The Honourable Henry Robert Emmerson PC
H. R. Emerson, Premier of New Brunswick
9thPremier of New Brunswick
In office October 29, 1897 – August 31, 1900
Monarch	Victoria
Lieutenant Governor	Abner Reid McClelan
Preceded by	James Mitchell
Succeeded by	Lemuel J. Tweedie
MLA forAlbert
In office September 28, 1888 – January 20, 1890 Serving with Gaius S. Turner
Preceded by	W.J. Lewis
Succeeded by	W.J. Lewis
In office October 22, 1892 – August 31, 1900 Serving with W.J. Lewis,Charles J. Osman
Preceded by	Gaius S. Turner
Succeeded by	Sanford S. Ryan
Member of theCanadian Parliament forWestmorland
In office November 7, 1900 – July 9, 1914
Preceded by	Henry Absalom Powell
Succeeded by	Arthur Bliss Copp
Personal details
Born	(1853-09-25)September 25, 1853 Maugerville, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	July 9, 1914(1914-07-09) (aged 60) Dorchester, New Brunswick, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Emily Charlotte Record ​ ​ (m. 1878; died 1901)​
Children	Ethel Record Deacon,Henry Read Emmerson, Emily Keillor Cornell, Bernice Seaman McQueen, Marion Bennett Bowes
Alma mater	St. Joseph's College Acadia College Boston University
Occupation	Lawyer,businessman andphilanthropist
Profession	Politician

Henry Robert Emmerson,PC (September 25, 1853 – July 9, 1914) was a Canadianlawyer,businessman,politician, andphilanthropist who served asPremier of New Brunswick from 1897 to 1900.

Henry Emmerson was educated atAmherst Academy,Mount Allison Academy,St. Joseph's College,Acadia College and earned alaw degree fromBoston University. He went on to a lucrative law practice and was heavily involved in business. He was involved in woollen manufacturing, was a director of the Maritime Baptist Publishing Company Limited, president of the New Brunswick Petroleum Company Limited, the Acadia Coal and Coke Company, and the Sterling Coal Company, as well as a director of the Record Foundry and Machine Company.

He attempted to win aseat in theHouse of Commons of Canada in 1887 but was unsuccessful. The next year he was elected to theprovincial legislature then after the win was contested by his opponent and a new election contest ordered in 1889, Emmerson won the seat. In 1891 he was appointed to theLegislative Council of the province and oversaw its abolition. He re-entered the House of Assembly and in October 1892 was appointed to theExecutive Council, serving asChief Commissioner of Public Works in theLiberal government ofPremierAndrew George Blair.

As commissioner, Emmerson stopped the practice of building bridges out of wood and opted for more permanent, and more expensive, materials thus driving up the province'spublic debt. He also supportedwomen's suffrage.^[1]

Emmerson became Premier in 1897. During his tenure, he briefly held the position ofAttorney-General. His government tried to promote tourism and wheat farming and the development of natural gas and petroleum in the province. In 1899, he introduced legislation to grant women the right to vote but in a free vote, the bill was defeated.

Emmerson left provincial politics in 1900 to become aLiberalMP in theHouse of Commons of Canada. From 1904 to 1907 he wasMinister of Railways and Canals in the federalcabinet of SirWilfrid Laurier.

Although he was regarded as brilliant, capable, and personable, hisalcoholism and reputation as awomanizer hampered his career. In 1906, an exasperated Laurier had Emmerson sign a pledge that he would "never . . . again taste wine, beer or any other mixed or intoxicating liquor" and that he would provide the prime minister with an undated and signed letter of resignation to be used should he fail in his promise. The letter of resignation was invoked in 1907 afterThe Daily Gleaner newspaper reported that Emmerson was thrown out of aMontreal hotel with "two women of ill repute". He denied the allegations but on April 1 submitted his resignation from Cabinet, which Laurier accepted. Emmerson filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against theDaily Gleaner for defamation and libel.

Henry Emerson remained a member of parliament for another seven years until his death in 1914.^[2]In his later years, Emmerson donated the money to build a newlibrary, namedEmmerson Hall, at Acadia University in honour of his father, the Robert Henry Emmerson.^[3][4]

Emmerson was interred at Moncton'sElmwood Cemetery. His son,Henry Read Emmerson, was also elected to the Canadian House of Commons and was appointed to theSenate of Canada. His great great grandson wasChris Cornell, lead singer ofSoundgarden.^[5] His great great great grandson is professional ice hockey playerNoah Dobson.

By-election: on Mr. Emmerson being appointed Minister of Railways and Canals:

• "Henry Emmerson".Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.).University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
• Henry Emmerson – Parliament of Canada biography
• Biography, Government of New BrunswickArchived 2018-08-08 at theWayback Machine

• 1853 births
• 1914 deaths
• Acadia University alumni
• Boston University School of Law alumni
• Canadian Baptists
• Canadian suffragists
• Canadian women's rights activists
• Ministers of railways and canals of Canada
• Liberal Party of Canada MPs
• Members of the House of Commons of Canada from New Brunswick
• Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
• Mount Allison University alumni
• Businesspeople from New Brunswick
• Lawyers in New Brunswick
• People from Sunbury County, New Brunswick
• Premiers of New Brunswick
• St. Joseph's College alumni
• 19th-century Baptists
• 19th-century Canadian philanthropists
• 19th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
• 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada
• Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Moncton)

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