Waldo Emerson (1735-1774)

He was born at Malden, Massachusetts. His younger brother was the grandfather of the celebrated Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1757, he came to Kennebunk, Maine, and built a house at the Landing. He opened a store and quickly became a successful trader: "He was a man of much enterprise, and did an extensive business, entering into navigation and all the pursuits usually incident to it. He soon acquired property to a considerable amount, and was deemed a rich man". He was Collector of the Excise Revenue, but was popular and charitable, "doing good to the widow and to the fatherless, and extending his benevolence wherever he was satisfied it was needed". In 1759, he married Olive Hill and they were the parents of three children, two of whom died in infancy (Samuel and Waldo). "He rose from his bed on the morning of April 1, 1774, dressed himself, and sat down in his chair and expired". He left his fortune to his only surviving child, Sarah, whose husband Theodore Lyman, later built the Lyman Estate.