Bios & Family Stories > Misc. Bios > Ladd, Scott M.

Served on the Iowa Supreme Court from January 1, 1897, until December 31, 1920. For four years of this period he was Chief Justice.

Born at Sharon, Wisconsin, June 19, 1855. He was graduated from Carthage College, Illinois, in 1879, and from the University of Iowa in 1881. He entered upon the practice of law at Sheldon, Iowa, in the same year. In the fall of 1886 he was elected Judge of the District Court, in which position he served for ten years and until elected to the Supreme Court. Judge Ladd's service on the court was equal to that of Judge Beck's -- the second longest in the history of the Supreme Court. After terminating his service on the court he associated himself with his two sons in the practice of law in Des Moines. One son, Mason Ladd, is now dean of the Law School at the State University and the other, Loy Ladd, is Judge of the District Court at Des Moines.

Judge Ladd was interested in the development of the State Historical department and also in making the capitol grounds one of the finest in America.

Judge Ladd died in Des Moines April 14, 1931.

Source of biographical sketch (verbatim transcription) and portrait: Annals of Iowa, 3rd series, Volume XXVI, Issue 2, July, 1944, page 151.
Transcriber’s note: Scott M. Ladd is buried in Masonic Cemetery, Polk County, Iowa