Franklin LADD, descendant of
John C. LADD and Martha E. MOUNTCASTLE
Source: Origin of First Baptist Church of Oliver Springs 1846-1980) by Snyder E. Roberts
Page 60
FRANK LOUIS LADD was born July 15, 1879 in sugar Grove Valley. He was the gr-grandson of John C. Ladd (1782 VA - 1859) and Martha E. Mountcastle Ladd (1795 VA - 1876) who came to Roane County about 1819, and were the parents of at least eleven children. They acquired much land in the Lawnville area of Roane County. One son, JOHN F. LADD (1827-1913), married SARAH JANE DRISKILL (1836-1926) and they were the parents of 12 children. John F. owned a large farm in the forks of Clinch and Emory Rivers.
One of their sons, FRANKLIN LADD, (1852-1922) married DORA KREIS (1854-1914). Franklin Ladd was a farmer and a County road Commissioner. Franklin and Dora were the parents of nine children, including our subject Frank. L. Ladd.
Frank L. Ladd evidently received a good education in local schools. He married MARTHA ELIZABETH MEAD (1884-1935) who was a descendant of WILLIAM MEAD (1757-1831), a Rev. War soldier and a pioneer of Roane County. Frank and "Lizzie" are buried in the Oliver Springs Cemetery. Their children were: LEONARD EARL, ALBERT BLYE, and MATTIE LOU (Mrs. JOHN ED. DOWLING)
Of the many persons who have contributed with their time, talent and money to bring the First Baptist Church to its present status, Frank L. Ladd must rank near the top for individual effort. His Church membership was comparatively short lasting from 1923 until his sudden death in 1930. He served the Church as a Deacon and Treasurer, and was the principal leader in conducting the Church's remarkable growth through the 1920's.
Frank L. Ladd first lived on Main Street in the first house north of Keeblers Store. In 1927 he bought the old J. S. Keebler homeplace at the corner of Roane Street and Estabrook Avenue, and remodeled it. The Ladds were among the first families in Oliver Springs to have running water and indoor bathroom facilities in their home.
Frank L. was a prosperous farmer and a successful businessman. He had grown up on a farm in Sugar Grove Valley, and came to Oliver Springs to contract grade work for the L&N Railroad to Windrock. He later contracted jobs for building highways especially old #61 through Orchard View-Jonesville area, and a highway at Jamestown, TN. In 1921, he bought the old 140-acre Ellen Scott farm which included the present High School campus, Arrowhead Park, the J. O. Parten farm, and Schoolhouse Hill.
However, it was in logging operations where he was most successful financially. These logging operations included the establishment of "logging camps" back in the virgin-timber covered mountains, skidding the logs off the mountains, and hauling the logs by horse, or mule teams from Windrock, Frost Bottom, etc. to the Log Yard at the L&N Railway Depot in Oliver Springs. From the Log Yard, the logs were shipped by railway cars to Vestal Lumber Co. and other lumber companies in Knoxville.
Frank Ladd was an active member of Omega Lodge #536 F&AM. In politics, he was a Republican. He served as an Alderman on the Oliver Springs city Council, and one term as the "high" Sheriff of Roane County.
In The Story of Oliver Springs, TN and Its People, Vol. II, Snyder E. Roberts tells about Rose Terrace, a landmark house built by James K. Butler, and later occupied by CHRIS J. LADD and his wife, MATILDA COX LADD. (This house is very near the home mentioned above.) He says that Chris Ladd was elected Sheriff of Roane County in 1926, but died nine months later. At his death, his wife was sworn in as Sheriff and served 13 days until the County Court and elected her brother-in-law, Frank L. Ladd, to the office. Chris J. Ladd and Matilda "Tilda" Cox Ladd were the parents of DORA LADD who married HOWARD H. BAKER, SR. and grandparents of Senator HOWARD HENRY BAKER, JR.