Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad
Company ; in 1902 he located in Green-
wich, where for a time he worked at the
building trade. In 1908 he became identified
with his present business as an em-
ployee, and sufficient warrant of his abil-
ity is shown by the fact that four years
later he became a member of the firm.
The business is conducted under the name
of the Mead Stationery Company. They
have a very fine store, up-to-date in all its
appointments. A fine general line of sta-
tionery is carried in addition to gift ar-
ticles. Besides these lines a very large
job printing business and finishing for
amateur photographers forms an important
part of the work.
Like his father, Mr. Todd is interested
in many outside matters. In 1904 he became
a member of the National Guard
of Connecticut, and the same year was
made a corporal ; in 1905, lieutenant ; first
lieutenant in 1906. Mr. Todd continued
in the Connecticut Guard until 1910. Later
he went in again and was commissioned
second lieutenant of the Connecticut State
Guard, in which he continued two years
as a member of Company A, Fifth Sepa-
rate Battalion.
Mr. Todd was the first president of the
Greenwich Chamber of Commerce and
held this ofiice for two years. During
the World War he was treasurer of the
local Liberty Loan Committee, and was
a member and treasurer of the Young
Men's Christian Association drive, and
the United War Work drive ; he was one
of the executive committee and treasurer
of the Greenwich War Bureau. The Red
Cross also came in for a share of his ac-
tivities, he serving as a member of its
executive committee ; he
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
also was secre-
tary of the Greenwich Fuel Commission.
Mr. Todd was a representative of the
United States Army Intelligence Service,
363
and served on the Citizens' Committee
and the executive committee.
Mr. Todd married Nellie Louise Hopkins,
daughter of James Allison and Maria
Hopkins, of Oxford, New York. Their
children who grew to maturity were:
Arthur, born June 21, 1911; James Hop-
kins, born May 24, 1916. The family at-
tend Christ Episcopal Church.
ST. JOHN, Darius Ayres,
Farmer, Public Official.
The ancestry of the St. John family is
an old and honored one. The records of
this family are found very early in the
annals of Connecticut and particularly in
Fairfield county.
(I) The immigrant ancestor of the fam-
ily was Matthias St. John or Sension, as
the name was originally spelled. He was
among the earliest settlers in Dorchester,
Massachusetts, in 1631-32, and was freeman
of the town, September 3, 1634. In
1640 he took up his abode in Windsor,
Connecticut, and there he was among the
earliest planters and acquired land by purchase
and by grant. Between 1636 and
1655 he was in Wethersfield. In 1654 he
removed with his family to Norwalk,
Connecticut, where he was prominent in
the affairs of the town government. His
will was dated October 19, 1669, and he
died in Norwalk, in the latter part of Oc-
tober or the first part of November, 1669.
(II) Matthias (2) St. John, son of the
immigrant, Matthias (i) St. John or Sension,
was born in England in 1631-32. He
died in Norwalk, Connecticut, December,
1728-29. He was a freeman of Norwalk,
and served as selectman and fence viewer
in 1659. The Christian name of his wife
was Elizabeth.
(III) Ebenezer St. John, son of Matthias
(2) and Elizabeth St. John, was