William Henry "Big Doc" Emerson (June 17, 1860Emerson, 2002. – November 13, 1924J. L. D., 1924.) was an American

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

Life

William Henry Emerson was born in Tunnel Hill, Georgia in 1860 to Matilda Caroline Austin, daughter of Clisbe Austin, and Caleb J. Emerson.J. L. D., 1924; Emerson, 2002. He joined the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

at age 16, graduating in 1880. Emerson spent the next several years as an officer in the U.S. Navy before enrolling in graduate studies at

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

in October 1883. At Johns Hopkins, Emerson studied

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

under Ira Remsen. He graduated with his

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

in 1886 and accepted a faculty position at the South Carolina Military Academy (now The Citadel). In 1888, Emerson left this position to join the faculty at the newly formed Georgia School of Technology (now the

Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

or Georgia Tech) as an assistant professor. When he joined the faculty at Georgia Tech, Emerson held the only American-earned scientific

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

among the three other professors. Emerson remained at Georgia Tech for the rest of his life, having been appointed its first dean in 1910. He died in 1924 while still a member of the faculty."Emerson's portrait", 1992. Emerson was a member of the

Phi Kappa Phi The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study, and to promote the "unity and democracy of education ...

honor society and the

Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United Stat ...

fraternity. He received an honorary Sc.D. degree from the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

in 1912. Emerson also helped form the ANAK Society, a secretive honor society at Georgia Tech for senior students.

Legacy

William Henry Emerson's son, Cherry Logan Emerson, Sr., also attended Georgia Tech and served as one of its deans. William Henry Emerson's grandson, Cherry Logan Emerson, Jr., did not attend Georgia Tech but nevertheless followed in his grandfather's footsteps and became a notable chemist. The Class of 1924 and the ANAK Society gifted a

portrait A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...

of William Henry Emerson to Georgia Tech in 1924, following his death. The portrait was painted by noted Atlanta artist Kate Edwards. After being lost some time in the 1980s, the portrait was found and restored in the early 1990s. It has hung in the atrium of the

Lyman Hall Lyman Hall (April 12, 1724 – October 19, 1790) was an American Founding Father, physician, clergyman, and statesman who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Georgia. Hall County is named after him. He ...

Building since October 15, 1992. The William Henry Emerson Building, erected in 1925 by architects R. S. Pringle and Francis P. Smith, is located in the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District. The building houses Georgia Tech's Accounting, Capital Planning and Space Management, and Internal Auditing departments. The William Henry Emerson Fellowship in Chemistry is awarded in his honor. At

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

, Emerson is recognized by the William Henry Emerson Chair of Chemistry.Day, n.d.

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Emerson, William Henry American chemists Georgia Tech faculty Johns Hopkins University alumni United States Naval Academy alumni The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina faculty 1860 births 1924 deaths People from Whitfield County, Georgia