"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity, Oregon." Authors: "a
compilation of this work....by a number of writers".  Chicago: Chapman
Publishing Co., 1903. p. 433.
 
THOMAS G. TODD

     The clays of chivalry and knighthood can present no more thrilling story
than that of our own western history. In the front rank of the columns which
have advanced the civilization of the northwest Thomas G. Todd has led the way
to the substantial development, progress and upbuilding of Oregon, being
particularly active in the growth of Forest Grove, where he still makes his
home. He is numbered among. the pioneers of the Sunset state, his memory going
back to the time when the entire Pacific coast was but very sparsely settled,
when the Indians were more numerous than the white men and the land had not been
reclaimed for purposes of civilization, but remained in its primitive condition.
Today Mr. Todd is the owner of what is regarded everywhere as the finest farm in
Washington county. 
     In Livingston county, N. Y., Mr. Todd was born March 11, 1833. His father
was a farmer by occupation. His mother died during the early boyhood of her son
and he then went to live with relatives, with whom he remained until fifteen
years of age, when he started out to earn his own living, having been prepared
somewhat for the responsibilities of business life by a district school
education. He was first employed on a farm at $8 per month and followed that
pursuit until 1855, when he started for California. For a few years previous the
tide of emigration had been steadily flowing toward the Pacific coast. Mr. Todd
came by the way of the Isthmus route and arrived at San Francisco in the fall of
the year.  In the Golden state he followed mining until 1858 and then went to
the Fraser river, in British Columbia, but shortly afterward he came to Oregon,
settling first in Portland. For about three and one-half years he was employed
on a farm near that city and then went to Lewiston, Idaho, where he was engaged
in dealing in hay, being the first to embark in that business in his portion of
the state. He also conducted a drayage and express business, remaining at
Lewiston for two years. He afterward followed mining for two years at Warren,
Idaho, but in 1866 returned to Portland, 'and after looking for a good business
opening purchased an interest in the Trullinger mills at Oswego, where he
remained for two years. 
     Mr. Todd then traded his interest in the plant for four hundred acres of
land, the most of which was wild and covered with a native growth of timber. He
now owns an extensive tract of five hundred and eighty-five acres of land all in
one body, of which three hundred acres are under cultivation. He has made all of
the improvements upon this place and the Groveland farm is without doubt the
finest in Washington county. No equipment or accessory found upon a model farm
of the twentieth century is there lacking. He has splendid buildings, fine
stock, the latest improved machinery, highly cultivated fields, and his home is
supplied with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He makes a
specialty of raising Holstein cattle and fine sheep and is breeding some of the
finest Percheron horses in the northwest. 
     Mr. Todd has served for twelve years as county commissioner, exercising his
official prerogatives in support of every measure for the general good.  He was
also school director for several years and he belongs to the Masonic fraternity
and to the Grange, while in his political affiliations he is a Republican. He
belongs to the little group of distinctively representative business men who
have been the pioneers in inaugurating and building up the chief industries of
this section of the country. He early had the sagacity and prescience to discern
the eminence which the future had in store for this great and growing country,
and, acting in accordance with the dictates of his faith and judgment, he has
garnered, in the fullness of time, the generous harvest which is the just
recompense of indomitable industry, spotless integrity and marvelous enterprise

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned 
above.