Providence Ludlam (1819-1868)

    This obscure political figure is Providence Ludlam, a 19th-century resident of Cumberland County, New Jersey who gained distinction in his state's senate. Very little information could be found on this oddly named man, including his exact date of birth, his parents, or his education. Most of the following information was found in the Historic Days In Cumberland, 1855-1865, published in 1907. This particular book yielded pertinent facts on Ludlam's political career and also contained the rare portrait of him shown above. Although no explanation is given as to why Ludlam was bestowed with his unique first name, it is mentioned in the above work that he did have a nickname--"Provie"!
   As mentioned earlier, Ludlam's early life is almost totally unknown. A listing for a Providence Ludlam on the Rootsweb genealogical site gives his year of birth as 1819, in Bridgeton, New Jersey. "Previous to 1836 he was involved in agricultural pursuits", and he married in May 1841 to Ms. Anna Coe in Salem County and it is unknown at the time of this writing if any children were born to them.
  Research has shown that Ludlam's first attempt at public office was in 1856 as a candidate for the New Jersey State Assembly. He was defeated by the Democratic candidate and in the following year was elected to the office of Cumberland County clerk. The Historic Days In Cumberland gives note that during his tenure as clerk, Ludlam "exercised a large influence in political affairs", and that he served until 1862.
  Through the succeeding years, the name of Providence Ludlam grew to be a prominent one in New Jersey political circles, and it is mentioned that he was the "leader of the Republican Party in Cumberland County" and was "perhaps the most popular man of his day in Southern New Jersey". In 1860 he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Illinois that nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency, and two years later won election to the New Jersey State Senate, "by a large majority."
   Ludlam served continuously in the Senate from 1863 to 1868 and in the latter year died in office on January 20th at age 48. A New Jersey Senate journal notes that Ludlam was "seized with pains in his breast and around the heart" and was dead within half an hour of experiencing these symptoms. His funeral was attended by many members of the legislature," amid the greatest public demonstration of sympathy in crowded streets ever given any citizen in Cumberland County." In addition to this large outpouring of public grief, Ludlam's wife Anna is recorded as dying a few months after her husband in August 1868. Both were interred at the Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Bridgeton. He was subsequently memorialized in the Historical Days of Cumberland County as:

"A born leader, a man of fine personal appearance, with agreeable manners. Everybody liked " Provie" and he lived to become great power not only in the county but in the State. "

 This Ludlam death notice appeared in the New York Times a few days after his sudden death.