John Henry, third son of William and Jane (née Murphy) Todd, was born in 1851. He married Mary Gertrude Sweeney in 1875. They had no children. John, in partnership with his brother Francis, ran a butcher's shop in Mount Moriac. With William Thomas Bartrop he was brought before the court in October 1876 charged with the murder of Thomas Lilley. Lilley had been badly injured when driving his waggon near the Waurn Ponds Tollgate and made a deposition while in hospital. The prisoners had been found with blood on their hands and clothes. Lilley's clothes and whip were found at Bartrop's house. Various witnesses, some who had spent the day drinking at hotels in Geelong gave conflicting accounts of the events that had taken place. Todd and Bartrop were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in gaol. Mary Todd was declared insolvent in 1880. One of the reasons for her financial troubles was the falling off of business. John was released on 19 November 1883. Francis had moved to Pyramid Hill by 1885 when his first child was born. John died on 17 July 1887 aged 37 years at St Huberts Post Office* where Mary was postmistress. He was buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Lilydale Lawn Cemetery. Mary married Pat Loughery in 1895. She died in 1925 aged 81 years at Donald. *St Huberts Post Office opened 1 November 1874 and was renamed Yeringberg Post Office on 15 August 1890 |