Judson Emery Family

Judson Emery was one of the first settlers to come from New England to the pioneer community of Grelton. He and his family lived on a farm north and east of Grelton.

The first connected record of the Emery family begins in 1066 when Gilbert D. Armory (the Norman spelling of Emery) came from Normandy with William the Conqueror from Lours, France, and was at the "Battle of Hastings".

Descendants are traced from Sir Richard Emery, the son of Gilbert Emery. John Emery was the son of Rev. Anthony Emery, a minister in Asnot, England, in 1578. John and Anthony Emery sailed in April, 1635, on the ship "James" of London and arrived in Boston on June 3, 1635. All went to Newburryport, and were probably the first Emerys in this country.

Anthony moved to Dover, New Hampshire, from there to Kettery in 1648 where he established an 'ordinary' or tavern and the first ferry across the Piscarauqua River. He remained until 1660, occupying prominent positions in the town and county as constable, juryman, and selectman. He, along with others, was brvught before the courts for entertaining "Quakers", was disfranchised and sentenced to pay a fine of twenty pounds. He sold his property to his son, James, in 1660 and went to Portsmouth, Rhode Island. At this time Rhode Island was an asylum for the oppressed of all the other colonies of New England. Anthony again took part in community affairs, being chosen as constable, juryman, and representative to the General Assembly of the county.

James Emery, the son of Anthony, signed the submission to Massachusetts. He was granted 410 acres from the town of Kettery. He acted as selectman and representative to the General Court at Boston. When he traveled to Boston, his carriage was a chair in an oxcart, drawn by steers as there was no carriage large or strong enough to carry him since he weighed 350 pounds.