EMMONS, Luther P. - 1912 Bio (1846-1914)

EMMONS, LAITEN, SMITH, BECKER, PECK, ROOT, SCRIPTURE, WASHINGTON, HAMLIN, COMINGORE, MORRISON, COPELAND

Posted By: Debbie Nash - Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/18/2005 at 12:00:43

From the “History of Jefferson County, Iowa” – 1912, Volume II, Pages 301-303

LUTHER P. EMMONS

Luther P. EMMONS, who is living retired upon his farm, has been a resident of Des Moines township for thirty-two years. His birth occurred in Waldo county, Maine, on October 30, 1846, his parents being George and Hannah (LAITEN) EMMONS. The father, a native of Massachusetts, was of Scotch and French extraction, while the mother, whose birth occurred in Maine, was of English and Irish descent. Agricultural pursuits engaged the attention of the father, who with his family removed to Wisconsin in 1853. He located on a farm in Rock county, and there the mother passed away in 1873, while his death occurred at Magnolia, that county, in 1887. Nine children were born of their marriage: James, a farmer of Guthrie county, Iowa; Nancy E., who married Wesley SMITH, a farm of Canada; Albert Weston, who died in infancy; Recta A., the widow of Martin A. BECKER, an engineer who was killed in a gold mine in Utah in 1879; Helen Augusta, who died in infancy, and Henry Augustus, a manufacturer of brooms in Sullivan, Illinois, who were twins; Luther P., our subject; Eliza Josephine, who is deceased; and George, marshal of Ontario, California.

Luther P. EMMONS was only a lad of seven years when his people removed to Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood, obtaining his education in the district schools in the vicinity of his home. From his earliest boyhood he was trained in the work of the fields, so when ready to begin his independent career, naturally he turned to the occupation for which he was best adapted. He left the paternal roof at the age of twenty-one years and began working for himself. Three years later he was married and located on a farm in Rock county, where he lived until 1879. In the fall of that year he and his wife removed to Iowa to reside on a tract of one hundred and fifty acres in Jefferson county, that his wife’s grandfather, Ira R. PECK of New York, said he would present to her if she would consent to live upon it. During the first two years they rented a place adjacent, during which time they placed their land under cultivation and erected upon it the necessary buildings. The soil proved to be most fertile and productive, so richly rewarding their efforts that they were subsequently able to extend their holdings by the addition of another ninety acres. Here Mr. EMMONS engaged in general farming until the condition of his health necessitated his retirement in 1909, since which time he has been renting his land, but he and Mrs. EMMONS continue to reside there. Although the pioneer period had passed when they came to Iowa, they endured many hardships and privations, as well as misfortunes and discouragements, through all of which they exhibited the fortitude that characterizes those who make a success of any undertaking.

It was on the 20th of November, 1870, that Mr. EMMONS was united in marriage to Miss Augusta C. PECK, a daughter of Heman (sic) T. and Helen E. (ROOT) PECK. The father, who was a farmer and carpenter, was born and reared in Ontario county, New York, but was of English extraction. He removed from the Empire state to Rock county, Wisconsin, in 1867, settling upon a farm. Three years later he went to Chicago to follow the carpenter’s trade, but was never again heard from and it is supposed that he was killed in the great fire which occurred in that city in 1871. His wife lived until 1880, her demise occurring at the home of her sister, Mrs. John SCRIPTURE, in Jewell county, Kansas. The PECKs were among the early colonial settlers of America. They trace their origin to the English nobility and have a coat-of-arms, a lyre with three Maltese crosses within its borders. The American branch is traced back in an unbroken line to the sixteenth century, their common ancestor being one Joseph PECK, who was christened at Beccles, Suffolk county, England, on the 30th of April, 1587. In 1638, together with his brother, Robert PECK, a noted divine of that period, he took passage on the ship Diligent from Ipswich for America, in order that they might escape religious persecution. The last place of residence of Joseph PECK in England was Norfolk, but originally they came from Yorkshire and he was a descendant in the twenty-first generation of John PECK, of Belton, that country. A complete genealogy of the family was written by a seventh cousin of Mrs. EMMONS, Ira B. PECK of Rhode Island, and published in 1868. One of the members of the family was William B. PECK, whose daughter, Phoebe F., married George W. WASHINGTON of Mount Vernon, a grand-nephew of the first president of the United States. She died in 1849. Mrs. EMMONS’ grandmother in the paternal line was Clarissa HAMLIN, a daughter of William HAMLIN, who was a near relative of Hanibal (sic) HAMLIN, first vice president under Abraham Lincoln. Mrs. EMMONS has one sister, Ida M., the wife of Eli W. COMINGORE, a fireman in a large rolling mill, of Shenandoah, Iowa. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. EMMONS. Arthur Hamlin, superintendent of a sanitarium of Battle Creek, Michigan, married Minnie MORRISON, a teacher in the Battle Creek College, and a daughter of John MORRISON, a farmer of Des Moines township, and they have one daughter, Violet Oneita, aged thirteen years. Grace Lillian, the eldest daughter and second in order of birth, is at home with her parents. Eli Perry, who is a farmer of Princeton, California, married Clara COPELAND, a daughter of William COPELAND, a farmer of Des Moines township, this county, and they have two children, Virgil and Fern. Ray Adelbert, the youngest member of the family, is still at home.

Mr. EMMONS’ political views accord with those of the democratic party, but in local elections he oftentimes votes for other candidates, giving his support to the man rather than the party. He has served as justice of the peace two years, while he held the office of township trustee and director of school district No. 4 for the same period. In matters of faith he is somewhat independent, never having identified himself with any denomination. Mrs. EMMONS is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church of Libertyville, while their daughter, Miss Grace, belongs to Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal church of Des Moines township. Mr. EMMONS is one of the highly esteemed citizens of his township, having exhibited in both his public and private life those high regards and upright principles, which invariably win respect.

I am copying this for genealogical purposes and am not related to said individuals.