Emmett Asbury lived a quiet life as a printer in sharp contrast
to his younger brother Herbert's obsession with chronicling
the darker side of American history. Emmett married Mable Patnott,
his first serious love, who became his mate for life. On the
other hand, Herbert was described by relatives as a "womanizer"
and was married twice to much younger spouses. They did share
some common traits: both revered literature and were voracious
readers and neither brother followed the strict Methodist religious
doctrines that were drilled into them during their early youth.
Herbert was more outspoken about his philosophies while Emmett
kept his thoughts "close to the vest."
Emmett was born on April 25, 1887 in Farmington, Missouri,
the oldest son of Samuel Asbury and Ellen Prichard. Both parents
came from very religious backgrounds. Ellen's father, Joseph
Prichard, was well-known as a faith healer and several of
her relatives were Baptist preachers. Emmett once said that
Joseph had cured his toothache by merely stating "It will
be gone!" Samuel's grandfather, Daniel Asbury, was a Methodist
preacher and rode the religious circuit throughout North and
South Carolina. Thomas Asbury, Samuel's great-grandfather,
was the half-brother of Francis Asbury, the first Methodist
Bishop in America.
The Asbury children had a fairly happy childhood in spite
of the constant religious recitations coming from aunts and
uncles on both sides of the family. In between Sunday school,
church, and prayer meetings during the week, Emmett and his
brothers found enjoyment in the simple pleasures of fishing,
sports, marble games (but not for keeps!), and playing musical
instruments (never on Sunday!). Music, having fun, or even
a hot supper after twelve noon was not allowed on gloomy Sunday.
At least Samuel allowed his kids to read the Sunday papers,
something not permitted in many households in Farmington.
Although Samuel imposed religion upon his children and stressed
Christian salvation, he was not particularly religious. The
politics of holding elected positions, first as County Surveyor
and then as City Clerk, required the presentation of a pious
countenance. Samuel was well-regarded in the Farmington community
because he was a civil war veteran and because of his Methodist
background. Emmett and his siblings were constantly reminded
of their religious inheritance by the Preachers, Brothers,
and Sisters of their church and they were expected to follow
in the hallowed footsteps of Rev. Daniel Asbury and Bishop
Francis Asbury. "Don't you know that your great-grandfather
is watching you from heaven!" admonished one of the Brothers
when Emmett used the word "Hell" in an improper manner.
Emmett was educated in the Farmington schools, along with
his siblings, and attended Carleton College. Both Samuel and
Ellen believed in education and encouraged the Asbury children
to read a variety of books and to form their own opinions,
which they certainly did. In a letter to Emmett, his sister
Mary made a comment on how "we so treasure our books." All
of the Asburys coveted their books and each complied a large
inventory of literature. As Emmett's and Pat's grandchild,
I remember the delight in having a large selection of books
to read, including Uncle Herbert's, on holiday visits.
Emmett and Herbert were close as children with Emmett playing
the role of protective older brother to "sensitive" Herbert
and frequently fighting Herbert's childhood battles for him.
In particular, Herbert was afraid of the graveyard and on
one Halloween night was frightened by a black cat that leaped
from a tree onto a gravestone. Herbert shrieked and the other
little boys made fun of him and called him "mama's boy" and
"fraidy-cat." Emmett intervened and said the cat scared him
too and directed the teasing onto himself. Emmett was self-contained
and not given to the emotional displays that Herbert sometimes
exhibited. However, both brothers were attracted to activities
that were considered sinful by the Preachers, Brothers, and
Sisters of Farmington. Samuel allowed the boys to make their
own decisions by their mid-teens, no longer directing them
to attend church services or Sunday school. By the age of
fifteen, Emmett had acquired a taste for cigarettes, card-playing
and an occasional drink of rum. Herbert soon followed his
older brother in the pursuit of "sinful" habits.
When they were older, the brothers investigated other cities
and lifestyles. Emmett was attracted to Roycroft, an artist
community in New York, founded by Elbert Hubbard in 1895 and
modeled after William Morris' Arts and Crafts Movement. In
1910 Emmett found employment in the composing room at the
Roycroft Print Shop in East Aurora and he was housed in the
printworker's quarters. The workers, called Roycrofters, were
composed of skilled metalsmiths, leathersmiths, bookbinders,
printers, and manufacturers of mission style furniture. The
handicrafts of the Roycrofters and Elbert Hubbard's philosophy
of personal enlightenment, embodied in publications such as
"A Message to Garcia" and the Roycroft magazines, The Fra
and The Philistine, became renown throughout the country.
One of the visitors attracted to the Roycrofters was Mable
Patnott (Pat) who vacationed in East Aurora with her cousin
for several weeks in 1912. Pat and Emmett met at the Roycroft
Inn and were immediately attracted to each other. They enjoyed
taking strolls throughout the Roycroft grounds and the surrounding
countryside. Pat thought Emmett was handsome, funny, lovable,
yet with a "grouchy" streak that she found endearing. Emmett
found Pat to be attractive, fun but not given to "girlish
chatter", a "peach of a girl." Pat was originally from Keytesville,
Missouri but moved to Twin Falls, Idaho with her father, Cyrus
Patnott, in 1911.
After Pat returned to Twin Falls, she and Emmett corresponded
by sending long letters to each other almost every day. Through
their letters, Pat and Emmett planned for the future, discussed
each other's faults and fears and compromised on their differences.
Letters and photograhs were also sent back and forth among
family members. Pat was intimidated by Emmett's sister, Mary,
the suffragette, and found her to be rather "bossy" and demanding.
Pat complained in a letter to Emmett that Mary's lengthy questions
required her to send an "autobiography." Visits were too costly
so Emmett decided to leave the Roycrofters and move closer
to Pat. The only printing position Emmett could find was in
Boise, Idaho.
The Asburys worked hard at their respective jobs in order
to save money for their marriage. Finally on December 21,
1913, they were married in a simple ceremony in Twin Falls,
Idaho. They settled into the house that Emmett had rented
in Boise and lived there until Emmett found a more lucrative
position in Idaho Falls. In 1915 the Asburys moved to Idaho
Falls and resided there until 1918 when Emmett was offered
the position of foremanship in the Twin Falls News office.
At the time, Pat was six months pregnant and worried that
Emmett might be drafted into World War I. Emmett applied for
reclassification and was able to avoid the draft. Herbert
had already joined the army in anticipation of being drafted.
The family hoped the army would distract Herbert from his
moodiness over Ray Lindsay, a charming girl from Missouri,
who had twice broken his heart.
In October of 1918 Emmett and Pat moved to Twin Falls, Idaho,
bought their first house, and eagerly awaited the birth of
their child. Unfortunately the Spanish influenza pandemic
was sweeping throughout the world, killing millions, and it
made a devastating stop at the Asbury home. Pat gave birth
to a baby boy in November and both became gravely ill with
the deadly influenza. Pat recovered but the baby died. While
Emmett and Pat were mourning the death of their infant son,
Herbert was recovering from the effects of poison gas on the
battlefields of France.
The year 1920 found the Asburys in much happier times, they
had a new baby girl, Martha, and they were firmly established
in Twin Falls. Emmett, Pat, and their only child, Martha,
lived an idyllic life together for almost nineteen years.
Martha married Rolfe Kerfoot in 1939 and they subsquently
moved to Oregon and then to California. Martha had two baby
girls before Rolfe was killed in World War II.
Upon Rolfe's death, Emmett and Pat decided to move to Mill
Valley, California to be closer to Martha and their two granddaughters.
Martha remarried in 1945 and produced two more daughters.
Emmett retired in 1952 and the Asburys moved to Santa Rosa,
California for the remainder of their lives.
Emmett set up a wood-working shop in his garage and made
his own style of Arts and Crafts furniture for family members.
He spent his retirement years building furniture, including
doll furniture, tending to his vegetable garden, and reading.
The images, as a grandchild, that spring to mind of Pat and
Emmett are: warm, cheerful, tidy household filled with delectible
aromas of freshly baked homemade pies, tender pot roasts,
and fresh green beans cooking on the stove. Pat was an excellent
cook, not of the gourmet variety, but she cooked using fresh
ingredients from their garden and prepared dishes from "scratch."
The grandchildren all looked forward to meals at the Asbury
house, especially since our mother, Martha, was a devotee
of Peg Bracken's, "I Hate To Cook Book."
