William Howard Ladely, Jr.

LADELY, DOTY

Posted By: David Ladely (email)
Date: 1/19/2011 at 21:17:09

William Howard Ladely, Jr.

William Howard Ladely, Jr., "Will" or "Ben" (according to family history by Evelyn Slack Moore), was born April 1, 1862, on the family farm in Washington Township, near Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio. As a child of three, his parents, after due consideration, decided that their future lay in the undeveloped plains of Iowa, so with his parents, brothers, and sisters, they made the long, overland trip by covered wagon. The family settled first at Brooklyn, Iowa, where they spent two years and a daughter, sister to William, was born. They then moved to a farm near Deep River. lived in Dayton township, sections 18 and 20, Iowa County, Iowa, bounded by the Poweshiek County line on the west, where his parents had a farm.

On March 23, 1884, William was united in holy wedlock with Cynthia Jane Doty. Together they faithfully tilled the soil of Dayton Township in Iowa County. In about 1893, they bought and moved to the home where they died, William fifty-four years later, near the Powesheik County line on the west, where his parents had a farm. Though the farm was in Iowa County, it was on a Deep River mail route, Powesheik County, Iowa. The railroad came in about a mile west of Deep River, so the town was moved close to the tracks. The old town was in the vicinity of the Dresden Cemetery. There is good land for farming, but no river at Deep River. Lore says the name derived from an old Indian name. Deep River's official birth year is 1884.

"Red" Icenbice relates that Will Ladely was stabbed in the stomach in a ruckus at a dance in Will's barn, but he recovered.

Will Ladely took in his sister Charlotte's son Ernest Icenbice when he was 13 years old, out of work, sick, and starving. Ernest had been living with his mother and sister at his bachelor uncle Joe's and spinster Mary's place on the Bill Ladely farm after his father was killed, but he ran away because Joe was very mean to him. From then on, Will Ladely took a hand in raising his nephew with his large family, along with his nephew Russell Ladely, who had left home, had also suffered under Joe and left there. Ernest's son, "Red" Icenbice, remembers Will Ladely as a quiet, gentle old man with a bushy white mustache who died when Red was a small boy.

Will's wife died twenty-six years before his death, but he was not left alone, Ida having remained at home. He also made a home for two granddaughters, Lena (later Mrs. Vernon McCulley of What Cheer) and Mildred (later Mrs. Durward Morrow of Leighton, IA).

Will fell out of a hay mow up in the barn one summer late in his life, injuring his shoulder and collar bone. That winter, a horse fell on Will, injuring his hip. An Osteopath was sent for, who worked on Will's shoulder and collar bone first.

In the last years of his life, Will had to use caution getting around. He was bedfast several times since October, 1945, but he had the constant, unfailing care by his two daughters, Ida and Addie. He was called by death on January 8,1947, on the Ladely home farm in Dayton Township, Iowa County, Iowa, the cause being a complete wearing out of the physical system, thus came to a close a life that had reached the age of 84 years, 9 months, and 7 days. He left behind to mourn his departure six children, one step-son, two brothers, one sister, seventeen grandchildren, twenty-six great=grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral services were held at 2PM Saturday, January 11, 1947, in the Methodist Church at Deep River, Iowa. Music by Kenneth Icenbice and Delmar Hopwood, with Reverend Robert M. Parris officiating. Casket bearers were grandsons: Harold Smothers, Gerald Ladely, Leonard George, Laverne Ladely, Vernon McCulley, and Marion Ladely. Burial at Golden Rod Cemetery at Deep River, Iowa.

About two years after Will died, Barney Icenbice bought his 320 acre farm, joining the two farms on the east. Ivan "Red" Icenbice said he lived in Will's Ladely's house for nine years after he returned from the Navy in 1955. The Icenbice home place joined it on the east and Barney lived there from 1948 until his death in 1964.

Evelyn Slack Moore, who wrote a family history on the Ladelys and the Slacks, recalls that "Ben (a nickname) was a great old man, he was everyone's friend. I have been to his home many times when I was a small kid. Always went with my grandparents and aunt Julia and Bessie. My grandfather, Philip Henry Slack, was a brother to (Ben's) mother."