William Emerson

William Emerson

William Emerson

Emerson's brother, William, was named after their father.“William, all too early called … to be the prop and stay of the family, kept school for several years, studied for the ministry at Göttingen in Germany, but was turned by honest doubts from the profession of his fathers. There is an excellent letter written by him to Dr. Ripley in September, 1830, on the observance of the Lord’s Supper, in which he sets forth very clearly but respectfully the argument that it was not intended to be obligatory. This strongly suggests the source of the reasons set forth by his brother later for the satisfaction of the Second Church … William chose the profession of Law, which he exercised with fidelity and honor in New York for many years. In his busy life he always cherished his scholarly tastes, and he and his brother Waldo in days of prosperity and adversity stood by one another most loyally.”—Edward Waldo Emerson, Emerson in Concord.

All materials courtesy of the William Munroe Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library

Amelia Forbes Emerson

Concord Free Public Library

Undated