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The Seattle Daily Times
Monday Evening, August 3, 1914
Page 7, Column 3

Rich Lumberman Called By Death

George H. Emerson, of Hoquiam, Prominent in Business and in Republican Politics, Dies in Seattle Laid Out Town in Gray’s Harbor Country

Saw Service During Civil War in Massachusetts Regiment and Then Crossed Plains to California George H. Emerson of Hoquiam, millionaire lumberman and Republican leader died yesterday of diabetes at Providence Hospital where he had been taken Wednesday suffering from what was believed to be the result of extracting a tooth. An examination showed that Emerson was suffering from diabetes and death followed a few days later. Emerson, who was 70 years old, leaves a widow, a son, Ralph D. Emerson, now touring Oregon in an automobile and a daughter, Mrs. Alice E. Lamb, of Hoquiam, wife of a prominent mill man and logger operating in the Gray’s Harbor country.

Though one of the most active business men in the state, Emerson was until a few years ago, a leader in Republican politics. At times he was seriously mentioned both as a candidate for United States Senator and for Governor, but he did not force a personal ambition onto the party. He did, however, take place as a delegate to Republican National Conventions and was a steady contributor to party campaign funds.

Civil War Veteran

Mr. Emerson was a Civil War veteran, having enlisted in a Massachusetts regiment. Mr. Emerson’s family had moved to Chelsea, Massachusetts, from Chester, New Hampshire, where he was born, a few years before the outbreak of the war. After the war Mr. Emerson crossed the plains to San Francisco, then returned for Mrs. Emerson and reached the coast a second time by way of the Isthmus. He had had ten years’ experience in lumber business when he was sent in 1881 to Gray’s Harbor to build the first plant on the Harbor for the Northwestern Lumber Company. Emerson built a home in what is now Hoquiam and later on platted the town.

At the time of his death, Emerson was President of the Harbor Land Company, the Frank H. Lamb Timber Company and Gray’s Harbor Tug Boat Company, Vice-President of the Gray’s Harbor Company, Hoquiam Water Company, Northwestern Lumber Company and First National Bank. He was interested in the Lumbermen’s Indemnity Company and was a stockholder in the Metropolitan Bank and a stockholder and trustee of the Metropolitan Building Company of Seattle.

Funeral arrangements will be made after communicating with Emerson’s son. Memorial services will be held for him by the Hoquiam Elks. Interment will be in the family plot in San Francisco.

The body of Mr. Emerson will lie in state at the Butterworth & Sons Parlors tomorrow afternoon from 2 until 3 o’clock, after which it will be shipped first to Hoquiam and from that city to San Francisco, where interment will occur.

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Generously contributed by: Sheila Simpson