One of the story lines in the novel I am working on now involves a businessman in 1864 seeking to increase his investments in the burgeoning new state of Oregon. Readers of my earlier novels will remember Caleb (Mac) McDougall. As he explores his business opportunities, it seems that every time he turns around he encounters William S. Ladd, a prominent citizen in Portland, Oregon, at the time.
William Sargent Ladd was born in Vermont, moved to New Hampshire as a child, and first worked as a farmer and teacher in New England. In 1851, he moved to California to go into business with Charles Tilton, a classmate who had a mercantile business in San Francisco. But by 1851, the San Francisco market was saturated with people seeking to profit from miners who flocked to California in search of gold. Therefore, Ladd continued north to Oregon Territory to start his own business. He took a small inventory of goods from Tilton with him, sold them at a profit, and slowly built his enterprises from there.
In April 1859, Ladd started the first bank in Oregon, the Ladd and Tilton Bank. He used the bank to invest in many successful businesses in the state. Some of these businesses included the Oregon Steam Navigation Company (1862), the Oregon Telegraph Company (also 1862), and the Oregon Central Railroad Company (1866). He also invested in the Oregon Central Military Wagon Road. The founding and running of some of these enterprises are part of the story I am writing.
Ladd was also a prominent politician in Oregon. He served on the city council of Portland and he had two terms as mayor of that city. He started his first term as mayor in 1853 when he was 27 years old—the youngest mayor ever in Portland’s history. Ladd was reelected mayor in 1857 against his wishes, but served out the vacant position until the next election in 1858. He began his political career as a Democrat, but became a Republican in 1864 to support Abraham Lincoln’s re-election.
In addition, Ladd contributed to almost every charitable cause in Portland during his tenure there. He was a strong proponent of public schools and libraries. With his support the first public school building in Portland opened in May 1858. He was also one of the first benefactors of the Portland library and gave it space in his bank building for the rent of $1/year.
In 1859, Ladd built a house on property encompassing a city block in Portland bounded by Jefferson, Broadway, Columbia, and 6th Avenue. After various additions, the house had thirty rooms. He later added a carriage house, which still stands.
Ladd’s obituary described him as “plain, courteous, and unassuming.” Would that the same could be said for the tycoons of the 21st century.
Does this story about William Ladd remind you of any 21st-century business people?
Very nice! And a role model for Mac…down to the institutional investments. Historical fiction at its finest.
Thanks, Pam.
I grew up just outside Portland, and remember not only the carriage house but the Ladd’s Addition neighborhood — which had some very interesting houses indeed.
Nice article!
Thanks Sharon. It’s been awhile since I was in Portland. I’d like to go back and find the places I’ve researched and written about.
Theresa
I have a photograph of General Robert E LEE. And there’s signatures on the back of it and numbers and RJ Ladd Portland Oregon. I believe he once owned it I don’t know whose signatures they are yet but I believe there is families.
Very interesting. The William Ladd I wrote about didn’t have any children with the initials “R.J.” but there could have been later family members with these initials. I think the Ladd family was fairly large.