Carrie E. Ludlow

ADKISON, LUDLOW

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/8/2004 at 13:20:40

Madison county has certainly given evidence of appreciation on the part of her citizens of the capability of her women as factors in public life, as several of the public offices are filled by women who have won high encomiums through the capability with which they have discharged the important duties devolving upon them. In this connection Miss Carrie E. Ludlow is well known, being county superintendent of schools. She was born in Winterset, September 3, 1875, a daughter of William O. and Eliza A. (Fuller) Ludlow. The father was born near Muscatine, Iowa, in 1840, and when about sixteen years of age came to Madison county with his parents, Benjamin and Rachel (Adkison) Ludlow, who were natives of Ohio and Indiana respectively. They were married in the latter state and became pioneer residents of Iowa. They cast in their lot with the early settlers of Madison county and Benjamin Ludlow purchased government land in Lincoln township, where he spent the remainder of his days. Both he and his wife have long since passed away. They bore an active and helpful part in the early development of the county and contributed to its progress along agricultural lines.

William O. Ludlow was reared upon the home farm and assisted his father in its cultivation until 1861, when he enlisted as a member of Company D, First Iowa Cavalry. He was with that command all through the war, being on active duty in Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas, during which time he participated in a number of hotly contested engagements, and by his bravery and loyalty proved his unfaltering allegiance to the Union cause. After the war he returned to his farm in this county and successfully engaged in its cultivation until he was called to the office of sheriff, being elected in 1873 on the republican ticket. He served for one term, and it was while he was acting in that capacity that the courthouse was destroyed by fire. On his retirement from office he engaged in the livery business with John Taylor, continuing along that line until 1878, when he removed to Fontanelle, Adair county, Iowa, where he engaged in the insurance business. In 1886 he went to western Nebraska and secured a homestead, living thereon for a year. He then located in Sidney, Nebraska, where he conducted a livery business until 1896. He then returned to Madison county and engaged in farming in Lincoln township until the spring of 1906, when he took up his abode in Winterset and retired from active business, there making his home until the 8th of June, 1907, when he was called to his final rest. He held membership in Pitzer Post, No. 55, G. A. R., and greatly enjoyed the association with his old army comrades, proudly wearing, as well he might, the little bronze button of the organization. In politics he was an active republican, never faltering in his allegiance to that party which was the defense of the Union in the dark days of the Civil war and has ever been the party of reform and advancement.

Mrs. Ludlow was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and was there reared. In early womanhood she came to the west to visit a sister in Adair county, Iowa, and there met Mr. Ludlow, who sought and won her hand in marriage. She survives him and makes her home in Winterset. There were two children in the family: Carrie E.; and Ernest W., who is in the railway commissioner's office at Des Moines.

Miss Ludlow attended the public schools of Winterset and the high school at Sidney, Nebraska, and began teaching in this county in 1896, spending three years as a teacher in the rural schools of Madison township. She then secured a situation in the public schools of Winterset, with which she was connected until 1912, when she became the candidate of the republican party for the office of county superintendent of schools. She assumed the duties of that position in January, 1913, and is now acting in that capacity. Her previous experience as a teacher well qualified her for her work in this connection. She has studied the needs and opportunities of the schools, keeps in touch with the advanced methods of the leading educators of the country and is doing everything in her power to improve educational conditions here. Her work has already given great satisfaction and has been attended with excellent results.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”