JUDGE BURR HAMILTON EMERSON

 

     The next judge to hold court in this county after the Civil War was Judge Burr E. Emerson, who was born Sept, 12, 1802, in Greensburg, Ky. He was appointed by Gov. Gamble in 1862 to fill the unexpired term of Judge Foster P. Wright and was elected in 1864.

     He served in all from 1862 until 1874. Judge Emerson was one of the most colorful of all Vernon County pioneers. His character fitted him to serve as judge in after-the-war days. His first term of court was held in this county after the war. S. A. Wight said he would not have come and held that term of court if he had not been escorted from Stockton by a body guard, as he felt shy of the rebel county of Vernon, he being what was termed in those days, "A Radical." So far as the records go he made a very good judge. He died Oct. 31, 1887.

Centennial Issue of The Nevada Herald, Nevada, Missouri; Sunday 3 July 1955.

 

Death of Hon. B. H. Emerson.

[From the Bolivar Herald:

     At the family residence one mile east of Bolivar, on Monday, October 31, 1887, at 12:20 p. m. the long, useful and honored life of Hon. Burr Hamilton Emerson came to an end. For a period of several months past it bas been evident to his friends that he had not much time to live, and for the greater portion of his time he has been confined to his home, though occasionally greeting his friends in town. Up to that time he had borne the weight of an advanced age with but few of the symptoms of declining years, retaining all his physical and mental faculties to a remarkable degree. Latterly symptoms of softening of the brain appeared which culminated in his death.

     Judge Emerson was born on the 12th of September, 1803, and at the time of his death was aged 84 years, 1 month and 19 days. His father, Hon. John Emerson, was of Irish descent, and was a native of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He served with distinction in the revolutionary war, a captain of a company, participating in the historic crossing of the Delaware, and the battle of Trenton, and on many other fields, from the first call to arms until the war was closed. In 1812 Capt. John Emerson again served his country in the army. He was the friend of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, and his son whose life has been spent among us bears the names of both these men. Captain Emerson, after his military service was over, became a citizen of Kentucky, settling at Greenburgh, Greene county, and for thirty-five years represented his district in the State Legislature. He was a lawyer by profession, and trained his son, Burr Hamilton Emerson, to the same profession. His first appearance in public life was in 1839,
when he was elected to the lower house of the Kentucky legislature by the district composed of the counties of Cumberland and Clinton, serving during the years 1837 and 1838. Having removed to Winchester, Tennessee, on the 10th of November, 1840, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Meredith, of that place. In 1843 he removed to Missouri, settling at Warsaw, Benton county. In 1845 he was elected county judge of Benton county, and in 1850 he was chosen to represent Benton county in the lower house of the Missouri legislature. Upon the expiration of his term of office he was appointed by Gov. Austin A. King as states attorney of the 7th judicial circuit, composed of the counties of Benton, Hickory, Dallas, Laclede, Polk, Cedar, Vernon, St. Clair, Henry and Bates, and in the same year received the appointment as one of the curators to the state university. In 1854 he was elected states attorney for a term of six years. In 1861 he was appointed judge of the 7th judicial circuit, by Gov. Gamble, to fill out the unexpired term of Judge Foster P. Wright. He was elected judge in 1863, and re-elected in 1868. His active participation in public affairs closed with the expiration of his term in 1874, when he finally moved to Bolivar, where he resided until a short time ago, when he sold his residence and removed to his farm.

     There were born to him twelve sons and daughters, of whom but four survive. These are Mrs. Kate Norcross, of this city, Burr J. and Ralph W., both members of the Bolivar bar, and Nannie, wife of Geo. T. Kirby, whose home is at Petersburg, Illinois.

     Judge Emerson's death removes another, and perhaps one of the last links which connects the past generation of public men with the present. He was the contemporary, friend and competitor of such men as Judge Foster P. Wright, Waldo P. Johnson and others who have more or less recently passed away, and with them laid the foundations of our present social fabric. He was a most genial, affable man, with strongly marked personal characteristics, original almost to the point of eccentricity. In the midst of all the conflicts and struggles of his active life, the most searching scrutiny never detected a flaw in his integrity. His honesty of conduct and purpose never were questioned. He numbers hosts of friends throughout the southwest, who will learn of his death with regret, and bear his memory in affectionate remembrance.

The Index, Hermitage, Missouri; Thursday 10 November 1887 page 2.

 

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