Todd - Forrest - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

He preached in more than one place over the span of 30 years.                  Primitive Baptists, also known as "Hardshell Baptists" were                  also to be found with John Henry's father, John Starns Todd,                  and HIS father, Thomas Todd and families. We know that many                  of these old Todds are buried in Gilgal Cemetery next to Gilgal                  Primitive Baptist Church in Heltonville, Lawrence County, Indiana.                  We also know that Thomas' wife was Sarah ("Sallie") Helton Todd.                  And, of course, John Starns had two wives: (1) Mary Ann Johnson                  Todd, and (2) Mariah Jane Hawkins Todd, from whom I, Angela                  Frances Todd, 2nd child of Frank Todd, listed a few paragraphs                  below, am descended. IMPORTANT: For those who don't know, John                  Starns Todd, father of John Henry, did not die in Lawrence County...anywhere,                  as some may have thought. He died on April 11, 1929 in Logansport,                  Cass County, Indiana, in the home of his son, John Henry Todd,                  who, at that time, resided at: 1601 GRANT STREET, LOGANSPORT.                  TRIVIA: This address is next to Mount Hope Cemetery in Logansport.                  My Dad, Frank Todd, once told me that he used to get creeped                  out when the family resided there when he was a kid and he'd                  see a movie like "Dracula" or "Frankenstein," then shortcut                  through the Cemetery at night! More on John Starns. I have a                  "For Genealogy only" Death Certificate, obtained from the Cass                  County Dept. of Health, in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.                  The date that it was obtained for me was 04-15-1992.

               

The following info. is on it.: John Starns birthdate was listed                  as October 15, 1843. Death is April 11, 1929. Date of Burial                  or removal is April 13, 1929. File Date is April 15, 1929. (Hmmm...another                  04-15 date again, as in 1992). The birth and death dates concur                  with the dates in the Bible Records of John Henry's wife, Flora                  Etta Reynolds Todd. The cause of death was listed as "Cerebral                  Apoplexy (non-traumatic)," AKA a cerebral hemorrhage. The place                  of burial or death was listed as Lawrence Co., Heltonsville,                  In. By the way, there is no "s" in Heltonville. The funeral                  director was listed as, "C.E. Baker, Camden, In." I suspect,                  because it says, "Camden," that John Starns may have had a funeral                  at Paint Creek Primitive Baptist Church, near Camden, Carroll                  County before being transported out of Carroll County and Cass                  County to Gilgal Primitive Baptist Cemetery in Heltonville,                  Lawrence County, Indiana. Although, they would have to have                  done it fast, according to the dates listed. I don't know if                  the date of 04-13 was the date he was shipped off or if it was                  the actual burial date. It is unclear to me. Maybe the only                  thing they did in Camden was embalming, without a service in                  Paint Creek at all. Maybe they just did a quickie embalming                  then threw John on the train to Gilgal. Well, that sounded sensitive,                  didn't it? I would have to look through the Paint Creek records                  for the actual burial date. Again, these are CASS COUNTY records                  I am reading and transcribing, mixed in with my own personal                  thoughts and speculations. I also speculate that he may have                  had yet a second service after he got to Gilgal Church and Cemetery                  for burial. Speculation only, on that point, too. John Starns                  Todd did die in logansport, not in Heltonville, as some may                  have thought. Also, another of John and Flora's sons, a grandson                  of John Starns, Ralph Preston Todd, who was also one of my Dad's                  brothers, once told me he didn't know that much about John Starns,                  but that he did remember him living at their (John and Flora's)                  house. He described him as "an old man with a beard." John Starns                  was then "shipped" (by train, I guess?) to Gilgal, where he                  is buried with the other old Todds. Enough about John Starns                  Todd, John Henry's father, not to be confused with John Henry's                  son, with the same exact name of John Starns Todd.

               

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Back to the John and Flora Todd migration. At least eight years,                  between 1907 and 1915, are unaccounted for. Then, at another                  point, between 1915 and 1918, they must have moved to Boone                  County, Indiana. Son, Frank, was born there in 1918. At another                  point, between 1918 and 1923, they moved to Logansport, Cass                  County, Indiana, where they resided at four more addresses.                  Rural Route 3, Highway 29, which turns into Burlington Avenue                  as you enter Logansport, was their final residence in their                  lives. I also know that they joined the Paint Creek Baptist                  Church, 4 miles east of Camden, in Carroll County, Indiana (a                  few miles from Cass County) on Sunday, May 02, 1926, where Flora                  became the church secretary. Lots of addresses over the years.                  I figure the move with this info, which shows more cities and                  more addresses: I know John & Flora resided in Waynetown, still                  in Montgomery County, Indiana on March 18, 1908 when their eldest                  son, Harvey Allen Todd, Sr., my Uncle Allen (03-18-1908--09-18-1990,                  was born; In Linden, Montgomery County, Indiana on January 22,                  1910 when their son, my Uncle Forrest Edward Todd (01-22-1910--12-12-1987)                  was born; In Elmdale, Montgomery County, Indiana on January                  24, 1912 when their son, my Uncle Ralph Preston Todd (1-24-1912--08-16-2004)                  "Todd's Appliances" was born; In Crawfordsville, Montgomery                  Co., Indiana on June 26, 1915, when their son, my Uncle Paul                  Raymond Todd, Sr. (06-26-1915--05-15-2005) was born; In Jamestown,                  Boone County, Indiana on December 12, 1918, when their son,                  my Dad, Francis ("Frank") Leverett Todd (12-12-1918--10-07-1984)                  was born; And, finally in Logansport, Clay Township, Cass County,                  Indiana, on 04-18-1923, when their last son, my Uncle Johnny,                  John Starns Todd (same exact name as his grandfather's) was                  born. Uncle Johnny, killed overseas in WWII, died on the presumptive                  date of Nov. 21, 1944. He was buried twice overseas, exhumed,                  and buried a third and final time here next to John & Flora                  at Paint Creek Primitive Baptist Cemetery. "Everytime we made                  friends, we'd move again," my father, Frank Todd, used to say                  about his childhood days. Sad, huh? Through the late 1950's,                  Cass County, Indiana was the MAIN county for MOST of OUR line                  of Todd's...the younger ones. There were some exceptions.

               

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THE SPLIT

               

Forrest and Mary were then the first in our line of Todds                  who started yet another whole new migration...this time entirely                  out of the state...to Ft. Myers, Florida. The family was then                  again divided, with some remaining in Logansport, Indiana and                  others who followed to Ft. Myers. Some stayed in Ft. Myers forever.                  All stayed in touch and traveled back and forth for many visits.                  Uncle Ralph was the rock, the anchor, who kept Logansport important...because                  the family business ("Todd's Appliances") was always there.                  However, he bridged both the new and the old and he owned homes                  in both Logansport AND Ft. Myers. Anyway, new marriages and                  ties strengthened in both Florida and Indiana. Some moved to                  other cities in Florida, as well.

               

The marriage of Forrest and Mary: On Saturday, 06-06-1936,                  Forrest Edward Todd AND Mary Katherine Burks were issued a marriage                  license in Logansport by Sylvester Kelly, Clerk of the Cass                  Circuit Court. Forrest resided at that time at another of his                  parents' residences at 410 Washington St., Logansport. Forrest's                  occupation was listed as, "Filling Station Attendant." John                  Henry's occupation was listed as, "Furniture Repairman" and                  Flora as a "Housewife." On other documents, plus what I personally                  know, John and Flora were, over the years, also listed as farmers,                  Watkins sales representatives, and John also worked for a newspaper.                  The occupation of Mary's father, Elmer Burks, was listed as,                  "farmer" and Mary's mother, Stella, was listed as, "Housewife."                  There was a line drawn through a blank space for Mary's occupation.                  Her address was listed as "R.R.2," presumably the address of                  her parents, both of whom were listed as residing in, "Logansport,                  Ind." On Sunday, 06-07-1936, Forrest and Mary were married in                  neighboring Carroll County, Indiana, at Paint Creek Primitive                  Baptist Church, 4 miles east of the small town of Camden. The                  Reverend James E. Watson officiated. This marriage was recorded                  in Logansport's Book 59, Page 149. The wedding write-up, seen                  below, ran in the "Logansport Pharos-Tribune" on Monday evening,                  June 08, 1936, Page 5, Column 2, under, "Society."

               

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"Miss Mary Katherine Burks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer                  Burks of Rt. 2 became the bride of Forrest E. Todd, son of Mr.                  & Mrs. J. H. Todd, 410 Washington Street, Sunday at the Paint                  Creek Baptist Church near Camden. Rev. J. E. Watson officiated                  at the ceremony. The bride wore a lovely navy crepe dress and                  white accessories. Attending the couple were Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert                  Calloway. Mr. and Mrs. Todd will reside in Logansport." (Note:                  This is a Primitive Baptist Church.)

               

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A new chapter of memories opened for Forrest and Mary. Their                  new address became 1518 Johnson St., on the north side of Logansport,                  half a block away from McKinley Elementary School. With his                  own two hands, Forrest built a small home, with faux brown brick                  siding, very popular at the time, with wooden window shutters,                  the kind that are nailed to the wall...on each side of each                  window. They didn't open or close. They were immovable, ".just                  for show," and were painted many times over the years, always                  in various shades of blue. On the front side of the house were                  four tall evergreens: one taller one on each outer corner of                  the house and one of the same size on each side of the gabled                  porch, which was centered in the middle of the house. Roses                  were trained up the trellises that formed the sides of the porch.                  A shorter row of evergreens set between the two taller evergreens                  on the right side of the porch. In front of the shorter evergreens                  was a row of daffodils, which created a glorious display of                  bright yellow in the Springtime. Lots more sunshine fell on                  the right side of the porch and house than on the left. That                  is, in the areas right next to the house, because of the large                  maple tree casting shade in the left side of the front yard.                  Mary and Forrest's love for nature and growing things was reflected                  in all four lawn and garden areas: front yard, back yard, and                  two side lots. As you stood on Johnson St. and faced the front                  of the house, to the left was the north lot, planted with patches                  of raspberries, cabbages, kohlrabies, green onions, and enough                  lettuce and carrots to feed all the "wascally wabbits" in the                  neighborhood. To the left of the north lot was the Elmore house.                  The parents were "Pinky" and Eileen Elmore. The kids were Leroy                  ("Butch"), Lee (a girl), and Jim. And then there was "Ginger,"                  their sweet little Cocker Spaniel. To the right of the Todd                  house, or on the south lot, were strawberries and sometimes,                  corn. Around the grounds, there also were orangish-red poppies,                  fragrant, multi-colored peonies, and roses of yellow and pink.                  In the front yard was a tall maple tree and a small willow tree,                  started from a branch taken from the huge willow in the back                  yard, which was so tall and thick that rain never penetrated                  it. Does the phrase, "Go pick yourself a willow switch" hold                  special meaning to anyone?" In the Springtime, red robins contrasted                  against the white and pink of apple and cherry blossoms in the                  small backyard orchard, under which, in the Summer, was a shaded                  ocean of purplish-blue obedient plants glowing from the backdrop                  of the hot setting sun. Aunt Mary, a true country girl at heart,                  was almost always busy with one chore or another. And nothing                  went to waste...old rags were made into mops or knitted throw                  rugs. Leftover food was made into gourmet meals. Saturday was                  usually laundry day, done with a scrub board or a wringer-washing                  machine. However, the city slickers were no longer doing the                  laundry in "that old-fashioned way." WE lived in town and had                  a "modern" washing machine. And a dryer!

               

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Not to mention an uncle with an appliance store where our father                  worked! This, of course, was Uncle Ralph's store, "Todd's Appliances,"                  later known as, "Todd's, Inc.," which was started on March 8,                  1935 in downtown Logansport. It ended in 2004, a little over                  69 years later, though one source incorrectly stated 70 years.                  The date uncle ralph passed on was August 16, 2004 and he had                  ended the business earlier in that year, so 69 was the correct                  number. TRIVIA: I always loved the "Todd's" calendars when growing                  up. Years later, I started buying ten each year and sent them                  to other Todds and friends. The calendars are now collector                  items, as well as are all of the newspaper articles, advertisements,                  photos, and such. I sent Todd history to the Cass County Historical                  Museum at 1004 E. Market St., on the opposite side of the block                  that I was raised at 1005 E. Broadway. There is also a history                  on the Todd Bank, if anyone wants it. It was once called The                  People's Bank, at the turn on the century sometime. Uncle Ralph                  bought it. The Todd's store on 3rd and Market Sts. was finally                  torn down. But, The Todd Bank, is now a historical landmark                  and will continue to stand and bear the Todd name. Back to Dad.                  Before the advent of TV, Dad started out doing radio repairs                  for Uncle Ralph, which was handy when he joined the Army, as                  he was in the Signal Corps. Later, when Dad had re-joined the                  civilian force, and t.v.'s came in, he also became a t.v. repairman                  for Uncle Ralph. At various times, Uncle Allen, Uncle Forrest,                  and other Todd's also worked for Uncle Ralph.

               

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BACK TO FORREST AND MARY'S YARD. The clothesline was in the                  backyard...and the sound of flapping sheets, billowing in the                  wind, mixed in with the motorized sound of Uncle Forrest's sharpening                  wheel in the garage, as it whirred around, metal grinding against                  stone, sparks flying everywhere. This backyard garage doubled                  as Uncle Forrest's work shop, with its large wooden planks,                  stuffed into overhead beams; and large, deep drawers, full of                  assorted nails, tools, wood planers and such. Forrest was always                  making something. Of mornings, Aunt Mary was usually inside,                  fixing breakfast, along with a mean cup of hot chocolate. I                  never will forget that huge clock on the wall over the kitchen                  sink...the kind you see in schools. You know, at least a couple                  inches thick with a big white face. and the numbers and outside                  edging were black. You could watch the huge secondhand count                  every second. Its movement was always smooth, never jerking                  from second to second. It was so huge that, If you were farsighted,                  you most likely would want to step back for a correct focus.                  Anyway, it was not uncommon for Mary's next-door neighbor, Eileen                  Elmore, to drop in for some girl-talk, such as swapping the                  latest techniques for crocheting doilies for armchairs and couches,                  etc. Of course, while Aunt Mary was cleaning house and doing                  chores, she also had to start her day with that great big floor                  radio next to the living room/kitchen doorway, complete with                  pre-set times to blast her hillbilly music on and off. I remember                  once, some lady was belting out a song and, in the middle of                  it, was heard a loud interrupting CLICK, followed by silence                  and Aunt Mary's humor: "Well, I guess that shut YOU up!" Anyway,                  we three kids never really understood that hillbilly music,                  as we came from a more refined background...on Mom's side of                  the family. Aunt Mary referred to OUR music as, "that long-haired                  stuff." But, even though our taste in music never really changed,                  we still came to accept her music as an endearing feature that                  made Aunt Mary...Aunt Mary. But by afternoons and a brief news                  report, Aunt Mary was usually listening to a different kind                  of music...pop music or Rock 'n' Roll, which blared out the                  windows from the enclosed back porch that faced the south lot.                  This was from a second radio, small enough to set on the geranium-lined                  windowsills, as it played songs from "The Hit Parade," such                  as, "Rock Around The Clock," "The Wayward Wind," or "Bo Weevil"                  by Teresa Brewer. Teen idols soon followed. Back to the backyard.                  At the mouth of the apple orchard, were not only trees with                  "regular-sized" apples, but also crab apple trees, one or two                  red cherry trees, and one black cherry tree, near the orchard...next                  to the garage door. Not the big car door, rather the smaller                  door you'd walk through. Large hydrangea bushes, which we called,                  "snowball bushes," were under the front garage windows. The                  flowers were the old variety...large and greenish-white in color.                  A long, but thin, sidewalk, that Forrest laid himself, ran from                  the small garage door, across the backyard, alongside the multi-colored                  irises, which lined the side of the house, then around the corner                  and across the front of the house, turning left at the front                  porch, crossing the front lawn, and out to the simple wooden                  plank that spanned the small drainage ditch along Johnson Street.                  A long sidewalk! Between the garage and apple orchard, Forrest                  built a red brick fireplace, with an iron top and tall brick                  chimney. In front of the fireplace was a large, white, wooden                  picnic table, with long seats on both sides. In back of the                  fireplace were tall lilac bushes of white and purple, that swayed                  with every breeze. A hibiscus tree was there, too, which, as                  a kid, I referred to as, "a hollyhock tree." These bushes were                  as tall as trees and they were on the L-shaped alley that also                  ran in back of the garage. The alley made a sharp right angle                  at the south end of the orchard, then turned right or west,                  going back to the front side (Johnson St. side) of the south                  lot. Aunt Mary loved her pretty bluish sweet peas growing up                  a trellis on the other side of the garage. Everything was so                  beautiful. Sweet Williams of red and purple and blue bloomed                  within a small wall of unmortored bricks...on the backyard side                  of the enclosed porch...next to the kitchen. QUEEN BEE FLASH:                  I never will forget one morning, I am guessing in June (berry                  month), when Aunt Mary told my sisters, Marie and Chris, and                  I to go pick some raspberries, which were next to the sweet                  peas, on the east end of the north lot. We ran back inside and                  I said something like, "Mary, Mary, there must be a hundred                  bees out there!" I do remember specifying, "100," which, looking                  back, was probably more like 1000 or so. Anyway, she thought                  we were exaggerating and told us to go back outside. But, we                  were insistent and, this time she went outside WITH us to check                  it all out.... Well, all I can say is that she got all "buzzed                  out" when she saw what was there. Hanging from a branch was                  this membranous-looking "sack," full of buzzing bees. It must've                  been about three feet long by a foot and a half wide. How it                  got there from one or two days to the next without anyone noticing                  is beyond me. Do bees work at night? Funny, you know how much                  bees hate smoke, and there was a big metal trash barrel, where                  trash was burned, only about 15 feet away from that branch.                  Hmm, we must not have burned anything for a few days. Of course,                  that was back when you COULD burn trash. Anyway, as luck would                  have it, the grandfather of one of the Engel kids across the                  alley was a beekeeper and said if the queen bee was captured,                  the rest would follow. Somehow he did just that and all of the                  bees followed into a pipe that he had and he took them all away.                  I couldn't help but wonder...how DO you attract a queen bee.                  Do you call her like you would a cat, like..."Here queenie queenie,                  here queenie, queenie, followed by a little whistle? Or, perhaps                  a few pheromones are in order. Or, if all else fails, hire a                  cute Chippendale bee dancer to "lure" her into that pipe....                  But, seriously, what really attracts a queen bee into a pipe?                  Another queen bee? What? Over the years, people tell me they                  must've been hornets or something else other than bees. I only                  know what I saw and what I was told. But, I never saw anything                  like that ever again. But, it makes a great story, huh? Bees                  don't usually bother you. I love bees. I walk amongst them in                  my gardens. But, I learned long ago, don't walk barefoot in                  clover. I got stung on the bottom of my foot. Aunt Mary made                  a paste of baking soda and water to get rid of that burning                  sensation, full of venom. Bee stings don't usually bother me                  beyond a rare stinging. Moving along... Carpets of bright yellow                  dandelions were everywhere in the Spring. Poison them? Oh no,                  for there was a use for them, that is, ONLY in the Spring, while                  they were young and tender. We'd help Aunt Mary gather them                  up, rinse the dirt off of them a zillion times, and then cook                  them with pork or bacon. Although Aunt Mary was a great cook,                  I still wasn't crazy about watching chickens hanging from the                  clothesline, with their heads being whacked off, their bodies                  dropping to the ground, running all over the yard. Or watching                  a catfish swimming around in a pan for a couple days on the                  back porch, "purifying." I remember once a hog was butchered                  on the back porch. Thank God it was dead before it got there,                  cause I couldn't have hacked watching it get killed. I just                  remember that meat grinder was working into the night and several                  people, none of whom I remember, were there with her. I loved                  Aunt Mary's Apple Pies, always red in color, made with her own                  red apples and homemade jelly made with crabapples. Fresh clean                  glass jars, jelly sealed with paraffin on the top etc. I also                  loved her Wilted Lettuce, topped with hot bacon grease, bacon                  bits, chopped green onions and salt. I also loved her excellent                  wild morel mushrooms that Uncle Forrest and my Dad used to go                  pick in the countryside. Aunt Mary would rinse them off, dry                  them on a kitchen towel, flour them, and fry them in butter.                  Only the yellow, spongy, wild morel mushrooms would do. And,                  when she made a cake, she would take the leftover icing...and                  sandwich a thick layer of it between two graham crackers...a                  whole stack of them. They were so good with a cold glass of                  milk. None of these were low-cal recipes, but, we loved them                  all just the same. By the way, by one of the corner posts that                  held up the clothesline, was a small patch of poison ivy. Uncle                  Forrest would boast how he was immune to it and would pull it                  up with his bare hands. Sort of a claim-to- fame thing with                  him. In the Fall, Uncle Forrest would prune the apple, cherry,                  and willow trees, and we would all help to lay them in a big                  pile on the side south lot after the corn stalks, etc. were                  gone. The stack would be lit to become a real bonfire for a                  neighborhood wienie roast. Everyone would come over......the                  Engels, Silbermans, Elmores, etc. The Brandensteins and Llewellyns                  were across the street. Of course, we toasted marshmallows,                  too, all stuck on long "forks" made of straightened wire coat                  hangers. One time, my sister, Chris got too close to the fire                  and singed her eyebrows. Fourth of July with "sparklers" was                  always fun. Running under a water hose on a clothes line on                  a hot summer day was fun. Doing summersaults on little hills                  in the front yard was fun. Playing "tag" into the night time                  hours (it was safe to do so then) with the neighbor kids was                  fun. Watching lightning bugs was fun. Riding bikes was fun.                  Going to the neighborhood Mom and Pop grocery store, on the                  other end of the alley, past the north lot was fun. The store                  was made from a reconverted garage. The white-haired couple                  that ran it were always smiling. I remember the bell that tinkled                  everytime you opened or closed the door. We'd get a soft drink                  or those paraffin lips, teeth, moustaches, etc. with the flavoring                  that you could chew like gum. Aunt Mary was strict, but she                  always let us have our treats. They also had a pickle barrel                  in the backyard, under the huge willow tree. I was always lifting                  the wooden lid and snatching a few everytime I passed them.                  There were a lot of fresh dill sprigs floating around in the                  brine mixture. Uncle Forrest let me take all I wanted. Forrest                  and Mary decorated their outdoor evergreens with Christmas lights                  during the Yuletide season. And decorating indoor trees was                  fun, too. And, on cold days, there was that wonderful feeling                  of warm air blowing upward from that huge living room floor                  register, large enough to accommodate all three of us standing                  on it together. We knew how to have fun then. We really did.                  It was a simpler time.

               

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TODD REUNIONS...THE TIES THAT BIND LOGANSPORT WITH CRAWFORDSVILLE.                

               

I remember things like all the fun Todd's reunions in Milligan                  Park in Crawfordsville. We'd first stop at an ice house off                  of West Market St. in Logansport, pack everything perishable                  in large closed ice chests, etc., then hit the road. Once in                  Crawfordsville, everyone would set up tons of food on the long,                  long, picnic table. At the park, there was also a bandstand                  and the band would play all day. We kids would do summersaults                  down the little hills which looked so big then. There were all                  the TODDS, the REYNOLDS, the EADS, and the WHITAKERS. The Reynolds                  reunion was also held in that park. Dad once said I embarrassed                  him by asking some old lady, "Isn't that the same dress you                  wore last year?" When the reunion was over, I remember how,                  after we got back to Forrest and Mary's in Logansport, they'd                  drive through the alley to the backyard and back the car up                  into the yard by the picnic table and brick fireplace. The neighbors                  would be called over then for a tailgate party with all the                  leftovers from the reunion. Thank God Gramma and others, including                  myself, snapped photos of these reunions. The last reunion that                  I went to was in the 1960's sometime with Uncle Paul, Aunt Ruth,                  and Cousin Jeanie. OTHER FUN: A number of weekends, we'd go                  with Forrest and Mary to the Eagles in downtown Logansport,                  and my sister, Chris and I would dance to rock 'n' roll. One                  time, Dad, and my two sisters, Chris and Marie, went to The                  Eagle's and stayed out to 1:00 a.m. We were still kids and we                  couldn't believe we stayed out "all night!" The main place,                  however, that we three kids learned how to dance was at "Jo's                  Dance Studio" in downtown Logansport, which also had parties                  on the weekends, which we attended by late grade school. Just                  we three kids. Our schools...for all age groups, The Knights                  of Columbus, the Memorial Building, and street festivals all                  had dances. And there were other things to do on the weekends,                  too. You could go to three movie theatres. If a really good                  movie was playing, such as, "Gone With The Wind" or "Journey                  To The Center Of The Earth," the lines at The Roxy, The Logan,                  and The State" theatres sometimes went halfway down the street                  and around the corners. But, when we were with Aunt Mary and                  Uncle Forrest, before anyone went anywhere on a Saturday night,                  Aunt Mary would usually repair her nails, filing away with emery                  boards, painting them a bright red, while she and Forrest watched                  "Gorgeous George," the wrestler, or "The Honeymooners" on that                  little, little, snowy t.v. set of theirs. Mary liked Ed Norton.                  Whenever he'd do or say something goofy, she'd laugh that funny                  little laugh of hers. It was like a rapid series of little laughs                  all put together into one goat-like laugh. When she'd laugh,                  it would make us laugh. I say that in an endearing way. Sometimes,                  the Elmores would come over and share some beer, which some                  of the more religious relatives frowned upon. Especially the                  older ones. Such as the Primitive Baptists. But, oh well...Mary                  and Forrest were not church-goers, anyway. When Mary and Forrest                  went out alone, it was usually to a bar on the north end of                  downtown, a little rundown, shack-like looking bar, that was                  leaning to the right. The name was, "Thurms." Forrest called                  such places, "Honky Tonks." It was only a block or so away from                  The Eagles. I don't ever remember Forrest or Mary getting wasted.                  We spent lots of time with other relatives, too, but, this is                  about Forrest and Mary. In the late 1950's, Aunt Mary's parents,                  Elmer and Stella Burks, needing more supervision, moved in with                  Mary and Forrest at their home on Johnson St. Stella, who was                  older than Elmer, had medium-gray hair, pulled upward and into                  a bun on the back of her head. Mary would brush it for her each                  day..... Stella had horrible complications from diabetes and                  the doctors just kept cutting on her. Both legs were amputated.                  Later, she had a stroke, which paralyzed one arm. One day, she                  fell out of a wheelchair and broke an elbow. This fractured                  elbow was listed as the cause of her death on her death certificate.                  The doctors wanted to amputate her arm, I think, but, I overheard                  her niece, Sandy Strasser (daughter of Mary's sister, Emma Sue                  Burks Strasser) say how she told the doctors, "You're not going                  to cut on her, anymore." Sandy resided in Monticello, White                  County, Indiana. I am guessing that she was referring to Stella's                  arm, because there wasn't much else left to cut off. Elmer,                  now white-haired, would look through those big black glasses,                  and play solitaire for hours, while he smoked his pipe. Later,                  he developed lip cancer, so part of his lip was removed, but                  it then looked okay. Though Elmer and Stella had the free roam                  of the house and grounds, their bedroom area was on the back                  porch, which, years before, had been enclosed and refurbished                  into a room. It also had the sink, which Aunt Mary used to bathe                  us in when we were babies. I remember thinking that all that                  water pouring down on me was going to drown me. Uncle Forrest                  and Aunt Mary could never have their own children, which was                  disappointing for them, because they loved children. We were                  there so much because our mother, Evaleen Rosemary Murphy Todd                  (07-03-1924--03-05-1987) was ill a lot. We also spent a lot                  of time at the home of Uncle Paul and Aunt Ruth, as well as                  at Gramma and Grampa Todd's home. Since Mary wanted children,                  she would tell us to call Elmer and Stella, her parents, "Gramma                  and Grampa." One day, "Grampa Elmer" said to me, "You know,                  we aren't really your grandparents. You can only have two sets                  of grandparents." I came back with, "Why not?" Wasn't that a                  great line? However, to this day, I still call them, "Gramma                  and Grampa Burks." They are buried in Davis Cemetery, Burnettsville,                  White County, Indiana. Double headstone. Elmer James Burks (01-15-1888--07-19-1958)                  and Estella Mary Fulmer Burks (10-22-1884--08-20-1962) One source                  that I found listed Burnettsville as being in Cass County. Though                  it is almost on the Cass County/White County line, it is none-the-less                  on the White County side of the line. After Elmer died, Aunt                  Gladys said that Stella came to live with she and Uncle Ralph...on                  R.R.3, highway 29, Logansport, which was the house directly                  next-door to Gramma Flora and John Henry Todd. To the right                  of John and Flora's home was the house of their son, Paul Raymond                  Todd, Sr. and his first of two wives, Ruth Mae Potts Todd. I                  wanted to say that Mary used to cut hair and give permanents                  to various people that would drop over, such as my Great Aunt                  Myrtle Higgins Todd, wife of my Great Uncle Oscar Francis ("Frank"                  Todd. Hmm, that's strange, because Uncle Frank was a barber.                  (I have his license.) Of course, they were old by then and he                  didn't do permanents on women. Anyway, by 1962, the parents                  of both Forrest AND Mary were gone. And another chapter was                  coming to a close. I never knew then that all of these memories                  would become so fond. But, time marches on and all things change.                

               

STARTING WITH THE SPLIT: Now, that Stella was being taken care                  of by Aunt Gladys, Forrest and Mary decided to open yet another                  chapter in their life, by moving to Ft. Myers, Lee County, Florida.                  Forrest, no longer a young man, still, with his own two hands,                  built yet another home, and two other homes next to his, in                  Ft. Myers. Again, all by himself. His sense of humor dictated                  that he name the new place, not "Green Acres," but, "Belly Acres."                  He actually had a little sign hanging above the carport in those                  exact words, visible from the street. He had a bad back, later                  developing into spinal cancer which caused his death. Sometimes,                  before cancer set in, he would continue building even with pain                  that caused him to walk half-stooped over at the waist. He was                  always super-skinny, too, most of his life...unlike Mary. They                  were like Jack Spratt and his wife. Forrest was always a rebel...in                  that he didn't care what others thought...........and, he didn't                  care about following the crowd. He would do exactly what he                  wanted to do. Including moving to Ft. Myers. This also set a                  trend for other Todds...and two households of Forrest and Mary's                  Logansport neighbors...to follow. Their Logansport neighbors,                  Louise and Ethel Silberman, and their children, Joyce, Jim,                  and little Connie, moved to Ft. Myers into one of the two new                  houses next to Forrest and Mary. "Pinky" and Eileen Elmore,                  also Logansport neighbors, moved to another part of Ft.. Myers                  and everyone still remained friends...in this new city of theirs.                  I think that the original plan was for the Todds, Silbermans,                  and, maybe, the Elmores to go into business together. But, it                  didn't work out that way. I think there was a problem about                  who was going to be the boss, but, I don't remember what business                  they wanted to start. I wonder if it had to do with cooking.                  Back to the houses. One of the three houses was for Forrest's                  brother, Ralph and wife, Gladys, for whenever they visited.                  But they ended up buying a more expensive home in another part                  of Ft. Myers., so that extra house became more like a guest                  house for other visitors. At age 77, almost 78, Forrest died.                  Here is part of the info on Forrest's death certificate, mixed                  with my own comments: Forrest died at 9:10 A.M. in Lee Memorial                  Hospital, Ft. Myers, Lee County, Florida on 12-12-1987. This                  date marked what would have been the 69th birthday of his brother,                  Frank (my father) had Frank still been alive. Frank was born                  on 12-12-1918, one day short of MARY TODD LINCOLN'S 100th birthday                  of 12-13-1818, had she still been alive. As previously stated,                  Frank was born in Jamestown, Boone County, Indiana and died                  on 10-07-1984 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana...burial in                  Ever-Rest Memorial Park Cemetery right outside of Logansport                  on U.S. Highway 24 East. Rosemary, my mother, is buried next                  to him. At the foot of Frank's grave are buried, in a box, the                  cremains of my sister, Christine Annette Todd Cook (12-05-1948--through                  the estimated date of death of Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, March                  17, 1991. She died alone in her apartment in Wheelersburg, Scioto                  County, Ohio.

               

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Forrest & Mary had both worked at a facility called, "Suniland                  Center" in Ft. Myers as, "Cottage Parents." As I remember, in                  one of Aunt Mary's letters, she said that "they're just like                  little kids," meaning "the special needs" people, but I don't                  know what age range they were. When Forrest built the three                  Ft. Myers homes, he was allowed to name the street himself,                  thus, "Todd Street." So, the address was 3040 Todd St. However,                  later the address became 3040 Palm Avenue. I am guessing that,                  as the city grew out to that edge of town, so did the influence                  of whoever named the streets. Anyway, the Palm Avenue address                  was the only address Forrest and Mary had in all the years they                  lived in Ft. Myers, Florida. Name of attending physician on                  Forrest's death certificate: Michael G. Raymond, M.D., 3840                  Broadway, Suite B, Ft. Myers, Fla., 33901. The name of the funeral                  home was Lee Memorial Park and Crematory. Burial was at Lee                  Memorial Park & Crematory, LeHigh Acres, Fla., 33936 (P.O. Box                  568.)

               

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A short announcement of Uncle Forrest's death ran in the "Fort                  Myers News Press" on Sunday, December 13, 1987, Ft. Myers, Lee                  County, Fla. "Todd, Forrest E., 77, of Fort Myers, private burial                  by Lee Memorial Park......." Pay attention to the words, "Private                  burial." Keep reading and you'll see why.

               

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That was it. No other write-up known to me. Uncle Forrest used                  to say that, about when he died, "I don't want people to gawk                  at me," meaning people seeing him dead in an open casket. He                  and Mary just wanted to be wrapped up in a sheet and buried                  as soon as they died, before the word got out that they were                  even dead. So, a "PRIVATE BURIAL" does not surprise me. I remember                  that, whatever the arrangements were, Aunt Gladys said that,                  "It's the strangest thing i've ever heard of." She said that,                  speaking now about MARY, that Mary was "not embalmed" and was                  buried the same day of death. I don't know...that's what she                  said. Is that legal? That is the way Aunt Mary wanted it. I                  wonder about Uncle Forrest's arrangements, now. If he was buried                  in the same way as Mary.

               

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TRIVIA: Before I forget, I wanted to say that, when it comes                  to Forrest and Ralph, Gladys and Mary, I always say, "Two brothers                  married two sisters." About Aunt Gladys Estella Burks Todd:                  She was, as was Mary, also born in Monon, White County, Indiana                  on 01-30-1913 and died on 10-27-2000 in Logansport, Cass County,                  Indiana. Dates in her 1st obituary are all messed up. They had                  to run a second obit. Burial: Ever-Rest Memorial Park Cemetery                  on U.S. Highway 24 West, where Mom, Dad, Chris, Ralph & Gladys'                  son, Robert Gene Todd ("Bob") Todd (a whole long iron bridge                  collapsed under him...separate story) and HIS son, Robert L.                  Todd, etc. are all buried next to each other.

               

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INFO ON MARY'S DEATH: As with Forrest, there was only a very                  short announcement of Aunt Mary's death, which was also from                  the "Fort Myers News Press" on Saturday, Nov. 5, 1988: "Todd,                  Mary K., 77, of Fort Myers, private burial, arrangements by                  Lee Memorial Park." INFO ON MARY'S DEATH CERTIFICATE: Her birth                  date was incorrectly listed as November 19, 1910. The correct                  birthdate is Nov. 29, 1910, as stated on her marriage application                  and also Aunt Gladys wrote down these family dates for me, as                  well. Death: November 4, 1988. Age 77. I don't know the name                  of the place in which Aunt Mary died, but the address was under,                  "Hospital or Institution" at 3408 4th Avenue, St. James City,                  (which is is Lee County), Florida. State of birth: Indiana.                  Citizen of U. S. A. Widowed. "Cottage Parent" was her occupation                  in a "State Insititution" Ever in Armed Forces? "No." However,                  it incorrectly lists part of her home address: "3040 Palm Avenue,                  St. James City, Lee County, Florida. All correct except the                  address was not in St. James City. The city was still Ft. Myers,                  Fla. Father: Elmer J. Burks. Mother, Estella M. Fulmer. "Informant"                  This was one of she and Gladys' brothers, William T. Burks (Bill                  Burks) at 4345 Orangewood Ave., Ft. Myers, Fla., 33901. Hope                  his address is correct, because I never knew it. Burial was                  at Lee Memorial Park, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 33970 Funeral home                  also listed as Lee Memorial Park, P.O. Box 568, Lehigh Acres,                  Fla., 33970 Funeral Director. Can't make it out. Rick somebody-or-other.                  Last name starts with an "S". Ends with "wen" or "wer." Frank                  M. Bryan, M.D., 3660 Broadway, Ft. Myers, Fla., 33901 Date signed:                  November 7, 1988. Hour of Death: 2:00 A.M. Registrar listed                  as Michael Lyon. Sub-reg November 7, 1988. Date received by                  registrar: November 7, 1988. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------                

               

MARY'S FINAL DAYS: Mary became ill with Alzheimer's. It was                  really sad. Aunt Gladys said that Aunt Mary would keep saying,                  "I just wanna go home." Aunt Gladys said that Aunt Mary was                  not talking about the Ft. Myers home, rather she was talking                  about the old Logansport home and going home to Uncle Forrest,                  who she could not remember was now deceased. Forrest must have                  been glad when Mary joined him again in their new home in Heaven.                  He must've been glad that she never went back to see their old                  Logansport home, for the flowers were all gone. Someone got                  rid of every last one of them. Including the trees and the orchard.                  There was no shade anywhere. Only cut grass and weeds remained.                  And a little house setting in the middle of the hot sun. The                  bright blue shutters became gray weathered wood on loose hinges.                  Most of the people had all moved, or were dead and buried. Everything                  as they knew it is now gone...save for the sound of the wind                  and the memories. I thought I should remember it all...and write                  it all down, so that people would know...there was an Aunt Mary...and                  an Uncle Forrest, who lived and breathed, and laughed and loved.                  Just everyday people with dill pickle barrels. And hillbilly                  music and lots of friends. People who planted such beautiful                  flowers, and also the seeds of undying Love. And, as the last                  page is turned and the book softly closed, my last entry reads,                  "I did not forget you, Aunt Mary and Uncle Forrest. I thank                  you for everything and still love you both." Angie P.S. There                  were still so many untold stories...of Ft. Myers. Like the time                  a 200-lb. shark was caught in the water I just got out of at                  Ft. Myers Beach. All of our good times at Bonita Beach. Trading                  apple and cherry trees for grapefruit and palm trees and hydroponic                  gardening. Uncle Forrest's interest in the benefits of sea salt.                  The story of when I picked up a sleeping coral snake that looked                  like a pretty shell till it uncoiled and raised its head. Uncle                  Forrest didn't think it was a snake till I screamed. He came                  running out and scooped it up with a shovel. Then there was                  the time I ran through a red ant hill. Only did that once. Thank                  God a hose was nearby. Then there was the time three snakes                  went after their cat. And the time alligators were blamed for                  seven missing dogs. And stinging horseflies on the beach. And                  beautiful dragonflies. And new neighbors. And more Kodak moments.