Edwin Freemont Ladd was born at Starks, Maine on December 13, 1859, the son of John and Rosilla (Locke) Ladd. He graduated from Somerset Academy, Athens Maine, and the University of Maine in 1884 where he studied chemistry.  In 1890 Professor Ladd was asked by H.E. Stockbridge of the newly established North Dakota Agricultural College and Experiment Station in Fargo to become Professor of Chemistry at the college and chemist of the Agricultural Experiment Station. With his arrival began a long and distinguished career in North Dakota. During his tenure at the Agricultural College Professor Ladd served as chemist, Dean of the School of Chemistry and Pharmacy, and became president of the institution in 1916 where he served until being elected to the United States Senate in 1921 with the support of the Nonpartisan League. Professor Ladd became most noted for his work in the area of food adulteration and the pure food laws. In 1902 he was appointed State Food Commissioner which he held until 1921. Through his efforts the North Dakota legislature passed several bills aimed at eliminating adulteration in various products which gained Professor Ladd a state and national reputation.

The Ladd collection is a combination of original and artificially assembled manuscripts and papers documenting the life of Professor Ladd and some members of his family with the greater majority of material artificially assembled.  The correspondence is of course very scattered with the most important item the letterpress book covering the period 1890 to 1895 and including letters to James B. Power and J.H. Bosard concerning the organization of a North Dakota dairymen association.  The biographical section contains copies of thesis, and other typed material documenting various aspects of Senator Ladd's life. The most extensive are Alfred Melby's thesis, and H.C. Walster's 114-page work which includes a comprehensive bibliography of the publications of Prof. Ladd. 
 

Politics and Government