The Rev. William Emerson (May 6, 1769 - May 12, 1811) was one of Boston's leading citizens, a liberal-minded Unitarian minister, pastor to Boston's First Church and founder of its Philosophical Society, Anthology Club, and Boston Athenaeum, and father to Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Emerson was born in Concord, Massachusetts, the fifth born and only son of William and Phoebe (Bliss) Emerson. His father was a minister who built and inhabited The Old Manse...
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The Rev. William Emerson (May 6, 1769 - May 12, 1811) was one of Boston's leading citizens, a liberal-minded Unitarian minister, pastor to Boston's First Church and founder of its Philosophical Society, Anthology Club, and Boston Athenaeum, and father to Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Emerson was born in Concord, Massachusetts, the fifth born and only son of William and Phoebe (Bliss) Emerson. His father was a minister who built and inhabited The Old Manse at Concord, chaplain to the Provincial Congress when it met at Concord in October 1774, and when war had begun a chaplain to the Continental Army, dying of camp fever while on campaign in 1776 when Emerson was but 7 years old. Emerson married Ruth Haskins on October 25, 1796 in Boston, and with her had 8 children: Phebe Ripley Emerson, John Clark Emerson, William Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edward Bliss Emerson, Robert Bulkeley Emerson, Charles Chauncy Emerson, and Mary Caroline Emerson.
After being ordained, Emerson became first the...
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