COLLECTION GUIDES

1786-1959; bulk: 1786-1882

Guide to the Collection


Collection Summary

Abstract

This collection mainly consists of personal correspondence among Emerson family members, principally the brothers William, Ralph Waldo, Edward Bliss, and Charles Chauncy Emerson. It also contains diaries of William Emerson kept in Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy (1823-1825); of John Haven Emerson begun when a child and continuing at the Lawrence Scientific School where he was a student (1849-1850, 1860-1861); and of Julia Titus Emerson kept at Yellowstone Park (1912). In addition, the collection contains poetry, Susan Tompkins Emerson's anecdotes of her children, genealogical materials on the Emerson and Haven families, notes kept by researchers doing work on the Emerson family, and some miscellaneous printed matter.

Biographical Sketches

William Emerson (1743-1776), the son of Joseph Emerson and Mary (Moody), married Phebe Bliss (1741-1825) in 1766. He attended Harvard College, studied theology, and succeeded his father-in-law in the pulpit of the Concord parish, 1765. Once in Concord, he built the house known as the Old Manse, the homestead where Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote. He died in 1776 on his way home to Concord from the camp of the Continental army at Fort Ticonderoga. The Emersons had five children: William Emerson (WmE I), Hannah Bliss, Phebe Bliss, Mary Moody (MME), and Rebecca. William Emerson died in 1776, and in 1780 Phebe Bliss married (2nd) the Reverend Ezra Ripley.

William Emerson (WmE I) (1769-1811) was the son of William Emerson and Phebe (Bliss). He was graduated from Harvard College in 1789, and in 1792 became minister of the First Congregational Church at Harvard, Mass. From 1799 until his death, he preached at the First Church (Old Brick) in Boston. WmE I was a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society. He was married to Ruth Haskins (RHE) (1768-1853) of Boston in 1796, and they had eight children: Phebe Ripley, John Clark, William (WmE II), Ralph Waldo (RWE), Edward Bliss (EBE), Robert Bulkeley, Charles Chauncy (CCE), and Mary Caroline.

Mary Moody Emerson (MME) (1774-1863) was the daughter of William Emerson and Phebe (Bliss), and therefore the aunt of Ralph Waldo Emerson and his brothers. She was a frequent correspondent of RWE and his brothers.

William Emerson (WmE II) (1801-1868), the son of William Emerson (WmE I) and Ruth (Haskins), married Susan Woodward Haven (SHE) (1807-1868), the daughter of John Haven and Ann (Woodward), in 1833. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1818, received his A.M. degree from Harvard University in 1821, and studied theology and philosophy at the University of Göttingen, Germany from 1824 to 1825. He was appointed attorney and counsellor in the state of New York, and was named First Judge of the County Courts in the county of Richmond, N.Y. in 1841. He and his wife lived on Staten Island, N.Y., with their three children, William (WmE III), John Haven (JHE), and Charles (CE).

Ralph Waldo Emerson (RWE) (1803-1882) was the son of William Emerson (WmE I) and Ruth (Haskins). The well-known poet, preacher and man of American letters married Ellen Louisa Tucker (d. 1831) in 1829, and Lidian Jackson (LJE) (1802-1892) in 1835. This second marriage produced four children: Waldo, Ellen Tucker (ETE), Edith, and Edward Waldo.

Edward Bliss Emerson (EBE) (1805-1834) was the son of William Emerson (WmE I) and Ruth (Haskins). He was graduated with the Harvard College class of 1824. He began the study of law, but discontinued it due to illness. From 1831 until his death there in 1834, he worked as a merchant in Puerto Rico.

Robert Bulkeley Emerson (1807-1859) was the son of William Emerson (WmE I) and Ruth (Haskins). He was apparently mentally disabled and lived in an asylum most of his life.

Charles Chauncy Emerson (CCE) (1808-1836) was the son of William Emerson (WmE I) and Ruth (Haskins). He was graduated with the Harvard class of 1828 and received his A.M. and L.L.B. degrees there in 1832. He served as a lawyer in Boston and was engaged to Elizabeth Hoar (1814-1878) at his death in 1836.

William Emerson (WmE III) (1835-1864) was the son of William Emerson (WmE II) and Susan (Haven). He was graduated from Columbia College in 1853 and Harvard Law School in 1856. He was married to Sarah Hopper Gibbons (b. 1835) in 1863. They resided in New York, where he was a member of the bar.

John Haven Emerson (JHE) (1840-1913) was the son of William Emerson (WmE II) and Susan (Haven). He was graduated from Columbia College in 1860, and earned his M.D. degree at the New York college of Physicians and Surgeons in 1864. A successful New York physician, he was published widely in medical journals. He married Susan Titus Tompkins (b. 1840) of Somers, N.Y. in 1868, and they had six children: Ruth, William, Haven, Helena Titus, Elizabeth Hoar, and Julia Titus.

Charles Emerson (CE) (1841-1916) was the son of William Emerson (WmE II) and Susan (Haven). He was graduated with the class of 1863 at Harvard College, and beginning in 1862, he served in the Civil War. He was married to Theresia Keveschi (TKE) (b. 1847) of Hungary in 1871, and they settled in Concord.

Ellen Tucker Emerson (ETE) (b. 1839) was the daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Lidian (Jackson). She resided in Concord.

Edith Emerson Forbes (b. 1841) was the daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Lidian (Jackson). She was married to William Hathaway Forbes (1840-1897) in 1865, and they resided in Milton, Mass. Their children were: Ralph Emerson, Edith, William Cameron, John Murray, Edward Waldo, Waldo Emerson, Ellen Randolph, and Alexander.

Haven Emerson (HE) (1874-1957) was the son of John Haven Emerson and Susan (Tompkins). He practiced medicine and also took an active interest in his ancestry.

Julia Titus Emerson (JTE) (b. 1877) was the daughter of John Haven Emerson and Susan (Tompkins). At age 35, she kept a journal about her trip to Yellowstone National Park.

For more biographical and genealogical information on the Emerson family, see Benjamin Kendall Emerson, The Ipswich Emersons (Boston: David Clapp & Son), 1900.

Key to Initials (listed alphabetically)

CCE Charles Chauncy Emerson (1808-1836)
CE Charles Emerson (1841-1916)
EBE Edward Bliss Emerson (1805-1834)
ETE Ellen Tucker Emerson (b. 1839)
HE Haven Emerson (1874-1957)
JHE John Haven Emerson (1840-1913)
JTE Julia Titus Emerson (b. 1877)
LJE Lidian Jackson Emerson (1802-1892)
MME Mary Moody Emerson (1774-1863)
RHE Ruth Haskins Emerson (1768-1853)
RWE Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
SHE Susan Woodward Haven Emerson (1807-1868)
STE Susan Tompkins Emerson (b. 1840)
TKE Theresia Keveschi Emerson (b. 1847)
WmE I William Emerson (1769-1811)
WmE II William Emerson (1801-1868)
WmE III William Emerson (1835-1864)

Collection Description

This collection is contained in four archival boxes and one oversize box. Series I primarily consists of personal and business correspondence between members of the Emerson family. The majority of the correspondence is written between the Emerson brothers in the years 1818 through 1868. Much pertains to their travels and their professional goals and activities. There are also various certificates, licenses, passports, and pamphlets included. Box 1 contains the undated material and the papers of the years 1786 through 1833. Box 2 includes manuscripts dated 1834-1862, and the first half of Box 3 contains manuscripts dated 1863-1959. Series II includes journals, diaries, letterbooks, and sets of assembled papers of the Emerson family. The second half of Box 3 contains undated papers, in addition to volumes of the years 1824-1825. Box 4 contains volumes of the years 1849-1912. Series III (also included in Box 4) consists of genealogical data, notes, and correspondence of various 20th-century researchers and scholars working on the Emerson family. Series IV contains all printed material, and Series V includes all other material. Appendices contain lists of printed materials, artifacts, and photographs and cartes-de-visite removed from the collection.

Acquisition Information

The Emerson family papers were deposited at the Massachusetts Historical Society on 3 May 1993 by Dr. Michael Wortis, great-great-grandson of Judge William Emerson. The papers were given to the Society by Dr. Wortis, Aug. 2003.

Detailed Description of the Collection

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I. Emerson family correspondence and papers, 1786-1959

Close I. Emerson family correspondence and papers, 1786-1959

V. Other material

Close V. Other material

Preferred Citation

Emerson family papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Haven family.
Emerson family--Genealogy.
Haven family--Genealogy.
Emerson, Charles Chauncy, 1808-1836.
Emerson, Edward Bliss, 1805-1834.
Emerson, John Haven, 1840-1913.
Emerson, Julia Titus, b. 1877.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882.
Emerson, Susan Titus Tompkins, b. 1840.
Emerson, William, 1801-1868.

Organizations:

Lawrence Scientific School.

Subjects:

Children.
Poetry.
Voyages and travels.
Women travelers.
Family history--1800-1849.
Family history--1850-1899.
Europe--Description and travel--1800-1918.

Materials Removed from the Collection

Printed Material Removed from the Collection

For a list of printed materials removed from this collection, see Curator of Manuscripts.

Artifacts Removed from the Collection

The following artifacts were removed from the collection for storage and cataloging with the MHS Museum Collection.

Silhouettes

Charles Chauncy Emerson (photomechanical)

Edward Bliss Emerson (photomechanical)

Mary Moody Emerson (photomechanical)

Ruth [?] Titus, "1800--about" (framed)

Unidentified subject (framed)

Miniatures

[Judge William Emerson] (WmE II), in case

Reverend Joseph Emerson of Malden, in black frame

Susan Woodward Haven Emerson (SHE) (1807-1868), "about 1834," in case

Three-dimensional

Plaster bust of Ralph Waldo Emerson (approx. 1 1/4 ft)

Photographs Removed from the Collection

Photographs from this collection were removed to the Emerson family photographs, ca. 1845-1983. Photo. Coll. 152.

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