Joe Gladd. Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 28, 1985 
Gene and Joe Gladd, 1989. Courtesy of James 'Rudi' Snyder. Born: October 16, 1925
Died: October 21, 2015
Married: Dorothy Sargent
Children:
Joseph Gladd, a flyweight Golden Gloves champion known as "Little Joe," was the proprietor of Little Joe's bar and restaurant. He was a son of Monroe and Thelma Martin Gladd.
He was a World War II veteran. He lived at 125 Broadway. In his later years he lived in Largo, Florida.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, October 27, 2015,
Joseph M. "Little Joe" Gladd
Joseph M. “Little Joe” Gladd, 90, passed away on Oct. 21, 2015, in Middletown, Connecticut.
He was born in Saranac Lake on Oct. 16, 1925, to Monroe and Thelma Martin Gladd. He married Dorothy Sargent on Nov. 13, 1965, and became an instant father to her six children.
Joe enlisted in the Coast Guard, proudly serving his country in World War II from 1943 until 1946. He loaded ammunition ships in Jersey City until he was deployed to Port-de-Bouc in southern France, where he was a demolition specialist. Returning to Saranac Lake, he worked as a bartender until he opened his own bar and restaurant, Little Joe’s Cocktail Lounge. For the next 40 years, his quick wit and storytelling made him an iconic Main Street legend. He may have been short, but he wasn’t often challenged when it was necessary to restore order. It helped that he was trained as a boxer in his younger days and was a success in the ring. An unruly patron who tested this feisty little Frenchman soon regretted it.
Little Joe became a favorite character of local writer Bill McLaughlin. He was the ultimate practical joker and wild rumor teller, often at the expense of out-of-towners. They might leave believing that a Kodak plant was actually moving in, or that the listing tourist boat had been hit by a torpedo. Locals received their share of pranks, too, but they knew he loved Saranac Lake and the people. He was proud to provide a place “Where Old Friends Meet.” If you were at Little Joe’s as a customer a waitress or a dishwasher, you were part of his extended family. He took care of his family, the Carmelite nuns and anyone down on his luck. He loved his time with the family at the Gladd camp in Franklin Falls and later at Pinewood in Rainbow Lake. He enjoyed bike racing and starting the July 4th boat races with the cannon. He had a lot of fun but put in a lot of hard work, too, from the early days of potato picking to 60-plus-hour weeks in his business. In 1989, he traded in his apron, his polishing cloth and his snow shovel for retirement with Dottie in Largo, Florida. There he made lasting friendships and enjoyed the warm climate. He was happy to return to the Saranac Lake area for the summers.
Joe was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3357 and the American Legion Post 447. He was also a member of the Whiteface Mountain Masonic Lodge 789. The veterans of Connecticut recently honored him in a ceremony, awarding him a medal for his service in World War II.
Joe was predeceased by his brothers Gene (his sidekick behind the bar), George, Billy and Monroe, his sister Dorothy Miller Davis and his son-in-law Bobby Griffin. He is survived by Dorothy, his beloved wife of 50 years, and his six loving stepchildren: Diane Griffin of Rainbow Lake, Nancy Bennett of Denver, Colorado, Mary Spooner (Bob) of Middletown, Connecticut, Peggy Chapple (John “Bumper”) of Homer, Alaska, Ginny Volkman (Nick) of Sedona, Arizona, and John Sargent and his fiancee Susan Dargan of Eliot, Maine. His 16 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren added much happiness to his life. Joe is also survived by his brother Harold Lee “Pete” Gladd, sister Betty English and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration of Joe’s life will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Elks Club, 30 Bloomingdale Ave., Saranac Lake. Please bring your favorite story. In memory of Little Joe, share a smile and warm greeting, and continue his loving spirit. Condolences may be sent to Dorothy Gladd, 1 MacDonough Place, Middletown, CT 06457, or online to www.cremationct.com.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 29, 1975
Ex-racer is 90 today — Herb Clouse of board track fame trains 'Little Joe' in cycling game.
SARANAC LAKE — Herbert Clouse is 90 years old this week and uses his cane to bat grounders to the dog. He leans on it once in awhile if someone ties up his ear.
Spry and alert Herbert recalls with clarity the days when he rode the splinter circuit in the early 1900's as a bicycle racer in Madison Square Garden and the 71st St. Armory.
In fact he still has a few medals from his competitive days. One gold and enamel baubel represents a first place win in the mile sprint and a silver medal he cherishes was awarded for second place in a two-mile classic in golden age of the six day bicycle races.
"When you're 90," Herbert says, "a medal is a pretty insignificant part of the past. My memories contain more gold than all the medals in the world."
He is teaching his son-in-law, "Little Joe" Gladd, the finer points of the racing, game. When Herbert Clouse rode for glory, riders strapped their feet to the pedals. Little Joe fought that idea right from the start. He is afraid of falling down and getting all scraped up before the big race on May 31st.
The riders in the early part of the century on board tracks usually went ten laps to the mile on a banked wooden saucer. A flat track was even more difficult. It was something when 5 or 6 riders would spill. It took hours to pull the splinters from the unfortunate ones who absorbed the creosoted slivers.
Little Joe skips rope and spies on his neighbors whom he thinks are trying to gain some secrets from his training routine. He says that Dick Burman and Hughie McLaughlin both take their bikes out at night and race up and down Park Avenue in the moonlight.
"They don't fool anyone", says Joe, who has several side bets going as to his prowess in the Old Times Race for the Supervisors Trophy next Saturday.
"In the first place," he says, "the race will be won by know-how and conditioning and nobody around has much of that but myself. Also my bicycle has a few advantages I incorporated from Herb's teaching, but all legal of course. Tire pressure, pedal heights and handlebar alignment. . . all important in the longer grind."
The bicycle race will be held on Saturday May 31 under the joint sponsorship of The Town of Harrietstown, Chamber of Commerce and Miller High Life. The main event is a 54 mile open feature which is drawing professional and amateur riders from across the Eastern states and Canada for prizes and savings bonds amounting to $1,000.
The race will be visible to everyone in the village since the course is over Main Street, the LaPan Highway, Edgewood Road, Ampersand Avenue and Broadway.
The 40-mile feature is a 15-lap event open to juniors over 13 years of age starting at 11 a.m. The longer showcase, event is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. from the Town Hall.
Entry blanks and information are available at 30 Main Street.
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