Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-18
KNEW JOHN BROWN.
LATE J. .. LApD, FORMER oTTuM-
WAN. WAS BUSINESS AssocI-
ATE OF FAMOUS CHARACTER.
Was Partner In Wool Buying and in
Famous Underground Railroad OPP
erations Before the Civil War
Died In vacasille, Cal, Feb. II.

That the late James d. Ladd, for
merly business man of Ottumwa was
q business partner and associate of the
famous John Brown, will come as a
surprise to his many friends in this
city. Mr.. Ladd was the father of Mrs.
A. D. Moss. formerly OF this city, but
now Of Denver, Colo, and Of the late
o. M. Ladd, who passed away in Dem
yer. during last year.
A sketch of the life Of the late Jas.
! d. Ladd which appeared In the Vaca-
I vile, Cal, Reporter, In which city Mr.
Ladd passed away will prove Of inter-
! est to many Ottumwa friends. 1t is
as follows:
Following is an interesting sketch
OF the eventful life of James D. Ladd
whose death occurred here February
IL. A portion Of the active years of
Mr.. Ladd's life were spent in the cen
ter Of the excitement and stress caused
by the war of the rebellion, and among
his acquaintances were several whose
names are associated with the history
Of our country during those stirring
times.
James benson Ladd was born Of
Quaker parentage at Smithfield, JET
serson county, Ohio, July 16, 1920. His
father, Benjamin w. Ladd, had shortly
before moved there from Richmond,
Va. and established a colony Of manu-
mitted slaves left to his care by his
brothers. Mr.. Ladd finished his edu-
cation at Westover Friends school
near Philadelphia and entered into his
fathers business of farming and pork
packin. soon after.
In 1841 he married at Massillon, G
Elizabeth Folger, daughter OF Capt
Mayhem Fo1ger of the ship Bounty, the
crew Of which mutinied and settled on
the Pitcairn Islands, and whose de-
scendants are living there now Six
children were born to this union. Two
daughters: Mrs. A. D. Moss of Denver
and Mrs. Carolyn Hall of Haverford,
Pa, survive him.
Mr.. Ladd's life was an extremely ac-
tive one and he was always interested
In the questions of the day. John
Brown of Harper's Ferry fame was at
one time business partner in wool
buying and also in the underground
railroading of Legroes to Canada dur
Ing the abolition excitement.
The subject Of this sketch also man
aged to devote a portion of his time
to politics and was member of the
state legislature of Ohio for two ses-
slons. In 1850 he was appointed one
OF three commissioners to select a site
and erect the state reform school.
During the war Of the rebellion he
was extensively engaged with his
brothers in pork packing, they having
houses at Pittsburg, Cincinnati and OF
tumwa, Ia. to which latter place he
removed his family in 1864 or 1866. His
wife died there in 1867.
In January 1870 at Chicago he mar
ried Hariette Az plmes, who with
their three childre.., James D., Laura
Z l., and Harry H., survive him.
MI. Iadd met. with an accident
while driving that resulted In hip trou-
BILE and permanent lameness. The
winters of Iowa being too severe for
t. As affection. he spent the winter of
SOB travelling through the state of
California, finally buying a ranch in
! Vacaville, and was always interested
in the growth OF the fruit industry,
for which he predicted great future.
Besides engaging In pork business,
Mr.. Laid for years bred and raised
fine sheep and horses on his farm near
Richmond, Ohio.
Mr. Ladd always remained Friend
saying that they would have been a
great religious body IL the founders
had left out their idea of a peculiar
dress and language He always gave
. literally as he was able to the sup
port of the gospel as preached by 9th
er denominations. particularly the
Methodist and Congregational.