Herbert Warren Ladd (October 15, 1843November 29, 1913) was the 40th and 42nd Governor of Rhode Island for two terms: 1889–90 and 1891–92. Life and career Ladd was born in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts on October 15, 1843. He was one of five children of Warren Ladd and Lucy Washburn Kingman. The elder Ladd was involved in New Bedford city politics. Herbert started his career after high school as a dry goods merchant. During the Civil War he became a reporter for the New Bedford Mercury newspaper, covering several Massachusetts regiments. At war's end, he returned to the dry goods business, first in Boston, then in Rhode Island. His firm was called Ladd and Davis, later renamed the H.W. Ladd Company. On May 25, 1870, Ladd married Emma Burrows of Providence; she died in 1889, just as her husband began his term as governor. They had six children. He was an active member of the Freemasons. Governor When Ladd first ran for governor in 1889, he was little-known in the state. In a three-way race, he received fewer votes than Democrat John W. Davis. The third candidate, with the fewest votes, ran under the Prohibition Party. Under the rules of the time, if no candidate received an outright majority, the result was decided by the General Assembly. The Republican-controlled Assembly chose Ladd. In fact, Davis received more votes than Ladd three times, in 1889, 1890, and 1891, without winning a majority in any of the three races. The Assembly decided in favor of Ladd twice (1889 and 1891) and for Davis in 1890. The majority requirement was amended in November 1893 by the adoption of Amendment X to the Rhode Island Constitution, which allowed for a winner by plurality vote. In later years, several governors would win the office with a plurality, including: Lincoln Almond in 1994 with 47%; Lincoln Chafee in 2010 with 36%; and Gina Raimondo in 2014 with 41%. State House commission In Ladd's first address as governor, he advocated for building a new State House. Ladd was named chairman of the State House Commission. The General Assembly announced an architectural competition for designs; however, Ladd and commission advisor Richard Morris Hunt decided they wanted Charles Follen McKim for the job, and made sure that he "won" the competition. It was reported that Ladd paid a "considerable amount of money" out of his own pocket to