Emery Valentine
Encyclopedia
Emery Valentine (1858 – September 9, 1930) was an Alaska
n politician and the sixth mayor of Juneau, Alaska
, from 1908 to 1912 and from 1917 to 1919. He was also a miner
, goldsmith
, jeweller, assayer
, gunsmith
, watchmaker
, architect, firefighter
, and businessman.
. He traveled to Colorado
around the age of 10 and became a miner, until he was injured in an accident and lost his leg. He then learned to be a goldsmith and became an apprentice to a jeweler.
, from 1876 to 1886, when he left the states and settled in Juneau in May 1886. There, he bought a plot of land from Joe Juneau
and began his own jewelry store, E. Valentine Jeweler. He would have built a jewelry store in Skagway
, but he faced competition from Herman Kirmse, a well-known jeweler.
), at 119 Seward Street, in 1912, and the Seward Building (now known as Dockside Jewelers), at 145 South Franklin Street. In 1897, he traveled to Skagway, where he built a dock. It was the same dock that local gangster
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith
was killed in a gunfight by Frank Reid on July 8, 1898.
. Usually, volunteers would form bucket brigade
s to transport water as well. Valentine also donated a specialized wagon
to the department in 1897; the wagon carried the slogan "You ring the Bell and we'll do the rest". As mayor, he renovated the department and designed the city's first water system.
for a single term in 1902. During his six terms as mayor, he helped to acquire the People's Dock, near the southern region of the town. Although a Republican
, Valentine had close ties with the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party
.
.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n politician and the sixth mayor of Juneau, Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
, from 1908 to 1912 and from 1917 to 1919. He was also a miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
, goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
, jeweller, assayer
Assayer
An assayer is a person who tests ores and minerals and analyzes them to determine their composition and value. They may use spectrographic analysis, chemical solutions, and chemical or laboratory equipment, such as furnaces, beakers, graduates, pipettes, and crucibles.An assayer separates metals...
, gunsmith
Gunsmith
A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds firearms. This occupation is different from an armorer. The armorer primarily maintains weapons and limited repairs involving parts replacement and possibly work involving accurization...
, watchmaker
Watchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since virtually all watches are now factory made, most modern watchmakers solely repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their parts, by hand...
, architect, firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
, and businessman.
Early life
Valentine was born in Dowagiac, MichiganDowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. He traveled to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
around the age of 10 and became a miner, until he was injured in an accident and lost his leg. He then learned to be a goldsmith and became an apprentice to a jeweler.
Career
Valentine came to own a number of stores throughout Colorado and MontanaMontana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, from 1876 to 1886, when he left the states and settled in Juneau in May 1886. There, he bought a plot of land from Joe Juneau
Joe Juneau (prospector)
Joseph Juneau was a miner and prospector from Canada who was born in the Quebec town of Saint-Paul-l'Ermite to François Xavier Juneau dit Latulippe and Marguerite Thiffault Juneau. He is best known for co-founding, with Richard Harris, the city of Juneau, Alaska, United States...
and began his own jewelry store, E. Valentine Jeweler. He would have built a jewelry store in Skagway
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
, but he faced competition from Herman Kirmse, a well-known jeweler.
Architect
Emery Valentine built a number of notable buildings in Juneau, including the Valentine Building (now on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
), at 119 Seward Street, in 1912, and the Seward Building (now known as Dockside Jewelers), at 145 South Franklin Street. In 1897, he traveled to Skagway, where he built a dock. It was the same dock that local gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith
Soapy Smith
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
was killed in a gunfight by Frank Reid on July 8, 1898.
Firefighter
After coming to Juneau, Valentine organized the Juneau Volunteer Fire Department. At first, the establishment implemented a horse-drawn cart and a hand pumpPump
A pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids, gases or slurries.A pump displaces a volume by physical or mechanical action. Pumps fall into three major groups: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps...
. Usually, volunteers would form bucket brigade
Bucket brigade
A bucket brigade or human chain is a method for transporting items where items are passed from one stationary person to the next.The method was important in firefighting before the advent of hand pumped fire engines, whereby firefighters would pass buckets to each other to extinguish a blaze. A...
s to transport water as well. Valentine also donated a specialized wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
to the department in 1897; the wagon carried the slogan "You ring the Bell and we'll do the rest". As mayor, he renovated the department and designed the city's first water system.
Politician
Valentine served as a member of the city councilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
for a single term in 1902. During his six terms as mayor, he helped to acquire the People's Dock, near the southern region of the town. Although a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Valentine had close ties with the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
.
Other
Valentine also worked as the Japanese vice-consul from 1912 to 1914. For his service to the country of Japan, he was awarded the Order of the Rising SunOrder of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
.
Family
Emery Valentine was married at least three times:- Katherine (divorced in Juneau in May of 1891)
- Maude A. Gough (married October 19, 1900, in Juneau; divorced in 1905)
- Mrs. Frank (Josephine G.) Cook (married December 20, 1909, in Juneau; divorced in Juneau in 1915)
External links
- The fireman mayor – article for the Internet version of the Juneau EmpireJuneau EmpireThe Juneau Empire is a newspaper in Juneau, Alaska, United States. Mark Bryan was appointed publisher in 2009.-External links:* *...