Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century.
He is best known for his essay "Nature," which outlines his philosophy of individualism and self-reliance.
Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a prominent family. He graduated from Harvard College in 1821 and then studied divinity at Harvard Divinity School. However, he left the school before graduating because he disagreed with its religious teachings.
In 1829, Emerson began a career as a Unitarian minister. However, he resigned from the ministry in 1832 because he felt that it was not a good fit for him. He then began to lecture and write about his philosophy of transcendentalism.
Transcendentalism is a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of individual intuition and experience. It rejects the idea that truth can be found in external authorities, such as books or churches. Instead, transcendentalists believe that truth can be found within each individual.
Emerson's essays and lectures were very influential in the 19th century.
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Family Overview
Ralph Waldo Emerson came from a well-known Massachusetts family.
He had ancestors who had been in the colony since early Colonial America, and many had served as clergy.
His father had attended Harvard University and had many connections throughout the community. His boys followed in his footsteps, but unfortunately, he lost 3 of them at a young age.
Ralph married twice. He did not have any children with his first wife but had four children with his second.
He unfortunately lost his first son at the age of 5.
He had two children who married and had many kids, giving him many grandchildren.
Family Tree Chart
Parents:
William Emerson (1769 - 1811) - His father was a chaplain in the Continental Army when they were stationed at Fort Ticonderoga. William attended Harvard and became a minister. He and his wife had many children.
Ruth Haskins (1768 - 1853) - She came from a family with much history in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and lived through the American Revolution. She and her husband had many children, which included Ralph.
Spouse:
Ellen Louisa Tucker (1811 - 1831) - Ralph Waldo Emerson fell in love with Ellen for her beauty and her intelligence. She was well-read but, early on, suffered from tuberculosis. Her family hoped she would get better, but she did not and died. She and her husband did not have any children.
Lydia Jackson (1802 - 1892) - She was older than Ralph when they married. The couple went on to have four children together. She outlived her husband by 10 years.
Children:
Waldo Emerson (1836 - 1842) - He died of scarlet fever at the age of 5.
Ellen Tucker Emerson (1839 - 1909) - She never married and was always close with her father. She traveled the world with him, and as her parents got older, she took care of them. She was well-known in the community.
Edith Emerson (1841 - 1929) - She married a man who was a descendant of the Mayflower. She went on to have many children, which would connect her with some of America's first colonists.
Edward Waldo Emerson (1844 - 1930) - He was the last surviving sibling. He was a doctor and had many children with his wife. His line would continue Ralph Waldo Emerson's surname.
Siblings:
Phebe Ripley Emerson (1798 - 1800) - She died at the age of 2.
John Clarke Emerson (1799 - 1807) - He died at the age of 7.
William Emerson (1801 - 1868) - He became a successful attorney and would go on to become a wealthy citizen in New York. He and his wife had two children and three servants.
Edward Bliss Emerson (1805 - 1834) - He became a lawyer but had a mental breakdown that caused him to be placed in an asylum. He recovered but died of tuberculosis.
Robert Bulkley Emerson (1807 - 1859) - There is little known of him. He lived into his 50s, but there is no record of marriage or children.
Charles Chauncey Emerson (1808 - 1836) - Regarded in the family as arguably the most promising of several bright siblings, he was cut down at the age of twenty-six; the mantle of greatness that had been expected to fall on his shoulders fell instead on his elder brother Waldo.
There are possibly two other siblings, but the records are not complete.