Not sure if anyone is checking this thread still, but I am also a direct descendant of these Todds. My line goes through William's son, Samuel Todd/Elizabeth Hickman.
My line winds up in Horry Co and then into NC.
I picked up a book at my local library years ago called, "Colonist from Scotland, Emigration to North America 1707-1783" and was shocked to find this small passage in there that said, (Pg.100)
"In 1767 fifty indentured servants aboard the ship 'Pearl' which had arrived at Charleston from Glasgow, began to voice 'most violent complaints' over the ill usage they had received during the voyage at the hands of Captain Buchanan. They appealed to the governor and Council, to the Assembly, and to the local lawyers. Henry Laurens, the Charleston merchant, believed the master had done no more than strike some of them. Nevertheless he found himself insulted in the streets by some 'Irish' (probably Scotch-Irish) among the immigrants. So harassed was Laurens that he returned the bounty money he had drawn on forty-eight of them as indentured servants, converted them into ordinary settlers, and drew the bounty to which he was entitled for importing Protestants."
I have never confirmed if William Todd was an indentured servant, but the timing does seem to be correct and it would show how he got his land so quickly.
Excerpt from: "A Compilation of the Original Lists of Protestant Immigrants to South Carolina 1763-1773" Compiled by Janie Revill
Council Journal 33, page 306-311
Meeting of 12th. December 1767.
"The Clerk reported to his excellency that agreeable to his orders he had been on board the ship 'Pearl' Walter Buckanan, Master and had sworn the passengers lately arrived here from Scotland and Ireland agreeable to a list he delivered into the board."
"The following petitions from the following persons were presented and read setting forth that they were Protestants and had arrived from Great Britain and Ireland on the encouragement of the Bounty given by the Act of the General Assembly of this Province passed the 25th day of July 1761 and therefore prayed the same and also Warrants for their lands."
(William Todd is listed with 47 others receiving 100 acres of land, in Granville County.)
"Ordered that the Secretary do prepare Warrants of Survey accordingly. And that the Public Treasurer do pay the bounties of four pounds sterling for each of them to Henry Laurens Esq. on behalf of the owners of the ship they came over in towards payment of their passages and the remaining twenty shillings to themselves agreeable to the directions of the said Act on Mr. Laurens entering into Security to repay the Bounty he shall receive if he does not produce certificates in favor of them as required by the said Act."
I also have a few items that (May) show William's service during the Rev War under the command of Archibald McDonald. I ordered them from the SC Archives and they are copies of actual documents.
Again, I can only speculate that this is my ancestor since I have not done research on the subject in many years to confirm.
Seems like I am related to most of you that are posting in this thread!