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Todd, Asa
The following data is extracted from Todd Family Genealogy.
Asa Todd5, (Gershom4, Gershom3, Michael2, Christopher1) born June 28, 1756, died July 16, 1847, in West Chesterfield Mass., and was buried there. He married May 24, 1778, Abigail, daughter of Amos and Phebe Bishop, of New Haven, Conn.
He was a Baptist minister and held pastorates in Whately and West Chesterfield, Mass., for more than thirty years, having been ordained the first pastor of the Baptist Society of Whately, Mass., Sept. 9, 1789. In 1803 he removed to West Chesterfield, Mass., where he was ordained the second pastor of the Baptist Society of that place, and was dismissed Nov. 2, 1820, in consequence of a dissatisfaction developing among some of the members on account of his having joined the Free Masons, and also for difficulties of a more personal nature. Yet, in spite of the rupture, he lived among his old neighbors for many years afterwards, and was known as "Elder Todd," passing his remaining days in his old home. He was buried in the cemetery on the hillside below his home, by his mothers side.
Becoming a Christian at the age of 25, he soon felt it his duty to make known a Savior's love to those who knew him not, and although favored with very limited means of education, and meeting with many discouragements, yet naturally endowed with great strength of mind, and with perseverance, by his own efforts and the grace of God, he was an able and successful minister of the Gospel, for more than half a century.
His views of his own sinfulness and the exceeding richness of Sovereign Grace, increased with advancing age. He retained his physical and mental powers in his old age, to a surprising degree. In June, the month before he died, he walked a mile to the monthly concert, and then back home. In the four months, ending with his 90th year, he read the bible through in course, without the aid of spectacles, and also, read the New Testament twice through in the last five months of his life.
He was ill only about four weeks before his death, and seemed to fall asleep, rather than die. When told by his son that he had not long to live, he replied, "the will of the Lord be done, and it ought to be." His wife, the companion of his youth, and also, in his old age, to whom he was united in marriage sixty-nine years, survived him.
In early manhood, he enlisted in the Revolutionary army, and went with the expedition against Canada under Gen. Montgomery, enduring untold hardships during that most unfortunate campaign, when so many of his comrades were stricken with small-pox and other camp life diseases. Afterwards he was sent with others to reinforce Washington; was one of the sufferers in the retreat through New Jersey, and shared in the triumphs at Trenton and Princeton.
In his application for a pension, he mentions the battles of St. John, and Trenton, as among those in which he participated. He was finally granted a pension, and drew ninty-six dollars per year for the remainder of his life.
According to the record of the Connecticut men in the Revolution, he enlisted April 1, 1775, for nine months, as private, his Capt. was Porter, Col. not stated. In the Spring of 1776, he enlisted again, this time for twelve months, private, Capt. not stated, Col. was Ward.
One of his grand-daughters told the writer that, when he was about to enlist in the Revolutionary army, his mother took his gun and broke it, to keep him from going to the war, as her sympathies were with the king. She was unsuccessful, however, for he spent nearly two years in the army. His older brother, Mix, was a tory, and went over to the British, and what property he possessed was cofiscated, the proceedings of which may be seen in the Probate Court records in New Haven, Conn.
Children:
*425. Lucretia, b. May 8, 1783.
*426. Justus, b. June 24, 1785.
*427. David, b. Aug. 28, 1787.
*428. Mary, b. Oct. 15, 1789.
*429. Lyman, b. Oct. 30, 1791.
*430. Esther, b. April 30, 1794.
*431. Obedience, b. Sept. 26, 1796.
Source: Todd Family Genealogy
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