Michael Emerson was born 6 April 1627 in Cadney, Lincolnshire, England to Thomas Emerson (1591-1657) and Margareta Froe 1598 1656 and died 18 July 1709 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Hannah Webster (1635-1708) 1656 in Essex County, Massachusetts.
Biography
Migration to America
The first record found showing his arrival in America is a Essex County grand jury court record dated 01 Mar 1651. He next shows up in Haverhill town land allotment dated 03 Mar 1655.
The Emersons of Haverhill, Massachusetts, were the kind of family that just could not stay out of trouble. Death was a common feature in the Emerson household; only nine of their fifteen children survived infancy. Michael Emerson’s first child, Hannah, would marry Thomas Duston and, become famous for escaping Indian captivity by murdering and scalping ten of her captors.
Last Will and Testament
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF:
Michael Emerson of Haverhill in y. county of Essex in New England: calling To mind y. mortality of this Life: being of a perfect memory and of good Compas mentus understanding but Considering my Later End drawing near I do theirfore make this my last will and testament & bequest: my Body I Comit after Death unto ye Earth by a Desant burial & my Spirit to return to god who gave it. In trusting to a glorious Resarection at y' last day & an inheritanc among the saints in Light: Threw Jesus Christ: ouer alone Redeemer. And for those few things of this world which it bath Pleased God to bestow upon me I do will and bestowe and despos of as foloeath I will y' all my Just Debts be payed: and ye Rest of my Eastat I bequeath & give in mannor foloing: viz: unto my beloved wife Hannah Emerson I give the youse of the east end of my dweling house all the Dayes of her life that she shal Remain my widow. I all so give hir my best bed and all ye beding their unto belonging and two cows & a smal bras kitel and a belmetel skilet. this. I give to my wife besides aseutabel and comfortabel maintenanc sewtabel for my widow out of my Eastat acording to ye Quantity shear of to be found her by my two Excutors of this my will I Do allso give unto my Eldest son John Emerson all my waring aparell beside what I have all Redy given him by Dead & no more: and unto my Son Samuel Emerson I give the sum of twenty pownds: and all my lands & medows in haverhill which I have not before this day disposed of by Dead. I: give be tween my two yongest sons namely Jonathan & Joshua Emerson: in perticilur: I do give unto my son Joshua Emerson my Dewling house and two acres of land ajoyning their unto and my Duck medow. tines last mentioned hous land & medow I give unto my son Joshua Emerson in ye [ . . . ] land hear to fore unto Jonathan Emerson and all ye Rest & Remainer of my [ . . . ] whear I now Live and all my out lands and medows. I: give Equely between my two above so sons Jonathan Emerson & Joshua Emerson y' is to say firstly my homestead and also my farm land about forty fouer acres and my Spicet medow and allso my Strong water medow. I do hear by give and bequeath to & Equely betwen Jonathan & Joshua: and all my Commonages and all or alley other wrights or titels or Intrests in lands. or: medows to me belonging. I do give unto Them y' so Jonathan & Joshua I. give the above named land & medow To them and their heiars after them to be by them disposed of to their heiars as they shall think most fit and shal see caus to dispose it: I: allso will and order my sd two sons The Excuters of this my will Jointly & Equely to give in and pay unto their Mother or Carey in unto heir a good and sufficient quantity of provision & Things nescsery for heir suport & maintainenc booth Comforting & Conveniant for heir maintainan & for her to keep house with in ye End of ye house which I have willed to heir whear she shal live all y dayes of her widowwhed to be it.Equely given by Jonathan & Joshua my two Excutors: I: do all so will and order these my two sons Excutors to my will to pay out as Leageseys for this my Eastat which I have given _ them these several leageseys hear after menshoned unto & among my hear after named Children: viz: to John Emerson: my wearing apparil as above & unto Samuel Emerson the sum of twenty pounds as a hove and unto my Dafter Hannah Duston the sum of twenty pounds beside what they have alredy had allso unto my Dafter Abagail: now Smith the sum of sixten beside what they have had alredy given them: and unto my son in Law hew Mathews I do give the sum of forty shillings beside what I have formerly given him allso I: do give to hew Mathewses Children as foloeath to his son John Mathews and his dafter Johannah Mathews I give thirty shillings apice If: they be living & Come for it and to Mary Mathews my grandafter. I give the sum of fiveten pownds if she shal live unto the time of payment or be marled & have a Child: and I do constitute these my two sons Jonathan Emerson & Joshua Emerson to be the sole and Jont Excutors of This my Last will & Testiment To pay the legaseys hear in wiled and given in all Respects as it is hear seat downe and wiled but I do not bind & order my sons to pay these leagiseis in money but in good pay at money pric and I do give them Three years time after my Deceas for to fulfill and Compleat all ye Several bequethments that I have hear in Expresed and given unto my Children & Gran Children: in Confirmation of what is hear writen in this my Last will & testament I have hear unto set to my hand and seal this eightenth day of July in ye year one thousand seven hundred and nine in ye 8th year of her majs' Reign Queen Anne of great Britain
Signed & sealed in presents of these witneses Timothy Kezer Nathan N Simon his marke James Jorden
Michael Emerson
Marke & seal (seal)
The foregoing will shows that Hannah, wife of Michael Emerson, was living in July, 1709; we have no record of her death.
Family of Michael Emerson
Children born in Haverhill, MA: 9 of 15 children did not survive infancy.
- Hanna Emerson (1657-1738) - oldest daughter was taken captive by indians after her marriage to Thomas Dustin.
- John Emerson (1659-1659) - Died Infant
- Mary Emerson (1660-1683) -
- John Emerson (1662-) -
- Samuel Emerson (1664-) -
- Elizabeth Emerson (1664-1693) - hanged for infanticide- (Source: Kearney, Peg Goggin. "The Life and Death of Elizabeth Emerson". University of Southern Maine. Retrieved 2014-01-22.)
- Jonathan Emerson (1670-) -
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Hanna Emerson (1657-1738) | 23 December 1657 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States | 6 March 1738 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts | Thomas Dustin (1652-1732) |
| John Emerson (1659-1659) | |||
| Mary Emerson (1660-1683) | |||
| John Emerson (1662-) | |||
| Samuel Emerson (1664-) | |||
| Jonathan Emerson (1670-) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Robert Emerson (1612-1694) | 24 May 1612 Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England | 25 June 1694 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts | Elizabeth Grave (1612-1636) Frances Unknown (c1618-) Ann Grant (1637-1718) |
| Benjamin Emerson (1614-1614) | |||
| Ralph Emerson (1615-1626) | |||
| James Emerson (1617-1664) | |||
| Thomas Emerson (1619-1653) | |||
| Isabell Emerson (1619-1692) | |||
| Joseph Emerson (1620-1680) | 25 June 1620 Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | 3 January 1680 Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States | Elizabeth Bulkeley (1637-1693) |
| Elizabeth Emerson (1623-1681) | |||
| John Emerson (1625-1700) | |||
| Michael Emerson (1627-1709) | 6 April 1627 Cadney, Lincolnshire, England | 18 July 1709 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts | Hannah Webster (1635-1708) |
| Nathaniel Emerson (1630-1712) | |||
| Susan Emerson (1632-1712) | |||
| Sarah Emerson (1634-1640) | |||
| Matthew Emerson (1634-) | |||
References
- Emerson Name Source - Research study of the first Emersons to come to America
- Emerson Family Tragedies - Executed Today - Elizabeth Emerson