Whitfield-Fulton County GaArchives Obituaries.....Emerson, William Henry November 13, 1924 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002476 November 7, 2011, 12:18 pm The Atlanta Constitution, November 14, 1924 The Atlanta Constitution Friday, November 14, 1924 Page Five Noted Educator Passes At Tech Funeral services for Dr. William Henry Emerson, dean of the chemistry department of Georgia Tech, who died Thursday morning at his home, 160 West North Avenue, will be held Saturday morning at 10 o’clock, from the chapel of the Tech Y.M.C.A. Interment of the widely-known educator, who has been a member of the faculty since 1888, will follow in West View cemetery. Dr. Ben R. Lacy, Jr., pastor of Central Presbyterian church, will officiate. The following close friends of Dr. Emerson will act as pallbearers: Dr. J.B. Crenshaw, Dr. J.H. Boggs, Dr. W.G. Berry, J.L. Daniel, Dr. W.V. Skiles and H.A. Thompson. Dr. Emerson, while he had been in ill health for more than a year, did not suspend his duties as dean of the chemistry department until illness forced him to do so several weeks ago. His death, while not unexpected by immediate members of the family, came as a distinct shock to his hundreds of friends in Atlanta and throughout the south. His death cast a pall of gloom over Tech’s student body and faculty alike and changed plans for the institution’s home-coming celebration of which Dr. Emerson was to be a central figure. The feature of the luncheon of students and alumni Saturday was to be the presentation to the school of an oil painting of the dean, done by Miss Kate Edwards, and tendered by the class of 1924. Dr. Emerson had looked forward to the occasion with great anticipation, it is said. The presentation of the portrait will go on as planned, save for the absence of the beloved and esteemed educator who was to be honored. Had Long Service In the fall of 1888, when Georgia Tech opened its doors for the first time, Dr. Emerson was there as head of the chemistry department. Since that time he has been associated with every interest of the school, and has labored untiringly and unceasingly for its good. In 1910 he was made dean of the institution as a tribute to his great ability and in 1912 a further tribute to his character and standing in the profession was made when he was awarded the degree of doctor of science by the University of Georgia. Dr. Emerson was born June 17, 1860, at Tunnel Hill, Ga. His father was Caleb Emerson, a well-known practicing physician of his section, and his mother before her marriage was Miss Caroline Austin, a member of a prominent Georgia family. As a young man Dr. Emerson was interested in education. He attended the schools in his community and in 1876 received a congressional appointment to the naval academy, entering the institution in the fall. He was graduated with honors in the class of 1880, and served as an officer in the navy until 1883 and then resigned to pursue his educational career. Dr. Emerson entered Johns Hopkins University in 1883, being graduated two years later with a Ph.D. degree. From Johns Hopkins he went to the Citadel University where he taught until 1888, the year of his coming to Georgia Tech. Was Highly Honored He was a member of the honorary society of Phi Kappa Phi, a member of the Georgia Academy of Science and of the American Chemical Society. He also was a member of the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, and a member of the Alpha Tan Omega fraternity, having been initiated into the Tech chapter. Dr. Emerson typified the Georgia Tech man, and was infused with the famous spirit of the school. It was said of him that he never missed a football game at Tech during his entire service at the school. Before coming to Tech Dr. Emerson married Miss Lilly Cherry, of Tunnel Hill, Ga. He is survived by Mrs. Emerson and two sons, Cherry L. Emerson, vice president of the I.W. Robert Company and Austin Emerson, of Charlotte, N.C. (Picture of Dr. Emerson is included with article) Additional Comments: Transcriber's note: I'm not related to or researching the Emerson family. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/whitfield/obits/e/emerson13658ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb