Herbert W. Ladd
| Herbert Warren Ladd | |
|---|---|
Official portrait in the RI State House. Note the bicycle seat visible to Ladd's left.
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| 40th Governor of Rhode Island | |
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In office May 28, 1889 – May 26, 1890 |
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| Lieutenant | Daniel Littlefield |
| Preceded by | Royal C. Taft |
| Succeeded by | John W. Davis |
| 42nd Governor of Rhode Island | |
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In office May 26, 1891 – May 31, 1892 |
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| Preceded by | John W. Davis |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Russell Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 15, 1843 New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | November 29, 1913 (aged 70) |
| Cause of death | cerebral hemorrhage |
| Resting place | Swan Point Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Emma Burrows |
| Parents | Warren Ladd and Lucy Washburn Kingman |
| Profession | Dry goods merchant, Politician |
| Signature |  |
Herbert Warren Ladd (October 15, 1843 – November 29, 1913) was the 40th and 42nd Governor of Rhode Island for two terms: 1889–90 and 1891–92.
Ladd was born in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts on October 15, 1843. He was one of five children of Warren Ladd and Lucy Washburn Kingman. The elder Ladd was involved in New Bedford city politics.
Herbert started his career after high school as a dry goods merchant. During the Civil War he became a reporter for the New Bedford Mercury newspaper, covering several Massachusetts regiments. At war's end, he returned to the dry goods business, first in Boston, then in Rhode Island. His firm was called Ladd and Davis, later renamed the H.W. Ladd Company.
On May 25, 1870, Ladd married Emma Burrows of Providence; she died in 1889, just as her husband began his term as governor. They had six children.
He was an active member of the Freemasons.
When Ladd first ran for governor, in 1889, he was little-known in the state. In a three-way race, he received fewer votes than Democrat John W. Davis. The third candidate, with the fewest votes, ran under the Prohibition Party. Under the rules of the time, if no candidate received an outright majority, the result was decided by the General Assembly. The Republican-controlled Assembly chose Ladd.
In fact, Davis received more votes than Ladd three times, in 1889, 1890, and 1891, without winning a majority in any of the three races. The Assembly decided in favor of Ladd twice (1889 and 1891) and for Davis in 1890. The majority requirement was amended in November 1893 by the adoption of Amendment X to the Rhode Island Constitution, which allowed for a winner by plurality vote. In later years, several governors would win the office with a plurality, including: Lincoln Almond in 1994 with 47%; Lincoln Chafee in 2010 with 36%; and Gina Raimondo in 2014 with 41%.
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