Tod, John Grant, 1808-1877

John Grant Tod was born November 14, 1808. He served in the Mexican navy and United States Navy before joining the Texas Navy in 1837. In 1842 Tod resigned and moved to Washington where he lobbied for the Republic of Texas. In 1851 Tod served as a delegate to the London Industrial Exhibition. Tod married Abigail Fisher West in 1851; he died on August 14, 1877.

From the description of John G. Tod papers, 1836-1929, (bulk 1836-1841). (San Jacinto Museum of History). WorldCat record id: 47656963

John Grant Tod (1808–1877) was a naval officer and one of the founders of the first railroad in Texas. Born in Kentucky, he left home at age seventeen and joined the Mexican navy in New Orleans. He served as a midshipman in the United States Navy, in the Caribbean, 1830-1833, and was discharged in 1836 due to a fever. In 1837 he arrived in Texas, became a customs inspector for Velasco, and became a naval inspector one year later. He served as a purchasing agent for the Texas Navy, 1838-1840, and played a prominent role in the creation of what was deemed at the time the second navy. Tod became a navy commander in 1839 and took command of the Galveston naval station in 1840. Additionally, during that year he served as acting secretary of the navy, a position he held until 1842, when he resigned to lobby for U.S. annexation in Washington, D. C. He carried the notification of annexation back to Texas in 1845.

Tod returned to military duty in the Mexican War, serving in the U.S. Navy as well as representing the U.S. quartermaster general at the Brazos Santiago Depot and at New Orleans. He supervised the effort to bring old Texas Navy ships back for use in the U.S. Navy. In 1847 Tod once more resigned from duty to start a railroad line in Mexico, but returned to the U.S. two years later. By 1852, Tod, Sidney Sherman, and others had founded the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway. Tod was appointed the Texas delegate to the London Industrial Exhibition in 1851. By 1857 Tod was a superintendent and supervisor of work on the Guadalupe and Colorado rivers. Additionally, he worked for the federal government, supervising the construction of the Galveston customhouse and post office, and led several other business ventures in Galveston County. His Dickinson Packery, which operated throughout the Civil War, went bankrupt by 1871.

Source : Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Tod, John Grant, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/TT/fto5.html (accessed August 2, 2010).

From the guide to the Tod, John Grant Papers 1931; 1947; 1950; 66-180., 1833-1872, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

The youngest of nine children, John Grant Tod was born on November 14, 1808, to Scottish immigrant parents, William and Margaret Tod. In 1825 he traveled to New Orleans where he joined the Mexican Navy. After obtaining a commission in the United States Navy through the influence of Henry Clay, Tod served from 1830 until illness forced his discharge in 1836. In 1837 Tod arrived in Texas intending to join the Texas Navy. From 1838 to 1840, Tod was appointed a naval inspector, received his commission as a commander, oversaw the construction and outfitting of the second navy in Baltimore, and briefly served as acting secretary of the Texas Navy. In 1842 Tod resigned and moved to Washington where in addition to personal business pursuits he lobbied for the Republic of Texas. In 1845 he returned to Texas with the official notification of annexation.

During the Mexican War (1846-1848), Tod once again served in the United States Navy and assisted in recommissioning the Texas naval vessels for United States service. After several business ventures, in 1852 he founded the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos, and Colorado railway along with Sidney Sherman and eastern capitalists. In 1851 Tod served as the Texas delegate to the London Industrial Exhibition. Tod married Abigail Fisher West of Delaware in 1851; the couple had three children. John G. Tod died on August 14, 1877, at his home in Harrisburg, Texas.

From the guide to the John G. Tod papers MC037. 47656963., 1836-1929, (Bulk: 1836-1841), (Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library, )

John Grant Tod (1808-1877) was a naval officer and one of the founders of the first railroad in Texas.

Born in Kentucky, he left home at age seventeen and joined the Mexican navy in New Orleans. He served as a midshipman in the United States Navy, in the Caribbean, 1830-1833, and was discharged in 1836 due to a fever. In 1837 he arrived in Texas, became a customs inspector for Velasco, and became a naval inspector one year later. He served as a purchasing agent for the Texas Navy, 1838-1840, and played a prominent role in the creation of what was deemed at the time the second navy. Tod became a navy commander in 1839 and took command of the Galveston naval station in 1840. Additionally, during that year he served as acting secretary of the navy, a position he held until 1842, when he resigned to lobby for U.S. annexation in Washington, D. C. He carried the notification of annexation back to Texas in 1845.

Tod returned to military duty in the Mexican War, serving in the U.S. Navy as well as representing the U.S. quartermaster general at the Brazos Santiago Depot and at New Orleans.

He supervised the effort to bring old Texas Navy ships back for use in the U.S. Navy. In 1847 Tod once more resigned from duty to start a railroad line in Mexico, but returned to the U.S. two years later. By 1852, Tod, Sidney Sherman, and others had founded the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway. Tod was appointed the Texas delegate to the London Industrial Exhibition in 1851. By 1857 Tod was a superintendent and supervisor of work on the Guadalupe and Colorado rivers. Additionally, he worked for the federal government, supervising the construction of the Galveston customhouse and post office, and led several other business ventures in Galveston County. His Dickinson Packery, which operated throughout the Civil War, went bankrupt by 1871.

From the description of Tod, John Grant Papers, 1833-1872 (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 776604233