The Montgomery Monitor, December 8, 1999 John E. "Jack" Ladson, Jr. Mr. John E. "Jack" Ladson, Jr., age 87, of 501 Ferncliff Dr., Vidalia, died Saturday morning (December 4, 1999) at his residence after a brief illness. A native of Colquitt County, he was one of Georgia's leading tobacco warehousemen for twenty-five years before moving to Vidalia in 1962 with his wife, the late Margaret Brice Ladson, also of Vidalia. He was highly successful in management of a petroleum distributorship, farming, and commercial real estate. He was best known for his avocation in genealogy. In 1980, Mr. Ladson created the John E. Ladson, Jr. Genealogical Historical Foundation and Genealogical Library in Vidalia. Mr. Ladson's library contains more than 30,000 books and pamphlets in addition to manuscripts, periodicals and microfilm. It is one of the largest private genealogical libraries in the United States. Mr. Ladson's fascinating life in genealogy has been chronicled in Georgia periodicals for over a decade. He was a graduate of Moultrie High School, Furman University, and Duke University. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, honorably discharged, Lieutenant Senior Grade. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Mr. Ladson was a member of the Elks, Moose, and Exchange Clubs, Georgia-Florida Warehousemen Association, Alpha Tau Omega, Society of the Cincinnati, Society of Colonial Wars, Sons of the American Revolution for more than 25 years, and numerous state histori! cal societies. In 1981, he received the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor by members of the Vidalia Chapter of the DAR for leadership, trustworthiness, patriotism, and service to country. He was a member of the St. Johns Episcopal Church in Moultrie and the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation of Vidalia. Mr. Ladson is survived by two sons, John E. Ladson, III, of Vidalia, and M. Brice Ladson of Richmond Hill, and five grandchildren. Graveside funeral services were held December 7, at 2 p.m. from Pinecrest Cemetery with Father Ron Southerland officiating. The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Vidalia-Toombs County Library, 610 Jackson St., Vidalia. Murchison Funeral Home of Vidalia was in charge of arrangements.