Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
WALTER P. EMERSON. One of the enterprising and deserving young men of Fair Grove, Greene county, is Walter P. Emerson, who is filling very acceptably the position of postmaster and is also conducting a store there. He was formerly a resident of Springfield and has spent most of his life in this county.
Mr. Emerson was born in Jasper county, Missouri, November 14, 1880. He is a son of James Daniel and Sarah Ann Frances (Wheeler) Emerson. The father was born in 1852, in Greene county, this state, spending his first years in Franklin township, in fact, with the exception of one year spent in Jasper county, he spent his entire life in his native county, and made general farming his vocation, owning a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres, all under improvement, in Jackson township, and there his death occurred in May, 1904. Politically he was a Democrat, and while active in the affairs of his party was never an office holder. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, at Fair Grove, in which he took much interest, and in which he was a deacon for years. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. at Fair Grove. His wife was a native of Tennessee, and when young in years she came to Greene county, Missouri, with her parents, James T. and Nancy A. (Andrews.) Wheeler. This was during the period of the Civil war. The family located at Hickory Barrens, and secured one hundred and forty acres of good land in that vicinity, where Mr. Wheeler carried on general farming. During the war he was a private in a Missouri regiment in the Union army, later being promoted to corporal and was honorably discharged and mustered out as such. He saw considerable service and had a horse shot from under him in an engagement. He was in St. Louis at the close of the war. He enlisted on the road from Tennessee to Missouri and his wife continued on to Greene county, where he joined her after the war and resided the rest of his life.
Three children were born to James D. Emerson and wife, namely: Walter P., of this sketch; Mrs. Mary Alexander Yancy, and John Reed, who is one of the country school teachers of this county.
Walter P. Emerson grew up on the home farm and assisted with the general work there. He was one year old when his parents brought him from Jasper county to Franklin township. He was educated in the district schools here, later taking a course in the Springfield Business College, from which he was graduated in 1902. He lived in Springfield six years, working as a street car conductor for four years, and as a teamster for two years. He moved to Fair Grove in March, 1908 where he has since resided. He has for some time been conducting a small general store, and in the spring of 1914 took the civil service examination and was appointed postmaster at Fair Grove the following July. He is discharging the duties of in a highly acceptable manner to the department and the people. is next door to the office. He is an honest, obliging and courteous young man, and his appointment to this office was highly pleasing to the citizens of Fair Grove and vicinity.
Mr. Emerson was married October 9, 1901, to Pearlie Blair, a daughter of Thomas A. and Malinda (Sharp) Blair. To this union five children have been born, namely: Audra Preston, James Thomas, Zelma Hazel, Elma Dazel and Claude Elwyn.
Politically, Mr. Emerson is a Democrat. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World, both at Fair Grove, and his wife is a member of the Baptist church.
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