Governor Herbert W. Ladd papers

Series — Box: Governor Herbert W. Ladd papers, 1872-1894

Identifier: C#00081

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Record in incoming correspondence, personal notes & scrapbook of newspaper clippings relating to business & organizational dealings while serving as president of the Commercial Club of Providence & two non consecutive administrations as governor of Rhode Island, 1889 – 1890 & 1891 – 1892

Dates

1872-1912

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

No special restrictions unless otherwise specified.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is in the public domain unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to restrict reproduction of materials due to preservation concerns.

Biographical / Historical

Herbert Warren Ladd was born at New Bedford, MA, Oct. 15, 1843, the son of Warren & Lucy (Kingman). Educated in the public schools of New Bedford he graduated in 1860 and soon after was employed as a reporter and war correspondent for the New Bedford Mercury. After the war he settled in Boston, MA and was engaged in the dry goods business. On May 25, 1870, he married Emma Frances Burrows of Providence and shortly thereafter removed to Rhode Island and established the H. W. Ladd Company a large dry goods house located at 203 Westminster Street in Providence. The company was formerly incorporated in June 1887. A prominent merchant Governor Ladd was also active in several organizations including the Providence Board of Trade, Commercial Club of Providence, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Brown University which in 1891 he donated a full equipped observatory. In politics a republican, he received the nomination of the party for governor in 1889. Although both Ladd and his opponent John W. Davis failed to receive a majority of votes in the general election he was chosen governor by the legislature under act established for that purpose. Running against Davis again in 1890 and 1891, a majority was also not obtained by either candidate with Davis chosen governor in 1890 and Ladd again in 1891. Governor Ladd also served as chairman of the State House Commission established to oversee the building and operation of the new state capital in Providence. Governor Ladd died at Butler Hospital in Providence, Nov. 29,1913 and is buried at Swan Point Cemetery

Sources: Mohr, Ralph S., Rhode Island Governors for Three Hundred Years, Rhode Island Graves Registration Committee, 1954; Rhode Island Manual, 1891 - 1892; State Vital Record Filings