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Jasper Edward Emerson, born July 1828 in Quebec, Canada (most probably in or around Shipton). He married in Danville, Richmond Co., Quebec on April 8, 1857 to Polly Pope, daughter of Francis and Belinda (Willey) Pope, born December 2, 1836 in Shipton, Richmond County, Quebec. The marriage record stated Jasper was of Chester, and Polly was of nearby Warwick. They moved by 1863 to Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, and in 1866 to Dunlap, Harrison County, Iowa, where they had a farm four miles south of the town. They were here until in about 1887 Jasper left the family to go to California to "seek gold", and he resided in the area of Fontana, San Bernardino County. It seems he may have had regrets about leaving his family behind, for he wrote in 1889, "This shuntry life that I am leading is wearing me out pretty fast, but as we make our bed so must we occupy it." During most of his stay in California he suffered illness, he describing it on November 17, 1889 as "not being confined to bed but troubled with sick headaches and could not keep anything on my stomach. To tell you what is truth I should rather die and be at rest than put in another two years like what the last have been." Jasper did not long survive the writing of this letter, as he died on February 26, 1890, and was buried two days later in Evergreen Cemetery, Riverside, California besides his sister Mariam and her husband, James Goodhue. In 1903, Polly moved from her Dunlap, Iowa farm and resided with her children in nearby Woodbine and Missouri Valley, Harrison County, Iowa. She passed away in Missouri Valley on November 6, 1910. We can gain somewhat of an idea of Jasper's character by the answer he gave to his niece when she asked for his permission to be married. Jasper replied "It places me in a very peculiar position to give my consent to your marriage to a man I know nothing about. I don't know even his name. I of course have no particular objections to your getting married if you get a good man but recollect on the man depends your future happiness. A poor girl is much happier than a poor wife with a vicious husband because if they have any bad habits they are bound to develop after marriage and a husband will invariably drop a woman down to their own moral level. Getting married makes or marrs the future happiness. Avoid a young man who drinks, smokes or uses profane language as you would something venemous for they are sure to contaminate you. Believe me Emy I have your best interests at heart and I should mourn over it the rest of my days if you should get a bad man. A bad disposition even would make you unhappy. Consult Aunt Dolly. She has seen a good deal of the ups and downs of life. She will give you good advice. Although a little impulsive at times she has good sense and thinks as much of you as if you were her own child."2
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Jasper Edward Emerson 
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