Capt. Isaac Edward Emerson

Inventor of Bromo-Seltzer.

Issac Edward Emerson was born in 1859 in Chatham County, North Carolina, the son of a farmer. When his mother died prematurely, he went to live with his aunt and uncle. He later graduated as a chemist from the University of North Carolina in 1879.

Career

In 1880, he moved to Baltimore and opened a small drug store where he developed a formula for a headache remedy. He patented the formula, named it Bromo-Seltzer and began marketing it. In 1887, he formed the Emerson Drug Company and, recognizing the importance of advertising in selling products, undertook worldwide ad campaigns in newspaper, magazine, in-store ads and on radio which rocketed the sales of Bromo-Seltzer and other products producing his great wealth.

In 1911, Emerson built the Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower, a well-known landmark in Baltimore, Maryland. The tower originally featured a 51-foot revolving Bromo-Seltzer bottle on top and was the tallest building in Baltimore until 1923. He built the Emerson Hotel. He was controlling owner of the Maryland Glass Corporation, which made the blue glass bottles for his Bromo-Seltzer medication.

Captain Ike

In 1884, he earned the title of "captain" when he organized the Maryland Naval Reserves, which he commanded until 1901. He was thereafter known as "Captain Emerson" or "Captain Ike." He also personally financed an entire Naval Squadron during the Spanish–American War and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Emerson later owned several yachts, including the Susquelanna, the Margaret, and the Queen Anne. These were used for extensive world travel as well as for social entertaining and hunting expeditions.

Personal life

Isaac Edward Emerson as depicted in Distinguished men of Baltimore and of Maryland (1914) In 1880, just after graduating college, he married Emelie Askew Dunn, the eldest daughter of Colonel William Franklin Askew of Raleigh, North Carolina. They had one child:

Margaret Emerson (1884–1960), who married Dr. Smith Hollins McKim in 1902. They divorced in 1910 and in 1911 she married Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt I. She was widowed in 1915 when he died aboard the RMS Lusitania. In 1918, she married Raymond T. Baker, divorcing in 1928. Her last marriage was to Charles Minot Amory in 1928. Emerson also adopted his wife's daughter by her first marriage:

Margaret "Daisy" Dunn (1875–1944) who married T. Mitchell Horner and later James McVickar.[4] The Emersons divorced in 1911, and she married Charles Hazeltine Basshor the following year; he committed suicide in 1914, and Emelie Basshor died in 1921.

In 1911, he married his second wife, Anne McCormack (née Preston). From this marriage, he gained a stepson and a stepdaughter:

Frederick C. McCormack

Ethel Preston McCormack, who married Francis Huger McAdoo, Walter Winchester Keith and Matthew James Looram.

Captain Emerson and his wife, Anne, were widely known in American society and in the capitals of Europe. When Emerson's step-daughter married the son of William Gibbs McAdoo, then Secretary of the U. S. Treasury, President Woodrow Wilson attended the reception at the Emerson estate in Brooklandwood, Maryland. They were also known as lavish entertainers, maintaining two yachts for parties and world tours. They maintained estates at Brooklandwood and their villa Whitehall at Narragansett Pier in Rhode Island as well as in North and South Carolina where they entertained many social leaders of the Atlantic seaboard cities.

https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/emerson-isaac-edward

Businessman, socialite, and seaman. Isaac Edward Emerson was born in Chapel Hill, the son of Robert J. Emerson, a farmer, and his wife, Cornelia Lewis Hudson of Wake County. Because of the early death of his mother, Isaac and his brother, John W., moved into the home of their uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. McDade, in the town of Chapel Hill. Emerson entered The University of North Carolina in 1876 and was graduated with a degree in chemistry in 1879. While a student, he was employed as an assistant in A. B. Roberson's drugstore on the corner of Franklin and Columbia streets. Shortly after graduating, Emerson married the former Mrs. Emily Askew Dunn, daughter of Colonel W. F. Askew of Raleigh. Mrs. Dunn was divorced from a previous marriage. In 1881 the Emersons moved to Baltimore, Md. There Emerson earned the fortune for which he was later known. From 1884 to 1889, he established several drugstores and at some time during this period developed the formula that he later patented as Bromo-Seltzer, a widely known headache remedy. To promote the remedy, he founded the Emerson Drug Company in 1891. The commercial success of Bromo-Seltzer was due in large measure to Emerson's foresight in recognizing the growing importance of advertising. His product was advertised in many countries and in many languages, often by unusual devices. As his wealth increased, he turned from business activities to sports and social pursuits. He purchased several yacht's. including the Susquehanna, the Margaret, and the Queen Anne. These were used for hunting expeditions, social entertainment, and extensive world travel. In 1894 Emerson organized the Maryland Naval Reserves, which he commanded from 1894 to 1901. During the Spanish-American War, he personally financed an entire naval squadron, was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, and was made assistant to the chief of the Auxiliary Naval Force. The Maryland Reserves elected him captain in 1900, and he was subsequently known as "Captain Emerson" or "Captain Ike." In 1880, just after graduating college, he married Emelie (née Askew) Dunn (1854–1921), the eldest daughter of Harriet J. (née Moore) Askew and Colonel William Franklin Askew of Raleigh, North Carolina. From her first marriage to John K. Dunn, Emelie was the mother of Margaret "Daisy" Dunn (1875–1944), whom Emerson adopted. Daisy was married to J. Mitchell Horner and, later, James McVickar. Before their divorce in 1911, they were the parents of one child: Margaret Emerson (1884–1960). In 1911, he married his second wife, Anne McCormack (née Preston). From this marriage, he gained a stepson and a stepdaughter. Captain Emerson and his wife, Anne, were widely known in American society and in the capitals of Europe. When Emerson's step-daughter, Ethel P. McCormack, married the son of William Gibbs McAdoo, then U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, President Woodrow Wilson attended the reception at the Emerson estate in Brooklandwood, Maryland, off of Falls Road, north of the city. They were also known as lavish entertainers, maintaining two yachts for parties and world tours. They maintained estates at Brookland Wood and their villa Whitehall at Narragansett Pier in Rhode Island as well as in North and South Carolina where they entertained many social leaders of the Atlantic seaboard cities. Mr. Emerson died at his estate "Brookland Wood", he was entombed in the private Emerson Room in the mausoleum at Greenwood Cemetery, Baltimore, MD.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 15 2024, 16:54:25 UTC