870; digital images, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 5 December 2012).
2. John Alexander Todd, 163-16-6104, 1938, Application for Account Numbers (Form SS-5), Social Security Administration.
3. Pennsylvania, Department of Health, death certificate 101214 (1953), John A. Todd Sr; Division of Vital Records, New Castle.
4. New Jersey, Index to records of births, marriages, and deaths, 1848-1900, Marriages Atlantic-Hudson v. 22 1891-1892, LDS Film No. 495713: p. 185, John Todd & Olivia Moore marriage, 1891;New Jersey State Library, Trenton, New Jersey.
5. 1920 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Ward 45, Philadelphia, enumeration district (ED) 1707, sheet 4B, line 63, dwelling 61, family 61, John A. Todd; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1488411 : accessed 25 June 2013).
6. 1880 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, enumeration district (ED) 680, p. 15, line 12, dwelling 136, family 148, James Todd; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1417683 : accessed 25 February 2014).
7. 1900 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Ward 31, Philadelphia, enumeration district (ED) 788, sheet 7B, line 90, dwelling 144, family 146, A John Todd; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1325221 : accessed 25 June 2013).
8. 1910 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Ward 31, Philadelphia, enumeration district (ED) 732, sheet 2B-3A, line 93, dwelling 45, family 45, John A. Todd; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1727033 : accessed 25 June 2013).
9. 1930 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Ward 45, Philadelphia, enumeration district (ED) 51-1128, sheet 23B, line 75, dwelling 404, family 404, John A Todd; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1810731 : accessed 25 June 2013).
10. 1940 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Ward 45, Philadelphia, enumeration district (ED) 15-1884, sheet 2B, line 43, household 28, John A. Todd; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2000219 : accessed 7 June 2013).
11. Personal knowledge via family stories.

U.S. Social Security Act
Application for Account Number, Form SS-5

163-16-6104
Name: John Alexander Todd
Address: 2075 East Tioga Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Employer: Baldwin-Southwark Corporation, Paschall Post Office, Philadelphia, Penna.
Age at last birthday: 67
Date of birth: August 6, 1870
Place of birth: Govan, Scotland
Father’s full name: James Todd
Mother’s full maiden name: Elizabeth Martin MacBride
Sex: male
Color: white
Date signed: 1-10-38
Signed: John A Todd

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Original Source Citation:
John Alexander Todd, 163-16-6104, 10 January 1938, Application for Account Numbers (Form SS-5), Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.