A direct descendent of Nathaniel and Mercy Ladd who built the Ladd-Gilman House (1721), located on the grounds of the American Independence Museum (AIM), Bonnie Ladd-Sullivan is currently on a journey to document her ancestors.
Ladd-Sullivan and two of her cousins became curious about their family history after her grandmother, Lulu Ladd, gave them a box of research and memories collected by their great aunt, Mable Ladd, after she died. Since then, she has built a family tree going back ten generations and that includes 1,795 people.
“When I learned that my ancestors came here in the 1600s, that blew my mind,” said Ladd-Sullivan, who currently resides in Burnsville, Minnesota. “For the first time in my whole life, I saw my family as more than Minnesota farmers.”
In fact, she has learned that some of her ancestors made significant contributions to history across the U.S. In addition to following the Ladd family line, Ladd-Sullivan has learned she is the 11th great-granddaughter of Roger Williams, founder of what eventually became the state of Rhode Island. Her relatives were among several families who founded the city of Greeley, Colorado, and she has tracked down various items her family brought with them when they moved out west.
“We’ve had a very rich history and it’s fun finding these tidbits and piecing them together,” she said. “I feel like I talk about these people as if I personally know them at this point. I do feel like they have led me to some of the members we have searched for.”
Ladd-Sullivan hopes to travel to AIM in summer 2025, a trip she has wanted to make for a long time. “My cousins visited a few years ago, and they said the museum was absolutely fascinating,” she added.
Through her research, she has learned some of her ancestors were slave owners, and she thinks it is important to acknowledge the reality of that.
“I want my kids to know our history and to know the impacts of our ancestors’ actions,” said Ladd-Sullivan. “You don’t just pop up like a stalk of corn. We need to remember our history in order to have a vested interest in our country and the future.”
Home to 3,000 historic artifacts, including an original copy of the Dunlap Broadside (Declaration of Independence), AIM develops programs, events, and exhibits that engage people of all ages in the ongoing struggle for freedom and self-governance. AIM is sponsored in part by The Society Of The Cincinnati In The State Of New Hampshire, Service Credit Union, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and William W. Treat Foundation.
About American Independence Museum
Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.