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William Henry Emerson
was a well known and prosperous business
man of Moberly for many
years. He was born on a farm a half mile
east of Huntsville, on the
Moberly road, passed his life in this county,
and died April 13, 1915,
aged 70 years.
William H. Emerson's
parents were Simpson and Catharine (Owens)
Emerson, the former born
in Randolph County, the son of James Emer-
son, who came to
Missouri from Kentucky in 1827, was a pioneer set-
tler; the mother was also
from Kentucky. She was the daughter of
Edward Owens, who
located here in 1831 Mr. and Mrs. Emerson were
but children when their
families came to Randolph County. There were
four children in the
Emerson family: William H., deceased; Sarah Mar-
tha, also deceased; Mary
Elizabeth, deceased; James E.
William H. Emerson spent
his boyhood days on his mother's farm,
near Moberly; his father
died when he was 11 years old, He was given
the educational advantages
obtainable here at that period and remained
at home until his 19th year
when he enlisted in the Confederate army,
promptly showing his
convictions by being one of the first youths of
the locality to enter the
service, and remained in the army until peace
was declared. On returning
to Missouri, Mr. Emerson reached Moberly
in time to attend the first
sale of lots when the town- site of Moberly
was plotted, Sept. 27,
1866, and he was among the first purchasers. Mr.
Emerson had been
converted at Sugar Creek Camp Meeting and joined
the church, but later
transferred his membership to the Methodist church,
south, of which he was a
faithful member all his life, He was a Mason,
having joined the Blue
Lodge in Moberly, in 1868.
On April 23, 1874, Mr.
Emerson was married to Miss Nancy Jane
Holbrook, of Randolph
County, the daughter of Colbert and Nancy (Milam)
Holbrook, the former born
m North Carolina in 1797, and the mother
was born in Tazeweli
County, Vs., in 1913. They were married in 1833
and four years later came
to Eandolph County, where they reared their
eight children. The father
died in 1854 and the mother in 1894. Their
daughter, Nancy Jane, was
born Aug. 13, 1850, and is still living. Mrs.
Emerson has for many
years been one of the fine southern women who
is highly esteemed and has
many warm friends in Moberly. She is a
consistent member of the
Methodist church, south, as were her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Emerson
had one daughter, Nina Catharine, born, reared
and educated in Moberly,
who in 1911 married M. H. Sullivan, one of the
well known and
prosperous business men of Moberly, He was a native
of Illinois, born and reared
in Springfield and came to Moberly to engage
in business some years
ago. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan take an active part
in the social and civic life
of Moberly. |