Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-08-16
An Old Settler.

Franklin Emerson, of this city, is
probably the Oldest resident of Iowa,
now living in this county, and though
past eighty five years of age has the ap-
pearance of being younger than many
men do at sixty.
He was born at East Aurora, Erie
County, New York on May Bird, 1914.
He lived on farm until he was sixteen
years of age, and acquired his educa-
ton at the district school of which for
four terms Willard Fillmore, afterwards
president, was his teacher. Upon leav-
ing the farm he was employed for one
year in brick yard and then entered
the employ of Warren 8 Clapp as q
clerk in their store. at Wales Hollow,
New York. for which he received as
full compensation for years service
$40 and his board, washing and mend
ing.
At the age of eighteen he started for
the west and in 1884 landed at Niles,
Michigan, then very diminutive vii
lage, where he helped make the first
kiln of brick made there, and was after
wards employed for two years by Car
ter s. Strong peddling tanning mills.
At that time the land office for that
district was at kalamazoo.
1t was while at Niles that he first
met Judge Bailey, late of this county,
who was then engaged in surveying
lands in Michigan into townships, and
at the same time Mr.. Emerson was
for few months one of party of sur
veyors who were surveying it into
sections. He then entered half sec
ton of land near Mt. Pleasant, Michi-
gan, eight miles west of Racine, where
he built large Block house and was
granted permit by the government, to
trade with the Pottawatomie Indians.
Two years later, the right of these
Indians to occupy the land there hav-
ing expired under the terms of its pur-
chase from them by the government, he
as an employe of the government assist
ed in removing them to their reserva-
ton, now Council Bluffs, Iowa, the trip
oc cupying seven months time. From
there he went to Plattsburg, Missouri,
and says he would have located there
permanently but for the fact that he
soon formed dislike to living in a
slave state and a few months there.
after he resumed is trip homeward,
and having no d mode of convey.
ance, walked from there to Burlington
this state, then in the territory of Michi
gan, where he secured employment in q
dry goods store, and six months latel
went to Davenport where he heard Of
the lead mines at Dubuque, to which
place he went and there became &C
quainted with Miss Mary Wharton
with whom he was joined in marriage
on December %, 1871. They resided
there four years and then removed
to MillvQle, Clayton county, where he
built the first saw and grist mill in thai
section of the country. In 1852 they
came to this county settling neal
Forestville, which was at that time tn,
second largest town in the county, Del
hi holding first place, and in April, 1877
they removed to this city, which is nov
and has ever since then been THE
home.
Their children now living are; Theo
dore, Herbert, Eugene, of Denver, Colo.
Frank, of Strawberry Point; Henry, o
this city, and George of Telluride, Colo
Their daughter, Susannah, who was tn,
wife of Rev. S. Knickerbocker, of Ceda
Falls, died about five years ago.
During his residence in Dubuque MI
Emerson served five years as deput,
sheriff under Sheriff Cummings. thel
better known as Little Cummings.
For several years while resident o
Clayton county, he was postmaster a
Millville, and served one term as sheriff
of that county which was then com
posed of what is now Clayton an,
Fayette counties.
Atthat time the Sheriff was also asses
sor for the county. He was for 81.
years postmaster at Forestville and 70
five years justice of the peace il
Richland township.