Ruschenberger.] [May 15, 



A Sketch of tlie Life of Dr. Gouverneur Emerson. 



By W. 8. W. Ruschenberger, M.D. 

 (Read before the American Philosophical Society, May 15, 1891.') 



' Descriptions of the peculiar attainments of members of the American 

 Philosophical Society, and of their labors to increase and diffuse knowl- 

 edge of truth of any kind, are interesting features in the Society's annals. 

 For such reason it has long been a practice to have prepared a suitable 

 notice or memoir of every resident member soon after his death. 



At the close of his life Dr. Emerson had been a member of the Society 

 more than forty-one years. He was warmly interested in its welfare, and 

 took a more or less active part in its proceedings. Notwithstanding his 

 worthiness of it, a tribute to his memory in the Society has not been 

 recorded. 



Just after his death, in 1874, it was suggested that I should prepare a 

 notice of him. Inquiry at the time led to the belief that materials for a 

 suitable memoir could not be easily obtained. Even among his intimate 

 friends, Dr. Emerson was notably reticent about himself, never indulged 

 in reminiscences of his past experience : in fact, his associates knew 

 nothing of his life or career. 



Recently, however, his near kinsmen have kindly opened sources of 

 information, and now, after long delay, a sketch of his life and work, in 

 sufficient detail for estimation of his character and measurement of his 

 usefulness while living, is respectfully submitted. 



Emerson is an ancient English surname and probably not hereditary. 



The Emersons of Delaware sprang from a respectable English parent- 

 age, and were among the early colonists of Penn's province. They were 

 all farmers, and proprietors of their farms. 



The grandfather of the subject of the following sketch, Grouverneur 

 familiarly called Govey Emerson, his wife Sarah, born Manlove, and 

 their six children, were received into membership of the Duck Creek 

 Meeting of the Society of Friends in 1757.* His youngest son, Jonathan, 

 born July 17, 1764, married Ann Bell in 1794. f They had seven children, 



* Records of Duck Creek Meeting, Kent county, Del. 

 t Genealogical Note. Gouverneur Emerson married Sarah Manlove, 1746. 

 Issue Jacob, b. 1751 ; m. Sarah Stout. 



Manlove, b. 1759 ; m. Susan Bluudell. 

 Jonathan, b. 1764 ; m. Ann Bell. 



Robert Bell m. Mary O'Brien of Ireland. 



Issue Henry, Robert, Thomas, John, Mary, Agnes, Lucy. 

 Henry, m. Elizabeth Lewis. 



John, m. Mary Lewis ; issue Ann, Margaret, Mary, Lucy, Eliza L., Stephen. 

 Ann (Bell) m. Jonathan Emerson. Issue Gouverneur, Sarah (died), Mary, Susan B., 

 Manlove (died) and Ann Eliza. 



