Ludlow Family
Israel L. Ludlow, son of one of the founders of Cincinnati, purchased Elmwood Hall and 710 acres from William Bullock in 1830. Later, Ludlow was able to acquire additional land from Bullock (his total property amounted to 1,200 acres in 1837).
Israel L. Ludlow began to subdivide his large land holdings in the 1830s. In 1832, he sold 42 acres to his brother-in-law, George Kenner. Kenner built the beautiful Somerset Hall on this property. Ludlow also sold smaller lots. In time a small village emerged. The original plat of Ludlow was laid out in 1846 by Ludlow. The original plat stretched from Traverse Street in the East to Carneal Street in the west.
Mrs. Helen A. Ludlow was the wife of Israel Ludlow. She was born in 1807 in Alexandria, Virginia. Helen Street in Ludlow was named after her. She survived her husband and lived in the family home on River Road. Helen Ludlow died on March 6, 1872 in her home.
The Ludlow’s two children: Albert S. and William, contributed much to the development of the city. The family donated property for the construction of a new public school in the early 1890s and donated 5 acres of property for the city park in 1926. The park was a memorial to Albert S. Ludlow. William Ludlow eventually moved away from the city, but he and his children visited the town many times during his adult life.
Cincinnati Commercial, March 7, 1872.
