Manitoba Communities: Emerson (Unincorporated Town)

This municipality was named in 1879 by William N. Fairbanks after the American essayist and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882).

Present Status

Municipality of Emerson-Franklin (1 January 2015)

Incorporation History

Town of Emerson (25 November 1879)
Amalgamated with Franklin (1 January 2015)

Land Area (square km)

22.28

Population

Year

Total

1891

660

1901

840

1906

920

1911

1043

1916

1092

1921

746

1926

744

1931

978

1936

922

1941

854

1946

847

1951

884

1956

896

1961

932

1966

834

1971

830

1976

756

1981

762

1986

725

1991

721

1996

737

2001

655

2006

689

2011

671

Mayors

Term

Mayor

1879-1882

Thomas Carney (c1830-1905)

1882-1885

William Hill Nash (1846-1917)

1885-1886

? Irvine

1886-1887

Archie McKay

1887-1888

Charles Stanford Douglas (1852-1917)

1888-1890

David Henry McFadden (1856-1935)

1890-1891

William Webster Unsworth (1850-1928)

1891-1892

David Henry McFadden (1856-1935)

1892-1894

John William Macdonald (1855-1949)

1894-1901

David Wright (1848-1917) [receiver]

1901-1904

William Webster Unsworth (1850-1928) [receiver]

1904-1907

Robert Hamilton (1842-1911)

1907-1910

David Wright (1848-1917)

1910-1911

C. Whitman

1911-1913

George W. Johnston

1913-1914

William Watson

1914-1926

Ezra Casselman (1860-1941)

1926-1945

James Bernard Andrews (1883-1968)

1945-1955

Walter Ross Forrester (1886-1979)

1955-1965

Leonard Careless

1965-1973

A. H. Carlson

1973-1975

William S. Wightman

1975-1983

Ralph William Eisbrenner (1918-2012)

1983-1986

William S. Wightman

1986-1992

Samuel Jay “Sam” Sadler (1924-2016)

1992-2001

Wayne Arseny

2001-2005

Elmer Penner

2005-2014

Wayne Arseny

Memorable Manitobans

Search the MHS collection of biographies for ones connected to Emerson:

Custom Search

Historic Sites

Go here for a list of historic sites in Emerson.

History Books

Go here for a list of history books for Emerson.

Maps

Sources

Geographic Names of Manitoba, Manitoba Conservation, 2000.

We thank Wayne Arseny for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 27 May 2024

Present Status	Municipality of Emerson-Franklin (1 January 2015)
Incorporation History	Town of Emerson (25 November 1879) Amalgamated with Franklin (1 January 2015)
Land Area (square km)	22.28

Year	Total
1891	660
1901	840
1906	920
1911	1043
1916	1092
1921	746
1926	744
1931	978
1936	922
1941	854
1946	847
1951	884
1956	896
1961	932
1966	834
1971	830
1976	756
1981	762
1986	725
1991	721
1996	737
2001	655
2006	689
2011	671

Term	Mayor
1879-1882	Thomas Carney (c1830-1905)
1882-1885	William Hill Nash (1846-1917)
1885-1886	? Irvine
1886-1887	Archie McKay
1887-1888	Charles Stanford Douglas (1852-1917)
1888-1890	David Henry McFadden (1856-1935)
1890-1891	William Webster Unsworth (1850-1928)
1891-1892	David Henry McFadden (1856-1935)
1892-1894	John William Macdonald (1855-1949)
1894-1901	David Wright (1848-1917) [receiver]
1901-1904	William Webster Unsworth (1850-1928) [receiver]
1904-1907	Robert Hamilton (1842-1911)
1907-1910	David Wright (1848-1917)
1910-1911	C. Whitman
1911-1913	George W. Johnston
1913-1914	William Watson
1914-1926	Ezra Casselman (1860-1941)
1926-1945	James Bernard Andrews (1883-1968)
1945-1955	Walter Ross Forrester (1886-1979)
1955-1965	Leonard Careless
1965-1973	A. H. Carlson
1973-1975	William S. Wightman
1975-1983	Ralph William Eisbrenner (1918-2012)
1983-1986	William S. Wightman
1986-1992	Samuel Jay “Sam” Sadler (1924-2016)
1992-2001	Wayne Arseny
2001-2005	Elmer Penner
2005-2014	Wayne Arseny