J. S. LADD

J. S. LADD is now living retired in Judsonia & no history of the town would be complete without extended reference to him, for through 35 years he was closely associated with its mercantile interests & with development & progress of the city arising therefrom. His birth occurred near Franklin, in Williamson county, Tenn., April 9, 1848, his parents being T. G. & Mary Jane (SMITHSON) LADD, both of whom were natives of Middle Tenn. & representatives of old families of that state. The grandfather in the paternal line was Noble LADD, who was born in Tenn. & belonged to one of the pioneer families of the
south. He followed farming & owned slaves to the time of his death, which occurred during the Civil War period. The grandfather of J. S. LADD on the distaff side was Samuel SMITHSON, who was likewise a native of Tenn., where his ancestors settled during the Revolutionary War period. He spent most of his life in his native state.

T. G. LADD, father of J. S. LADD, was a school teacher, following the profession for 45 years. A man of liberal education, he held to high ideals in the work of the schoolroom & contributed much to the intellectual progress of the community in which he lived. He afterward engaged in merchandising in Memphis from 1862-1865 & he departed this life at the ripe old age of 74
years, while his wife died in White Co., Ark., at the age of 79. His political support was originally given to the Whig party & on the dissolution of that party he joined hteh ranks of the Democrats. He was a mason & his wife was connected to the Order of
the Eastern Star, while both held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, south. In their family were 8 children, 4 of whom are living, Minerva Ann, Samuel N., & Mary M., having all departed this life, as has Martha E. These were the 3 eldest
& the 5th member of the family. Those who survive are: J. S.; Eliza J., living in Louisville, Kentucky; T. G., of Memphis, Tenn.; and W. F., a resident of Covington, Tenn.

J. S. LADD was educated in western Tenn., where he attended the subscription schools, being largely under the instruction of his father. The year 1869 witnessed his arrival in White Co., Ark., at which time he purchased bottom land & engaged in general farming. A little later he removed to Judsonia, where he established a confectionary store but later developed it into a
general merchandise house, which he conducted under his own name. He remained an active factor in the merchantile circles of the city for 35 years ere he retired from business in 1915 to enjoy in well earned rest the fruits of his former toil. On the 8th of May, 1870, Mr. LADD was married to Miss Mollie VANDAL, a native of Tenn., who died in 1885. They had
a family of 7 children, 2 of whom died in infancy, while Sarah J. has also departed this life. Lula is the widow of Dr. W. J. MILLER, who was a practicing physician of Griffithville & she now makes her home at Little Rock; Pearl is the widow of Eugene WINSOTT, who was a liveryman of Judsonia; Walker is engaged in the garage buisness at Newport & at Judsonia;
and the youngest child died in infancy. The mother was a consistant member of the Baptist Church. For his second wife Mr. LADD chose Miss Hal KEY, a native of Ark., and to them were born 10 children, 7 of whom are living: Clifton, who is a
graduate of the Memphis Dental College & is now practicing dentisty in Marvell, Phillips Co., Ark.; Frances, the wife of Carl GARMS, a contractor of Little Rock; Mary, the wife of Thomas WELLS of Searcy; Catherine, the wife of J. K. JEMERSON, manager of a garage at Judsonia; Ester, the wife of Irvin WINN, a banker of Bald Knob; 2 children who died in
infancy; Johnnie, who died at the age of 4 years; and Henry & Elizabeth, at home. The mother of this family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Politically Mr. LADD is a democrat and for 2 terms served as Postmaster to Judsonia
under Pres. Cleveland. He was also elected constable, being chosen to that office at one time when he was the only democrat elected in the county, a fact indicative of his personal popularity & the confidence reposed in him. He was opposed by a populist. His had been a usefull & well spent life & the sterling worth of his character is attested by all with whom he has come
into contact. As a merchant he conrtributed in large measure to the business development of Judsonia & while he has now retired from mercantile pursuits he is still interested in a garage, the company being the authorized Ford agent at Judsonia, hadling the Ford supplies & accessories and also the Fordson tractor. Throughout his career Mr. LADD has beencharactorized by a progressive spirit & his derermined purpose has enabled him ulimately to  reach his objective. His career, morever, proves that success & an honored name may be won simutaneously & his example is well worthy of emulation.

SOURCE: (From "A Centennial History of Arkansas", edited by Dallas T. Herndon, the Director of the Dept. of Archives & History,
published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock, 1922.)

SUBMITTED BY: Misty Flannigan
Feb 13, 1998