William S. Ladd

William Sargent Ladd (October 10, 1826 – January 6, 1893) was an American politician and businessman in Oregon. He twice served as the mayor of Portland, Oregon, in the 1850s. A native of Vermont, he was a prominent figure in the early development of Portland, and co-founded the first bank in the state in 1859. Ladd also built the first brick building in Portland and was a noted philanthropist. Part of his former estate, the Ladd Carriage House, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Early life

William Ladd was born to Nathaniel Gould Ladd and Abigail Kelley Mead on October 10, 1826, in Holland, Vermont. Nathaniel was of English heritage and received his education at Dartmouth College, becoming a physician, while Abigail was from New Hampshire. When William was seven years old, the family moved to Sanborton Bridge, New Hampshire, where he was educated in the local public schools and an academy. Disillusioned with the demotion, and spurred by reports from Samuel R. Thurston and a local shopkeeper who had returned with a large fortune, he decided to move west to work with Charles E. Tilton, a former classmate, who was involved in a mercantile business in San Francisco.

Ladd left from New York City on February 27, 1851, and sailed to San Francisco, traveling over the Isthmus of Panama. Immediately upon arriving, Ladd went into a bar owned by Colburn Barrell, who gave Ladd a free drink and a new pair of shoes, since his only shoes were in poor condition. Reed's wife Amanda had accompanied the future Mrs. Ladd out West and the future Reed couple were to meet through Ladd.

The Ladd and Tilton Bank

W.S. Ladd with Tilton founded the Ladd and Tilton Bank, the first bank in Oregon, in April 1859. Ten years later Bush would buy out Ladd and become the sole proprietor of the financial institution.

Politics

In 1853 and again in 1856, Ladd served on the city council in Portland. He served as fifth mayor of the city, serving from March 15, 1854, to April 1, 1855. He served again as the eighth mayor from 1857 to 1858 (at the time by convention the mayors held office for one year terms). Ladd was one of the first people to contribute funds toward the creation of the Portland Library fund (now the Multnomah County Library) and for 22 years gave it space at an annual rent of one dollar on the second floor in the Ladd and Tilton Bank, above the banking floor, until a purpose-built building was opened for it built by public subscription and generous benefactors such as he. The new Portland Library Building with the Art Gallery on the second floor was opened just after his death under the presidency of Henry Failing on June 7, 1893. He endowed a chair at the state's medical school in Portland (later Oregon Health & Science University). He endowed a scholarship at Willamette University in Salem. He endowed a chair at the Presbyterian's seminary in San Francisco in 1886. Ladd also helped to establish River View Cemetery in Portland.

Ladd enthusiastically supported his wife Caroline's educational, charitable, and religious works and credited his success in life to her cooperation and sympathy. Among her many charitable contributions she donated money to build the first purpose-built Portland Art Museum on land left for that purpose with a bequest from her husband's business associate Henry W. Corbett, her daughter Helen's father-in-law.

Residence

Ladd built his house and landscaped the grounds occupying the Portland city block bounded by what is now Jefferson, Broadway, Columbia and 6th Avenue. It was built in 1859, designed by E.M. Burton, the original being a two-story Italianate flat-roofed villa-style with a cupola. Ladd had ordered plans for the house after his wife, Caroline Elliott Ladd, had admired one of similar design in Concord on a trip east in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Ladd and their growing family had moved in by Christmas 1860 after it had been fitted out with panelling and detailing shipped from the east.

The Oregonian Building was later built on the site. The Oregonian Building was subsequently bought by Amazon's AWS Elemental, formerly Elemental Technologies, whose headquarters now occupies the building.

Infirmity and death

In the 1880s Ladd was suffering from a growing paralysis of his legs and had to steer a Bath chair pushed by an attendant for mobility, although once he was seated behind his desk visitors would not necessarily have known, and he continued his business and philanthropic activities with the aid of his eldest son, William M. Ladd.

His estate was variously believed to have been valued from $5 million

In 1909, his Hazel Fern Farm in Multnomah County was sold to become the Laurelhurst neighborhood, including Laurelhurst Park

Reed College was built on forty acres of William S. Ladd's land. The site for the college was donated by his son William M. Ladd.

The SS William S. Ladd Liberty ship (#2084) honouring his memory was launched on September 13, 1943, and was sunk by Kamikaze attack on December 10, 1944, 11 miles south of Dulag, Leyte, Pacific Islands.