Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Emberson, Wade Allen March 6, 1836 - March 5, 1922
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net July 2, 2022, 9:13 pm

Author: Ron Martin

Wade Allen Emberson was born on June 6, 1836 to Samuel James Emberson and Sarah 
“Sally” Holley of Pittsylvania County.   Sometime between 1840 and 1850, the 
family moved to Franklin County, Virginia.
  On February 12, 1857, Wade married Easter Jean “Ellie” Martin of nearby 
Dodson, the daughter of Moses Josephas Martin, Jr. and Sarah Sally Moles.
  Like many men of his era, he farmed the land to provide for his family as the 
family began to expand the following year with the birth of their first 
daughter, Susan C. Emberson on June 5.   Three years later, John William 
Emberson was born on February 6, 1861.
  However life for his family like many others in the area was put on hold due 
to the Civil War.  He joined the Confederacy on April 1, 1862 and was assigned 
to Captain Fry’s Orange Artillery.  Evidently he served for just over a year but 
like many of the soldiers on both sides, they became sick and/or home sick hence 
he deserted along with John B. Martin, his brother in law around June 6, 1863.   
Soldiers on both sides deserted for a variety of reasons as the rigors of 
military life, poor food, inadequate clothing, homesickness, and concern for 
loved ones at home drove men to desert.   It could be stated that the character 
of the American soldier contributed to the desertion issue.  
  About four months later, he was arrested and returned to camp.  Subsequently 
he deserted again around April 15, 1864.  Exactly five days later, his second 
daughter Matilda Nancy “Mamie” Emberson was born.  Based on the timing, one 
would assume that he was aware of the timing of the birth of his daughter hence 
he was not missing this very important event.  Eventually he was mustered out of 
the Confederacy and he returned to life in the quiet, remote area of Puppy Creek 
in Patrick County.  
  In both the 1870 census and the 1880 census, he was still farming the land 
that he and his family resided upon in Patrick County.  Sometime after 1880, he 
embarked upon running a mill on the cool waters of Puppy Creek near where the 
creek spilled out into the much larger Smith River.  It was simply called 
Emberson’s Mill and the road leading to the mill was called the Emberson Mill 
Road.
  Much like many men in that area of Patrick County, their income potential was 
very limited due to the extremely rural area in which they chose to live.   Due 
to this, many men made the decision to manufacture liquor to provide for their 
families.   Wade Emberson was no different and based on records, he was involved 
in the whiskey business.   In fact, on August 15, 1886, he was issued a 
distiller’s license by the Internal Revenue Service.
  In the 1910 census as well as the 1920 census, both records indicated that he 
was back to farming to provide for his family so therefore we are unsure if he 
was still working at the mill.   However his son Henry Harrison Emberson was 
running the mill in the 1910 census so based on his father’s age and the hard 
work associating with running a mill, it was likely that he was still helping 
some.
  On March 5, 1922, he passed away at home from old age and paralysis according 
to his death certificate.  Two days later, he was buried high above his mill and 
home place on the east slope of Poor Mountain in a cemetery that today bears his 
name, the Wade Emberson Cemetery.


Additional Comments:
Recently a photo of Wade Allen Emberson's huge family has been unearthed and 
credit is provided to Sheila Martin Turner who resides in the Bassett Forks area 
of Henry County!

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/patrick/bios/emberson19nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/vafiles/

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