The Emersons of the Warren Line
have their own stories, worthy of their own page.
From Ancestral File (TM), data as of 2 January 1996.
From Jane Emerson James, p. 1: "Michael and Robert Emerson and their
sister, Elizabeth (Emerson) Lilford, came to America from Lincolnshire,
England ca. the 1650's. No record seems to have been found showing exactly
when they arrived or on what ship or ships. It seems probable to me that
Elizabeth, who was older, came first to a marriage ca. 1643 that may have been
arranged by friends and that her brothers, Michael and Robert followed later.
In 1643 Elizabeth was 27, Michael, 16 and Robert 14. We may never know nor may
we be able to do more than speculate as to why they elected to become pioneers
in the new land.
Charles Henry Pope wrote, "Thomas Emerson, their father, was one of the
wardens of the parish for some years, and his family was doubtless one of the
most loyal to the church; the young men had no local woes or persecutions
which they sought to escape, so far as we can judge; some other cause must
have nourished in their souls the spring of adventure or the flame of pilgrim
zeal. "There was material for this at hand. The valley of the Ancholme
wherein Cadney parish lies was only a little way from Gainsborough, one of the
places where the Pilgrim church began its history. There Reverends John
Robinson and John Smyth preached and gathered a congregation of intelligent,
independent Christian men and women. After making Scooby, a bit further west,
their meeting place for a short time and being much interfered with, they
betook themselves, in 1607, to Holland, by way of Boston in this same
Lincolnshire, traveling across the county in a course not very far from,
Cadney parish; so that their sad persecutions, their exile to Holland and
their voyage in the 'Mayflower' to our Plymouth, in 1620, were familiar facts
to the people of that section.
Two of the three children of Thomas and Margaret Emerson who finally came over
here were not born till after the 'Mayflower's' voyage was made,and the sister
was but four years old at that date; but the air was still throbbing with the
echoes of the hatred and cruelties of their persecutors, when Elizabeth,
Michael and Robert learned to read and begin to understand what Christianity
really meant. Besides, a second veritable Pilgrim company under the leadership
of Rev. Ezekiel Rogers assembled at Rowley, in Yorkshire, and founded Rowley
in Massachusetts; and the young men, when making an occasional trip down the
Ancholme and along the Humber to Kingston upon Hull (commonly called Hull),
must have heard about that minister and the people who composed that church
colony. "At all events, the trio of Howsham Emersons actually came over
to our Rowley and joined with those Yorkshire folk in due time, probably about
the year 1650. Elizabeth's husband, Thomas Lilford, was a resident of new
Rowley for some years; Robert married a Rowley girl and probably lived at that
plantation before making his home in Haverhill. We may reasonably believe that
their motive in coming across the Atlantic was not to escape persecution, but
to.better their condition; that the lure of a new country drew them; and that
they kept in the western world all manner of love and tender thoughts for the
father and mother and brothers and sisters and other kinfolk who remained in
the valley of the Ancholrre and up in the wold where Sereby lay. The father's
will shows his undiminished love for the children certainly."
From Jane Emerson, p. 10, 11:
"Michael Emerson...came to America on or before March 1, 1651 when he was
named as a possible witness to the Grand Jury of Essex County court. His place
of residence is not mentioned then buton 3 Mar 1655 he received from Haverhill
one of the allotments of land which were made to inhabitants in the form of
two cow commons and four acres of meadow "to be laid out after the second
division of meadow is all laid out." On 17 Jan 1658 in the third division
of meadow he was given a quarter acre to add to his four acres already given.
On 28 Feb 1661 he had 6 portion in the fourth division of meadow. Also in 1661
he exchanged his two cow commons for two ox commons with the grant showing
that he owned two cows at that date.
On 6 Jan 1662 he purchased with his brother Robert a farm of six acres in the
southwestern part of the town. The price was eighty five pounds and the deed
had the condition that they should "pay for two acres and a half of
accomodations upon ye sd land." Afterward at an unknown date the town
gave him a tract adjoining his farm and on 14 Dec 1663 permitted him to
exchange some land.Transcripts of these documents follow: Laid out to Michaell
Emerson Forty and four acres of upland adjoining to his other land which he
had of Robert Swan, bounded with a white oak between Thomas Lillford and him
and with a black oak at the pond. One acre of Meadow in that land is laid out
to Mr. Ward, bounded with upland...Michael Emerson was a man of decision and
ability. He was elected constable in 1659 and a sample of his handwriting has
been preserved in the files of the Essex County court in which he endorsed the
back of a warrant...Besides the work of the court a constable had to collect
"rates" or taxes and keep close personal accounts with the town.
Michael Emerson filled other positions of responsibility. He had learned the
trade of "cordwainer" or shoemaker, which then included a knowledge
and skill covering all materials and work entered into the trade. Thus he was
chosen "sealer of leather", the officer who had authority to see
that all sales of leather were made honestly as to quality and quantity. He
was the first to hold this office and was elected to it every year from 1675
until 1702. In 1677 he was appointed a helper, Andrew Greeley, after he
"complained." He was appointed to join with Newbury men to "lay
out and state the way between us" 19 Nov 1662 and was the surveyor of
highways in 1695, his portion being between the Saw Mill river and the Great
Plain." At the same town meeting he was elected "one of the tithing
men", appointed to keep order in the place of worship--very good evidence
that he was a church member.
Two shadows are cast over the good name of Michael Emerson in the copious
records kept. In his 88 years he was seemingly disliked by a neighbor named
White and he was once fined for mistreating one of his 15 children. In his
history of Haverhill Chase quoted the town record thus: "This year 1666
Michael Emerson moved into town and settled near the White-house-on Mill
Street. The grantees offered that if he would 'go back to the woods' they
would give him a tract of land. He accepted the offer, and settled not far
from the corner of Primrose and Winter streets. The 'Emerson Estate' on the
south side of the latter street is part of the original tract of Michael
Emerson." And in his Haverhill (an unpublished manuscript held in the
Haverhill, Mass. Library) Chase quotes from the 1674 Records of the County
Court, "Michael Emerson was fined 5s for his cruel and excessive beating
of his daughter with a flayle swingel and kicking of her." He was under
bonds in Hampton Court 16 May 1676 and it was abated in Nov 1676. Chase says
that the daughter was Elizabeth who would have been 9 years old at the time.
