Mary Todd Lincoln’s grandfather tried to save Lexington’s earliest history despite fire
Editor’s Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city’s history - some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange.
Jan. 31, 1803: A fire at the house of Levi Todd, the Fayette County clerk, destroys land records for the city and county.
Todd, one of the four Gentlemen Trustees for Lexington, was appointed the first clerk of Kentucky County in 1977. Todd and other settlers would go on to plan for the construction of buildings in the settlement.
He built the first brick house in the settlement in 1787, and built a stone round house on the property where he stored all the public documents of Fayette County. In 1803, a court ruling angered tenant farmers and squatters, who subsequently threatened to burn down the home.
While Todd’s home was saved, his round stone office was not, and most of the early records of the settlement were destroyed. What was left, and still legible, was later copied again by a special committee. Todd died in 1807, and is also known for being the grandfather of future First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
