Daniel Alanson Emery (1858-1943)

EMERY, MCINTOSH, EFNER, MOORE

Posted By: John Davis (email)
Date: 1/23/2020 at 20:04:02

Obit posted in Ottumwa Courier November 12, 1943
Photo posted with obit
D.A. Emery, Long Active Ottumwa Citizen, Dies
Prominent In business, Church, Political and Civic Circles.
Daniel Alanson Emery, 85, prominent in Ottumwa civic church, political and business circles for more that a half a century, died at 5:30 p.m. Friday after an extended illness. In recent years he had resided with Mrs. Emery at the Hotel Ottumwa. The family home for many years was at 441 North Market street. Mr. Emery was president of the Peoples Building & Savings association, a firm he helped establish in 1892 and which he served as secretary until 1939, when he retired from active management. He was a past president of the Iowa State Building and Loan League.
Pioneered Many Projects
His career in Ottumwa includes a number of other pioneering accomplishments. He became interested in the Rotary club movement about 25 years ago and out of this interest grew the Ottumwa club. He was a charter member and served as president during its early days. As a member of this former Wapello club, Mr. Emery became interested in a permanent home for the organization. He suggested that civic leaders join in promoting and financing a new hotel build, the club to lease an entire floor. While the latter plan never was accepted, the building was built in this way and Mr. Emery served as secretary of the corporation which owned the Hotel Ottumwa structure from the time the project was first organized until about four years ago.
In Local Area 80 Years.
Mr. Emery resided in the Ottumwa vicinity approximately 80 of his 85 years. He was born in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio, June 18, 1858, the son of Josiah Bartlett and Mary Harper Emery. The father died in 1861, while he engaged in recruiting an Ohio company for the Union Army. The widow and two sons came to Wapello County in 1963 where she bought a farm four miles south of Ottumwa. Mr. Emery attended rural and Ottumwa public schools. In 1881 he was graduated from Highland college in Kansas. In 1882 he received a law degree from the University of Iowa. He actively practiced law for 10 years in Ottumwa until he helped establish the loan association and always maintained membership and active interest in the Wapello county Bar association. At the time of his death he (obit cut off at this point)
Active Public Career
Mr. Emery had a public career that included one term as a member of the state house of representatives in 1920-1922, secretary of the state board of education 1909-1913; a member of the Ottumwa city council 1892-1893; and city police judge, 1916. He also was prominent in republican politics serving through the years on numerous party committees.
For many years he was associated with the Iowa National Guard, being a charter member of the original Co. G, of the second regiment in 1884. He helped the company in that year and served in it for 17 years, rising from private to captain. He served as regimental adjutant for five years. During the Spanish American war, he was brigade quartermaster at Camp McKinley, at Des Moines. Mr. Emery also had a long record in Masonic circles, serving as an officer in various of the local lodges. He was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a Knight Templar, and a Shriner.
Leader in Church Work
He was a member of the Presbyterian church of Ottumwa for 80 and served at various times of its official board and was honorary member of the board of elders at the time. He was married in Salt Lake City, Utah to (??) McIntosh, whose family had lived in Ottumwa for many years survive, as do two daughters, Mrs. Helen Bartlett of New York City, and Mrs. Albert M. Efner, Ottumwa. Two grandchildren, Daniel Emery Efner and Ann Efner; one sister Mary E. Moore of Ottumwa. A son George Daniel, preceded Mr. Emery in death.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday in the First Presbyterian church, the Rev. Richard Paul Graebel, D.D. in charge. Burial will be in Ottumwa cemetery. The body will remain at the Lester Jay funeral home until 1 p.m. Monday when it will be taken to the church.
Funeral Services
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. today in the First Presbyterian church for Daniel A. Emery, 85, prominent Ottumwan for more than half a century who died last Friday afternoon. Burial was in Ottumwa cemetery. Pallbearers were Frank G. Fiedler, Oscar W. Stoltz, Clarence S. Johnston, James F. Van Antwerp, Arthur W. Trautwein and Frank C. Raney.