Benjamin Emmons was a businessman and civic leader in Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

 and Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...

 in the early 1800s. he served as Vermont's State Auditor, and in both houses of the Missouri Legislature.

Biography

One of numerous family members across several generations to carry the name, Benjamin Emmons was born in Woodstock, Vermont on May 11, 1777. He was often called Benjamin Emmons, Jr. to distinguish him from his father. His father, also named Benjamin Emmons, was often referred to as Benjamin Emmons, Sr., or Deacon

Deacon

Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...

 Benjamin Emmons. The senior Emmons was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts

Brookfield, Massachusetts

Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Brookfield was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1718...

 in 1737 and died in Hartford, Vermont

Hartford, Vermont

Hartford is a town in Windsor County in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located on the New Hampshire border, at the intersection of Interstates 89 and 91. It is the site of the confluence of the White River and the Connecticut River; the Ottauquechee River also flows through the town...

 in 1811. Deacon Benjamin Emmons was a veteran of the American Revolution

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

 and a founder of Woodstock. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives

Vermont House of Representatives

The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members. Vermont legislative districting divides representing districts into 66 single-member districts and 42 two-member...

, as a Selectman in Woodstock, and in other offices. He was also active in Woodstock's Congregational church

Congregational church

Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....

.

Benjamin Emmons, Jr. became a tavern keeper and was active in other business ventures in Woodstock. He also followed his father into Woodstock's civic life, including service as a member of the Board of Selectmen

Board of selectmen

The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...

.

From 1801 to 1806 he served as Vermont's Auditor of Accounts.

Benjamin Emmons was a veteran of the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

, having served as an Adjutant

Adjutant

Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...

 with the rank of Major

Major (United States)

In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...

.

In 1814 or 1815 Benjamin Emmons, Jr., several of his brothers and their families moved to St. Charles County, Missouri.

Emmons was a delegate to the constitutional convention that led to Missouri statehood, and was prominent as the only Delegate who publicly opposed slavery. He also served in local offices including Justice of the Peace, and was a member of both the Missouri House of Representatives

Missouri House of Representatives

The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...

 and Missouri Senate

Missouri Senate

The Missouri State Senate is the upper chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 34 members, representing districts with an average population of 160,000...

.

Emmons died in St. Charles, Missouri on March 8, 1843.

Emmons' descendants included Benjamin Emmons (1815-1885), who served as a Colonel

Colonel (United States)

In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...

in the Missouri Militia and in other offices, and Benjamin Linton Emmons (1861-1942), an expert on the history of early Missouri.