HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1160-61. [Franklin Co.]

McKENZIE ROBERTSON TODD, state inspector and examiner, and former private
secretary to Governor Willson, is one of Kentucky's foremost Republicans,
having been active in politics since 1895 and having been connected with
the Republican State Central Committee for years.  Mr. Todd is especially
well fitted both by excellent principles and native ability and talent for
positions of public trust and responsibility, while his executive and
diplomatic ability and his attainments as a forceful and able campaign
speaker have made him a valuable adjunct to the part to which he pays
allegiance.
     McKenzie Robertson Todd is by birth an Indianan, having been born in
Madison, that state, November 30, 1870.  His parents are William and Jane
(Robertson) Todd, both natives of Scotland, the land of the thistle.  When
young people they decided to cast their fortunes with a land of newer
civilization and richer resources.  They met and married in the Hoosier
state and in 1883 they moved to Kentucky, where they first located in
Shelbyville.  In 1884, however, they came to Frankfort, where the husband
followed his business, which was that of a merchant tailor, and two years
later, in 1886, his death occurred.  He left to mourn his loss a widow,
three sons and one daughter.  They were by name John R., Thomas R., and
McKenzie R., and Mary J., deceased.  Mrs. William Todd still resides in
Frankfort, having made her home in the capital city of the Blue Grass
state for some twenty-six years.
     Mr. Todd is indebted for his public school education both to the
schools of Indiana and to those of Frankfort.  After completing his
education he entered the University of Michigan, and in 1894 was graduated
from its law department.  He hung up his professional shingle in the home
city and in a gratifyingly short time was the possessor of an excellent
practice.  About this time, although only about twenty-five years of age,
he became interested and then active in politics and in 1896 was appointed
assistant attorney general, in which capacity he served the state until
1899, a period of three years.  During the brief time that Governor Taylor
was governor of Kentucky Mr. Todd served as his private secretary.  He was
again appointed to the office of assistant attorney general, and served
for two years more, after which he was made state statistical agent in
the United States department of agriculture, which position he resigned
to become private secretary to Governor Willson when that gentleman assumed
the gubernatorial office.  In this important capacity he served with
distinction from December 31, 1907, to April 25, 1910, when he resigned
to accept the appointment to the position of state inspector and examiner,
succeeding Mr. H. M. Thatcher, who had resigned.
     Among Mr. Todd's most valuable services must be noted those as a
member of the committee of five that successfully conducted the Republican
campaign of 1907 to a triumphant issue.  He is especially sought on account
of his convincing and eloquent oratory.  While a student at the University
of Michigan he was chosen, after a heated contest, to represent the
University at the National College League of Republican Clubs at their
annual meeting.  He is thus by no means a novice in the practice of moving
the popular mind by eloquent appeal.  As another evidence of the favor in
which Mr. Todd is held in high places is the fact that he was appointed by
Governor Willson a member of the Perry's Victory Centennial Commission,
under an act of the Kentucky legislature authorizing the state's executive
head to appoint five Kentuckians to represent the state in 1913 at the
centennial celebration at Put-in-Bay, Ohio.

Todd Robertson Thatcher
=
Shelbyville-Shelby-KY IN Scotland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/franklin/todd.mr.txt