TODD, JAMES CLYDE

by Rosa Todd Prentice

Entry F419 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

James and Betty Todd January 1950 50th Anniversary in Valentine, Nebraska.

James Clyde Todd was born April 6, 1882,
a Galax, Virginia, to Nannie Reavis and
Bennett Todd. Jim grew to manhood in the
state of Virginia. He was united in marriage
on January 8, 1900 to Betty Cordelia Hawk-
ins, also of Virginia.

Jim spent some of his working days in
Virginia, hauling logs which were loaded on
wagons and pulled by oxen. Each man that
was working would furnish a team of oxen.

In 1910, Jim and Betty moved with their
family of six children to Mullen, NE. They
came to Mullen on the train, where they ere
met by an uncle of Jim's, Frank Reavis, who
had moved to the Mullen area earlier from
Virginia.

The Todd family stayed at the Reavis
home while they prove-up on some land. The
Reavis home was north of Mullen on the
North Loup River in the Big Creek area.

The Todd family moved from the Reavis
home to the John Hall place north of Mullen,
which was closer to the land they were
proving-up on. They were also building a sod
house on their Homestead, which was located
35 miles north of Mullen and 3 miles east of
the John Roseberry Ranch. Three more
children were born to Jim and Betty while
they lived in this community. Betty moved
into Mullen and sent the children to school.
Five of the older children graduated from the
high school in Mullen.

Jim and Betty and some of the younger
children moved to the Sparks, Ne. area in the
spring of 1926. They lived with their daughter
Blanche and her husband, Jim Rittenhouse
for about a year, before they moved east of
Valentine to the Bristof place. From 1929 to
1937, they lived in a stone house about 1/2
mile east of Smith Falls. Then in 1938 to 1948
they lived on the Wallcot place about 1 mile
west of Smith Falls.

Jim and Betty retired in November 1948
and moved to Valentine, Ne. They celebrated
their 50th Wedding Anniversary in January
1950. Jim died from a heart attack in
November 1950. Betty died September 23,
1961.

The following children of James and Betty
Todd were born before they moved to
Nebraska Charles L. Todd was born July 26,
1900. Charley married Eva Hoyt of Mullen,
Ne., in July of 1926. Six children were born
to this union, Rex, Duane, Joyce, Rudy, Jewel
and Vonda Lee. Charley and Eva are both
deceased. Their son Rex is also deceased.

Bennett Abner Todd was born March 9,
1902. He married a classmate, Thyra Pierce,
August 1932. After Ben's tour of duty with
the navy, Ben and Thyra lived in Long Beach,
CA. Ben died in 1981. Thyra still lives in Long
Beach, CA.

Blanche Todd was born December 31,
1903. she married Jim Rittenhouse in 1925.
They met while she was teaching school near
the Big Creek Ranch. They both are deceas-
ed. Blanche died April 1, 1986. They had one
daughter Ethel Rose.

Rosa Todd was born January 18, 1907. She
married Will Prentice of Mullen, NE. They
live in Springview, NE. They had five
children Harold, Edward, Annabelle, Dan
and Dixie.

Ruth Todd was born April 9, 1909. She
married Fred Morrison of the Spark, NE
community. They had three children Betty,
Lavon, and Billy. Fred died in 1939. Ruth
married Lawrence Stone of Wood Lake, NE.,
in 1948. He died in October 1965. Ruth now
lives in Wenatchee, Wa.

Roy Todd was born December 18, 1906. As
a young man he moved to Montana, he later
returned to the Sparks area. He married
Augusta Polen of Sparks, Ne. They moved
back to Montana where they were living when
Roy died, February 8, 1986. Gusty still lives
in Montana. They had four children Leta,
Robert, Bruce and Connie.

Three children were born to James and
Betty Todd after they moved to Nebraska.

Fred and Frank (Twins) were born April
3, 1912. Frank married Ida Kuhre of Spark,
NE. They had two children Jim and Janet.
Frank died in September 1948. Ida lives in
the Ainsworth, NE area.

Fred married Ulda Jackson of Valentine,
NE. They had one son, Ross. Fred and Ulda
are both deceased.

Pearl Todd was born March 14, 1914. She
married Rolland Fullerton of Sparks, Ne.
They had three children Dennis, Diane and
Shirley. Rolland died December 1983. Pearl
lives in Valentine, Ne.