Isabella Minor (Todd)

• Death Notes
  • After 1706.

• General Notes
  • This author [Bob Allen, San Jose, CA - "MADISONS OF COLONIAL VIRGINIA (Revised)"] believes that Isabella Minor Todd’s maiden name was Minor, not Todd.[1]  First of all, middle names were not in general use in VA in the 17th Century, and were even more uncommon for women than men.  Therefore, it seems unlikely that Isabella had a middle name.  Second, President James Madison’s handwritten genealogy names his wife as “D. P. Todd.”  It is well established that President James Madison married Dolly Payne, the daughter of John Payne and Mary Coles.  Dolly Payne was previously married to John Todd before marrying James Madison, Jr.  Yet when naming his wife in his chart he called her by her previous married name and only used an initial “P” for her maiden name.  It would be consistent for him to have done the same with Isabella Minor Todd if she was a widow of Mr. Todd at the time of her marriage to John Madison, Jr. 
    
    One expanded version of the account that says that Isabella’s maiden name was Todd also says that she was the daughter of Thomas Todd who died in Baltimore Co., MD in 1679.  However, this Thomas Todd’s Will mentions 4 daughters, none of whom is Isabella (one is Avarilla).   Although Isabella’s maiden name may have been Todd, it is highly doubtful that she was the daughter of this Thomas Todd who died in MD in 1679.
    
    A possible candidate for her first husband is the “Mr. William Todd, dec.” who died between 1692-1695 and whose orphans, Margaret Todd and Frances Todd, received a land patent of 500 acres in Stratton Major Parish, King & Queen Co., VA, on 25 October 1695.  [Patent Book 9, page 10]  This patent says that the land was originally patented to “Mr. William Todd” (the father) on 29 April 1693 and this (1695) patent was necessary to insert a course boundary line omitted from the previous patents.  This patent suggests that this William Todd did not have any sons at the time of his death or otherwise the patent would have likely gone to the son(s) instead of to his two daughters.  The 29 April 1693 land patent to William Todd is located in Patent Book 8, page 266 and says that this patent followed an order of the General Court in James City, VA, on 24 October 1692.
    
    Herman Geshwind, Old Pendelton District Database - a project of the Old Pendelton District Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogica Society.
    
    First marriage was to John Todd b. 1664,Toddsbury, Gloucester, VA  (s/o Capt. Thomas Todd and Anne Gorsuch).

Click here for details of Isabella's family with John Madison Jr.

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