Dr Emery was born in Walpole NH in 1791 and studied medicine at NY University. He was licensed to practice in Ohio in 1816 and moved to Illinois in Aug 1839, settling just a few miles from his sister in law, Irene Stevens Harris on the Winnebago/Stephenson Co line. The Howard Union Cem is on the corner of Irene Steven Harris' property.

The county line road divided the Emery property. His house was on the Winnebago side and property he donated for a school on the Stephenson Co. side. Sunday school was first held on an old place on the Stephenson Co side, but later moved into the main house after it's completion.

Dr. Emery established the first post office in the area having been the post master of Thompson Ohio and a mail carrier during the War of 1812. Dr. Emery was the first medical doctor betweeen Freeport and Rockford and visited his patients on horseback. His post office was later moved to Pecatonica. The Emery's lived near the Burrills (who came a bit later) Winchesters and Tunks.

Later in life, 1870, Dr. Emery moved to Kansas to be near his son Josiah Bartlett Emery whose first wife, Prudence McIntire, was the sister of William Tunks' second wife, Armadilla. Prudence had died in California.

Son Milo married Clarrisa Partlow, a girl from the first class at The College School at Irish Grove in 1854. Son Seth Stevens Emery married another niece of William Z Tunks, Mary Elizabeth Hisey. They married in Springfield Ohio while Seth was serving in the Civil War at a hospital. Mary became matron of the hospital. After the war, Seth opened a drugstore in Pecatonica. It was a successful business but Seth's eyesight later failed and he also moved to Kansas and farmed. His eyesight came back.

Daughter Candace, the eldest girl, married 3 Jul 1844 in Rockford, John Daniels Jr. They lived in Rock City and had six children.

Sons George Jr and Omri Willey Reid Emery lived in Iowa.

The youngest daughter, Viancie Emery, married Dr Charles Wesley Burrill an immediate neighbor of William Tunks. William Tunks married first, Paulina Winchester, daughter of neighbor Wm Hale "Uncle Hail" Winchester. Jonathan Burrill married Harriet Winchester, another daughter of Hale Winchester and Sybil Gates. (Sybil Gates' sister Rebecca, was mother of Prudence (married Josiah Emery) and Armadilla McIntire (Armadilla being William Tunks second wife.)

Dr. George Reid Emery's parents were Cpt John Emery b 1756 Newbury MA...a Minuteman at Concord and later member of the regular Continental Army..died 1831 buried Unionville Cem Geuaga Co Ohio. . His mother was a cousin, Susannah Bartlett b 1856 Newbury MA died 1814 Lyndon Vt. . Cpt Emery and wife were second and first cousins respectively of Dr. Governor Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire, the second signer of the Declaration of Independence. Susannah's father was also named Josiah Bartlett and her mother Lydia Hale was a daughter of Ruth Emery whose sister Hannah Emery, was Susannah's great grandmother and grandmother of the Declaration Signer. Hannah and Ruth Emery's brother John was grandfather of Cpt John Emery.

Written and Contributed by Mallory Smith (Photo above taken in Kansas City 1853 when he was 62 years old)
Candice Emery wrote "Pioneer Life in the Family of George Reid Emery." Should be at the Freeport Library
Emery Family Photos