John Ladle & Susanna Trappett Ladle
John and Susanna were both born in England. They didn’t meet each other until they were living in America. In England they did not have beautiful mountains, it was a very level country. In a small town called Retham, Norfolk, England lived a family called the Ladle’s, William and Mary Ladle. The couple was very industrious and hard working. One cold winter day on February 2nd, 1812, a baby boy was born to them. When he was old enough, he was taken to the church and christened James Ladle. He along with his brothers worked on the farm. Soon the time came when he wanted a companion. He didn’t go to the other towns for a bride but selected one of the fine daughters of James and Elizabeth Brown. She was born April 13th, 1823. They named her Jane Brown. James was eleven years the older but that did not matter as long as they loved each other and were happy. They were good farmers, so they lived on a farm for many years. While there they were blessed with seven children, four of which did not live, but were buried in England. The three surviving children were named William, John, and Mary. They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while in England. John was baptized when he was eight years old.
Soon after they joined the church William, the oldest son came to America. He was to earn enough money to bring the family to Zion. He came in the year 1866 on the ship called Caroline to New York. From New York he drove an ox team to Utah. After he arrived in Utah he worked for George Q. Cannon. He earned enough money to pay for the passage of his family. The family received the money and set sail from London for America on Wednesday, May 23rd, 1866. They sailed on the ship American Congress. They arrived in New York on July 4th, 1866. They drove an ox team across the plains to Great Salt Lake City. John was now twelve years old. Not having any home to go to, Brother Cannon let the family live in part of his home. They worked for Brother Cannon. In the year 1867 the family moved to Farmington, Utah. In Farmington they worked for Author Stayer for a number of years. They saved enough money to build a home. During this time John met and fell in love with a young lady, Susanna Trappett. Susanna’s history is much like John’s. It begins in another farming town called Matleshall, England. Here John Alleden and his wife Susanna Taylor lived. The couple had fourteen children born to them. From Matleshall they moved to Tuddingham where John Allenden died about the year 1869. His wife died several years later in 1880. During this time their daughter Charlotte married William Trappett. They made their home in Dereham, England. He was the son of William Trappett and Elizabeth Trappett.
Before joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints they belonged to the Church of England. This couple was blessed with nine children, four boys and five girls. William Trappett, the father died in the year 1870 leaving the mother and children to come to America alone. One son called John, one of the twins, came to America first to earn money to bring the family to Zion. The money was soon sent but three of the children refused to come to America. William, Mary and James remained in England. The mother (Charlotte Allenden Trappett), Sarah and Susanna came to Zion. They left from Liverpool, England on Wednesday October 14th, 1874 on the ship called the Wyoming. Joseph F. Smith was at his office waiting for the Saints to arrive and get located. Susanna was very frightened of water so Joseph F. Smith took her up in his arms and packed her on board the ship. From New York they traveled to Salt Lake City on the Union Pacific Railroad. They arrived on November 5th, 1874. Susanna was seasick all the way and Sarah wasn’t sick a minute. They went to Farmington, to where their brother John Trappett was living. After Susanna worked for different people for sometime, here she became acquainted with John Ladle. Susanna and John were married in the old Endowment House on August 2nd, 1875. Her wedding dress was blue-shirt waist, gored skirt with knife pleating around the bottom. They did not go to Salt Lake City to be married by auto but rather by horse on a lumber wagon. John was seven years older than Susanna. They lived in Farmington for several years. In Farmington their first child was born, John James Ladle, November 2nd, 1877. Three years passed when another child was born, Lottie. Rose Ellen, Alice and Charles also born while they lived in Farmington. During this time Susanna’s brother’s wife died. Mary Ladle Trappett was also John’s sister. She left four children, which Susanna took and added to her own and cared for nearly three years until the father remarried.
They then moved to Bingham three miles west of Salt Lake. In Bingham Camilla was born. They ran a big dairy farm, churned butter for the market and raised all kinds of fowls, especially turkeys. Because of the distance the children had to travel to school the family moved to Salt Lake and were members of the sixth ward. Most of the children were blessed at Farmington where they went to meetings with John and Susanna. John worked in the coal yards during his stay in Salt Lake; he was an active ward teacher. In the year 1891 they moved to Cache Valley. They located on a large ranch (Spring Creek Ranch), two miles east of Mendon on the Muddy River (Little Bear River). Here the family engaged in farming. It took many hired men to harvest the crops, these men boarded with the family. Some of the men came from the Salt Lake area where they had worked with John before. Living on the river they had many good times. Crowds would get in lumber wagons and go to Susanna’s to fish and swim, many would stay all night. When the water was high in the spring the children had great sport boat riding in a tub around the house in the water. The children traveled to school in a cart to Mendon. They would ford the river and go through the fields. On the river farm a baby girl was born, September 4th, 1892. They named her Ethel Laverna Ladle. In the spring of 1893 they moved into Mendon, one block west and one and one-half blocks south of the L.D.S. Church. Here three girls and a pair of twin girls were born. Edna, Ruby, Clella, Mabel and Della May. Della died soon after birth. Ruby Lucile died April 13th, 1898 with phenomena. Here the family still lives making a few changes.
John James Ladle was called on a mission to England in 1902. When John was sixty-four years and Susanna fifty-seven, their daughter Rose Ellen died (8 December 1917), leaving seven children. The baby named Hazel was eight weeks old. They took Hazel and raised her as their own. On August 2nd, 1925 John and Susanna celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. All the living children were present; they gave John a watch chain and Susanna a gold wedding ring. Thirty-nine grandchildren were present. They had a dinner and all sat at one long table. One hundred and twenty guests were present to help them celebrate. John Ladle during his lifetime established himself firmly in the hearts of all. He had a kind disposition and willingness to help others at any and all times. He was a talented man and able to do many things. He laid rock for cesspools and cellars and etc. He was able to repair shoes. He was a good farmer and owned a farm called the Plantation with three other men, Isaac Sorensen, William Barrett, James Hancock. They farmed this land together for many years. They eventually divided it up and their sons run the farms now. John was also the custodian of the Mendon School for several years. He loved to dance. He was a faithful and consistent member of church work. He held various church positions: The presidency of the high priests quorum, president of the religion class, he served for many years as chairman of the old folks committee. He also filled a home mission and served as a home teacher for thirty years. He wasn’t a public speaker but he had a strong testimony. He did not smoke or drink and he kept the Word of Wisdom. Many times during sickness he was healed by faith, the Elders and our Heavenly Father.
Susanna was also an active member in the church, along with raising a large family. She was secretary of the Relief Society and assistant secretary for seventeen years. She was also a visiting teacher. She has been healed by our Heavenly Father in sickness. When in the Relief Society she took care of the dead. She was always ready to do her share. Washing, making clothes and dressing them for burial. Susanna loved to cook, sew, quilt and make temple clothes. She especially liked to make English puddings. She had and kept a clean house. She didn’t dance. She worked as a custodian with her girls while she was able. When her children had new babies she would go and take care of them. She would bath and dress the babies for ten days while the mother would stay in bed, as was the custom then. The last three years of John’s life he suffered from ill health. He had hardening of the arteries which affected his breathing and which caused his death on June 2nd, 1932. He was buried in the Mendon cemetery. Susanna had a stroke and passed away July 2nd, 1955 her burial was in the Mendon cemetery. Susanna’s mother Charlotte is also buried in Mendon where she died while living with Susanna.
John and Susanna’s family consisted of ten girls and two boys. All seven girls married young men from Mendon. The boys both married. They all made their homes in Mendon except John James Ladle in Sugar City, Idaho. Camilla in Smithfield, later Rose Ellen in Sugar City, Idaho. The children have all passed away except for Clella. All are buried in Mendon except John James in Sugar City, Idaho and Camilla in Smithfield. They had forty-three grandchildren.1
John and Susanna Trappett Ladle’s Children—
- John James Ladle died at 89.
- Charlotte Jane Ladle died at 84.
- Mary Rose Ellen died at 35.
- Alice Elizabeth died at 65.
- William Charles died at 94.
- Camilla Veneta died at 46.
- Ethel Laverna Ladle died at 79.
- Edna Susanna Ladle died at 80.
- Ruby Lucille Ladle died as a baby.
- Clella Maretta Ladle going strong. [Died at 86]
- Mabel Clarice Ladle died at 69.
- Della May Ladle Died as a baby.
1. History of John & Susanna Trappett Ladle, Clella Marretta Ladle, 2 August 1983, unpublished manuscript.