David Tod

Who was David Tod?

David Tod was a politician and industrialist from the U.S. state of Ohio. As the 25th Governor of Ohio, Tod gained recognition for his forceful and energetic leadership during the American Civil War.

A Democrat who supported the war effort, Tod helped to maintain a fragile alliance between the state's Republicans and War Democrats and took steps to secure Ohio's borders. In 1863, the state's pro-Union party failed to nominate Tod for a second term because of his tepid support for the abolition of slavery and his unpopularity among the state's myriad political factions.

After completing his two-year term as Ohio governor, Tod turned down an invitation to serve in the government of President Abraham Lincoln, citing poor health. Tod died of a stroke in 1868, four years after the end of the war.