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Charles Prescott Emerson (1870–1951)

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Compiled and written by Kimberli Faulkner Hull © Cool Adventures
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Headley and Reed, photographer (New Bedford, Massachusetts), Charles P. Emerson,1890; privately held by the Faulkner–Hull Collection, Massachusetts.
Headley and Reed, photographer (New Bedford, Massachusetts), Charles P. Emerson, 1890; privately held by the Faulkner–Hull Collection, Massachusetts.

Charles Prescott Emerson was born 21 Oct 1870 in East Douglas, Worcester County, Massachusetts to Horace Wilder Emerson and Robie A. Davis.1

[Open Endnotes in separate tab]

During his childhood, Charles lived with his parents and sister, Helen, at 115 Summer Street in New Bedford.2 Charles attended Parker Street Grammar School, then New Bedford High School, graduating in 1890.3

Annual Report of the School Committee of the City of New Bedford, with the Superintendent's Annual Report, for the Year 1890, (New Bedford : Mercury Publishing Company, 1891), p. 21-23, New Bedford High School Graduating Exercise, 27 June 1890.
Annual Report of the School Committee of the City of New Bedford, with the Superintendent’s Annual Report, for the Year 1890, (New Bedford : Mercury Publishing Company, 1891), p. 21-23, New Bedford High School Graduating Exercise, 27 June 1890.
“New Bedford High School Class of 1890”; photograph held by the New Bedford Free Public Library photograph collection, New Bedford, Massachusetts; published online at Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collection Online.
“New Bedford High School Class of 1890”; photograph held by the New Bedford Free Public Library photograph collection, New Bedford, Massachusetts; published online at Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collection Online.

Following high school, Charles continued living with his parents and sister and worked as a musician.4 In 1907, Charles married Mabel L. Swan in Melrose, Massachusetts.5

Charles’ father, H. Wilder Emerson, died at the age of 80 in 1909 and is buried in Rural Cemetery in New Bedford.6

“H. Wilder Emerson,” obituary, Fall River Daily Evening News (Fall River, Massachusetts), 30 Mar 1909, p. 7, col. 3.
“H. Wilder Emerson,” obituary, Fall River Daily Evening News (Fall River, Massachusetts), 30 Mar 1909, p. 7, col. 3.

Charles and Mabel made their home at 12 Chestnut Street in New Bedford and in 1913 welcomed a son, Horace Francis, to their family.7 Charles worked as a piano tuner the majority of his adult life and the family lived at 95 Bedford Street in New Bedford for over two decades.8

Charles’ mother, Robie A. Davis Emerson, died in 1930 and is buried in Rural Cemetery in New Bedford.9

In 1935, Charles and Mabel attended Charles’ 45th New Bedford High School reunion. In the photo, Charles P. Emerson is on the back row, 2nd from the left and Mabel is in the 4th row, 3rd from the left.10

“New Bedford High School Class of 1890 at their 45th Reunion, New Bedford, MA,” 14 July 1935; photograph held by the New Bedford Free Public Library photograph collection, New Bedford, Massachusetts; published at Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collection Online.
“New Bedford High School Class of 1890 at their 45th Reunion, New Bedford, MA,” 14 July 1935; photograph held by the New Bedford Free Public Library photograph collection, New Bedford, Massachusetts; published at Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collection Online.
New Bedford High School Class of 1890 Reunion, New Bedford, MA, 14 July 1935, Mrs. Charles P. Emerson, 4th row, 3rd from the left.
New Bedford High School Class of 1890 Reunion, New Bedford, MA, 14 July 1935, Mrs. Charles P. Emerson, 4th row, 3rd from the left.
New Bedford High School Class of 1890 Reunion, New Bedford, MA, 14 July 1935, Charles P. Emerson, back row, 2nd from the left.
New Bedford High School Class of 1890 Reunion, New Bedford, MA, 14 July 1935, Charles P. Emerson, back row, 2nd from the left.

Charles Prescott Emerson died at the age of 80 on 16 Oct 1951 in New Bedford.11 Mabel L. Swan Emerson died in 1954, also in New Bedford.12 They are buried in Rural Cemetery in New Bedford.13

Charles and Mabel’s son, Horace Francis, died in 2008 at the age of 95.14 Horace is also buried in Rural Cemetery in New Bedford.15

"Horace E. Emerson, 95," obituary, South Coast Today (New Bedford, Massachusetts), 2 Aug 2008.
“Horace E. Emerson, 95,” obituary, South Coast Today (New Bedford, Massachusetts), 2 Aug 2008.

Endnotes

1. New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Births Register 1870, vol. 4, p. 54, no. 85, Charles P. Emerson, 21 Oct 1870. Birthplace: East Douglass. Parents: Horace W. [Emerson], born in Douglass, and Ruby A. Davis, born in New Bedford. Parent’s residence: New Bedford. Father’s occupation: Bookkeeper.

Also, Full name of Charles Prescott Emerson listed in Annual Report of the School Committee of the City of New Bedford, with the Superintendent’s Annual Report, for the Year 1890, (New Bedford : Mercury Publishing Company, 1891, p. 23, New Bedford High School Graduating Class of 1890, Charles Prescott Emerson.

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2. 1880 U.S. census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 111, sheet 18B, dwelling 171, family 230, Horace W. Emerson household.
Address: 115 Summer Street
– Horace W. Emerson, age 46, clerk in bank, born in Massachusetts
– Robi A., wife, age 36, born in Massachusetts
– Charles P., son, age 9, born in Massachusetts
– Helen, daughter, age 8, born in Massachusetts

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3. Annual Report of the School Committee of the City of New Bedford, with the Superintendent’s Annual Report, for the Year 1890, (New Bedford : Mercury Publishing Company, 1891), p. 21-23, New Bedford High School Graduating Exercise, 27 June 1890, 

Also, “Admission to the High School,” newspaper article, The Evening Standard (New Bedford, Massachusetts), 10 July 1886, p. 5, col. 3.

Also, “New Bedford High School Class of 1890”; photograph held by the New Bedford Free Public Library photograph collection, New Bedford, Massachusetts; published online at Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collection Online.

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4. 1900 U.S. census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 187, sheet 15A, dwelling 275, family 355, Horace W. Emerson household.
Address: 115 Summer Street
– Horace W. Emerson, age 69, married 30 years, born in Dec 1830 in Massachusetts, bank bookkeeper
– Robie A., wife, age 56, born in May 1844 in Massachusetts, 2 children born, 2 living
– Charles P., son, age 28, single, born in Oct 1871 in Massachusetts, musician
– Helen W, daughter, age 26, single, born in Mar 1874 in Massachusetts

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5. New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Marriage Register 1907, vol. 12, p. 88, no. 1046, Charles P. Emerson–Mabel L. Swan, 9 Oct 1907. Place of marriage: Melrose, Massachusetts.
Groom: Charles P. Emerson, age 36, residence: New Bedford, piano tuner, born in East Douglass, Massachusetts, parents H. Wilder Emerson and Robie A. Davis.
Bride: Mabel L. Swan, age 30, residence: Melrose, Massachusetts, born in Neponset, Massachusetts, parents William F. Swan and Mary Adella Batcheller.

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6. “H. Wilder Emerson,” obituary, Fall River Daily Evening News (Fall River, Massachusetts), 30 Mar 1909, p. 7, col. 3.

Also, New Bedford, Bristol County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Return of a Death, no. 377, H. Wilder Emerson, 28 Mar 1909.  Birth: East Douglass, Massachusetts. Married. Age: 80 years and 3 months. Parents: Horace [Emerson] and Azubah Hill. Burial: Rural Cemetery, 1 Apr 1909.

Also, headstone reads: Horace Wilder Emerson / 1828-1909.
Find A Grave, memorial 157299652, Horace Wilder Emerson (1828–1909), Rural Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts with headstone photo.

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7. New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Births Register 1913, p. 326, no. 169, Horace Francis Emerson, 17 Jan 1913. Parents: Charles [Emerson], born in E. Douglass, Massachusetts, and Mabel L. Swan, born in Neponset, Massachusetts. Father’s occupation: piano tuner.

Also, 1910 U.S. census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 194, ward 3, sheet 1B, dwelling 12, family 16, Charles P. Emerson household.
Address: 12 Chestnut Street
– Charles P. Emerson, age 38, married once for 2 years, born in Massachusetts, piano tuner
– Mable L., wife, age 33, married once for 2 years, born in Massachusetts, 0 children born

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8. Ibid.

Also, 1920 U.S. census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 148, ward 5, sheet 9A, dwelling 142, family 190, Charles P. Emerson household.
Address: 95 Bedford Street
– Charles P. Emerson, age 49, married, born in Massachusetts, piano tuner
– Mabel L., wife, age 43, married, born in Massachusetts
– Horace F., son, age 7, born in Massachusetts

Also, 1930 U.S. census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 135, ward 5, sheet 2A, dwelling 35, family 34, Charles P. Emerson household.
Address: 95 Bedford Street
– Charles P. Emerson, age 59, married at 26, born in Massachusetts, bank cashier
– Mabel L., wife, age 52, married at 30, born in Massachusetts
– Horace F., son, age 17, single born in Massachusetts

Also, 1940 U.S. census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 20-88, sheet 1B, dwelling 14, Charles P. Emerson household.
Address: 95 Bedford Street
– Charles P. Emerson, age 65, married, born in Massachusetts
– Mabel L., wife, age 52, married, born in Massachusetts
– Horace, son, age 27, single born in Massachusetts
Note: Locations listed for 1935 residence are highly unlikely; locations for Charles and Mabel are their birth locations.
– Charles P. Emerson, East Douglas, Massachusetts
– Mabel L. Emerson, Neponset, Massachusetts
– Horace Emerson, South Sudbury, Massachusetts

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9. Headstone reads: Robie A. / 1844-1930.
Find A Grave, memorial 157299730, Robie A. Davis Emerson (1844–1930), Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts with headstone photo.

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10. “New Bedford High School Class of 1890 at their 45th Reunion, New Bedford, MA,” 14 July 1935; photograph held by the New Bedford Free Public Library photograph collection, New Bedford, Massachusetts; published at Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collection Online.

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11. Massachusetts Grand Lodge of Masons Membership Cards 1733–1990, Abraham H. Howland, Jr. Lodge, Charles Prescott Emerson. Birth: 21 Oct 1870, East Douglas, Massachusetts. Occupation: Clerk. Death: 16 Oct 1951.

Also, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, Death Index, 1951-1955, New Bedford, Bristol County, Charles P. Emerson, 1951, vol. 71, p. 156.

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12. Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Death Index, 1951-1955, Dartmouth, Bristol County, Mabel L. (Swan) Emerson, 1954, vol. 39, p. 236.

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13. Headstone reads: Charles P. / 1870-1951.
Find A Grave, memorial 157989196, Charles Prescott Emerson (1870–1951), Rural Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts with headstone photo.

Also, headstone reads: Mabel S. / 1877-1954.
Find A Grave, memorial 157989294, Mabel Louise Swan Emerson (1877–1954), Rural Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts with headstone photo.

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14. “Horace E. Emerson, 95,” obituary, South Coast Today (New Bedford, Massachusetts), 2 Aug 2008.
Note: MIddle initial is incorrect in the obituary.

Also, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Horace F. Emerson, 29 July 2008. Birth: 17 Jan 1913. Last residence: New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts.

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15. Headstone reads: Horace F. / 1913-2008.
Find A Grave, memorial 157989328, Horace Francis Emerson (1913–2008), Rural Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts with headstone photo.

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Citing this page: Kimberli Faulkner Hull, author, “Charles Prescott Emerson (1870–1951)” Cool Adventures (https://cooladventures.com/collection/charles-p-emerson-1870-1951/ : posted 2021).

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