1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Silas W. Emery, who is engaged in stock-raising and farming in Crawford township, Crawford county, was born in Clermont county, Ohio, February 26, 1833, and is a son of Henry and Susan (Ramsey) Emery, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Kentucky. The father attained the advanced age of seventy-three years, passing away in 1872, but the mother died in 1841 at the age of thirty-nine years.

In the common schools of Ohio Silas W. Emery mastered the elementary branches of English learning, and at the age of sixteen years he started out to earn his own living by working at the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for nine years. In 1854 he journeyed westward to Knox county, Illinois, and invested his earnings in a farm near the city of Galesburg. He was for twenty-one years a well-known agriculturist of that locality, successfully conducting his farm, which annually brought to him a good income. In 1875, however, he sold his property in that state and came to Kansas, where he purchased four hundred acres of land. He has since divided one hundred and eighty acres among his children, but retain possession of the remaining two hundred and twenty acres and has continuously resided upon the one place covering a period of almost thirty years. Its improvements are his work and indicate his careful supervision and practical ideas. He has lived a life of unwearied industry, and although he started out for himself with no capital he is to-day one of the substantial residents of his adopted county, having valuable farm possessions.

On the 7th of October, 1857, Mr. Emery was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ellen Meek, a native of Illinois. They traveled life's journey for almost forty years, sharing with each other its joys and sorrows, its adversity and prosperity, but at length they were separated by death, Mrs. Emery being called to her final rest on the 19th of May, 1896, when sixty-two years of age. They had become the parents of twelve children: Hattie E., who is the wife of James Pyle, a resident of Sherman township, Crawford county; Carrie, the wife of A. Lincoln McWilliams, who is represented elsewhere in this volume; Susie, who died at the age of thirty-two years; Mary, who died at the age of five months; Daniel, who is living in Crawford township; John R., who makes his home in Kansas City, Kansas; Thomas, Minnie E. and Sallie E., all at home; Margaret, the wife of Edwin E. Colean, of Pittsburg, Kansas; Teenie, who died at the age of fourteen years; and Jay, who completes the family.

While residing in Illinois Mr. Emery was a member of the Masonic fraternity, Pacific Lodge No. 400, Knoxville, Illinois. He has always given his political allegiance to the Democracy, and was once a candidate for county commissioner and later for county treasurer in Crawford county, but as this is a Republican district he met defeat together with the other candidates on the party ticket. He served, however, as school treasurer for twenty-four years and three months, and in all matters of citizenship he has been progressive and public-spirited, giving active and helpful co-operation to many movements for the general good. He was one of seven men who organized the second horticultural society of Crawford county and was made its president. His worth as a business man and citizen is widely acknowledged, and he has ever been honorable in his business relations and conscientious in the discharge of all obligations.