BIOGRAPHY - Samuel Emmons
SAMUEL EMMONS, one of the pioneer settlers of Ford County, was born in
Hamilton County, Ohio, September 13, 1836, and is a son of William and
Rebecca (Pearson) Emmons. The father was born in New Jersey, and when young
removed to Ohio with his parents, who were among the early settlers of that
State. In Hamilton County, he married Miss Pearson, a native of that county.
About 1838, they removed to Mercer County, Ohio, which was then a
wilderness, their nearest neighbor being five miles distant. Having built a
log house and cleared some ten acres of land, Mr. Emmons took sick and died,
in 1840, when in the prime of life, being only thirty-six years of age. He
left three children, the eldest of whom was burned to death in childhood.
Samuel was the next in order of birth, and Almira, the youngest, is now Mrs.
Lind, of Cincinnati, Ohio. The mother afterward married again, but passed to
her final reward in 1890, being seventy-six years of age.
Our subject is the only one of the family living in this county, and, since
about the age of nine years, has made his own way in the world. Having
worked for wages for several years, he began farming for himself. Mr. Emmons
wedded Mary U. George, on the 29th of October, 1860. She was a native of
Darke County, Ohio, and a lady of French descent. Soon after their marriage,
they removed to Le Roy, .McLean County, Ill., where he carried on a farm
until August 8, 1862.
On that date, Mr. Emmons enlisted in Company G, Ninety-fourth Illinois
Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was sent to Southern Missouri and Northern
Arkansas, and the first battle in which our subject engaged was Prairie
Grove, Ark., which was followed by the siege of Vicksburg, the capture of
Yazoo City and Morganza. In 1863, the command crossed the Gulf and captured
Brownsville, after which it returned and captured Ft. Morgan, was engaged in
the battles of Fish River, Pasca Gula, and Spanish Fort, which was the last
engagement in which our subject participated. He was never wounded or taken
prisoner, but soon after the battle of Vicksburg, while on a march between
Yazoo City and Jackson, he received a sunstroke from which lie has never
recovered. He was a brave soldier, and was discharged at Springfield, Ill.,
in August, 1865, after the close of the war.
Returning to McLean County, Mr. Emmons turned his attention to farming, and
in 1867 removed to Ford County, but soon after went again to McLean County,
where he spent a year and then returned to this county. Having farmed until
1872, he came to Gibson City, and has since made this place his home.
In 1880, Mrs. Emmons was called to her final rest, leaving six children, of
whom five are still living: Addie, wife of J. S. Moore, of Gibson City;
William M., an expressman of Gibson; Amy, Minnie, and Gertrude, now the wife
of P. Ryan, of Gibson City. The mother was a member of the United Brethren
Church, and a true Christian lady.
On the 5th of May, 1881, Mr. Emmons was again united in marriage, this time
to Mrs. Laura L. Moore, a daughter of A. N. and Delilah (Hamilton) Nevin,
who emigrated from Brown County, Ohio, to McLean County, Ill., about 1855,
and in that county Mrs. Emmons married James Moore, by whom she had four
children, two of whom are still living, Blanche and Bertha. Mr. Moore died
in 1874, and, in 1881, his widow married our subject, as is given above. Of
this union two children were born, Mamie and Lucile. Mrs. Emmons is a
Methodist in religious belief, and in the church of that denomination is an
earnest worker.
Since coming to Gibson City, Mr. Emmons has engaged in a variety of
occupations, carrying on a meat market, a restaurant, and a draying and ice
business. In political sentiment, he is a Republican, and takes an active
interest in the success of that party. Socially, he is member of Lott Post
No. 70, G. A. R., of which he is a charter member, and has held all the
offices. In the war, he was a brave and valiant soldier, and in peace is a
true and worthy citizen.
Extracted 04 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Record of Ford County, Illinois, published in 1892, pages 220-223.
