Primus Emerson brought boat building to the Carondolet area of St. Louis in 1853. He and two St. Louis businessmen bought riverfront property near the mouth of the River des Peres. There they opened the Carondelet Marine Railway & Dock Company. The venture cost $150,000 & included Emerson’s own patented marine railway. The marine railway consisted of a set of rails & cranes that could run a boat down into the water, or up into the drydocks. During the Civil War, he left Carondelet for Memphis where he built the ironclad ship “Arkansas” for the Confederate navy. After the war, he returned to the Carondelet boatyards. In May 1866, part of the boatyards were destroyed by fire. The losses, which were not insured, were estimated by Emerson to be $60,000. Local papers believed it was an act of arson, either as an act of vengeance on the former Confederate, or by disgruntled workmen. Emerson died at the age of 61 & was interred on June 10, 1877. (bio by: Connie Nisinger)  Family links:  Spouse:  Elizabeth Lee Emerson (1820 – 1856)*  Children:  Primus Emerson (____ – 1856)*  Elizabeth Emerson (____ – 1856)*  Thomas B Emerson (1843 – 1885)*  Luther M Emerson (1845 – 1897)*  Ellen Emerson (1856 – 1856)*  Edward Emerson (1864 – 1865)* *Calculated relationship