Lorenzo W. Emery was born in Maine, February 5, 1837. He is a son of William Emery and Sabrina Emery, nee, Drew. Mr Emery was educated in his native State, remaining till he was about grown to manhood, when he came west, after which for several years he was engaged in the sale of agricultural implements, first in chicago and then in Burlington, Iowa; then in city of St. Louis, Mo., He remained at the latter city until the Commencement of the late war, when closed up his buisness and removed to
Evansville, Ind. In the latter place he did an extensive insurance buisness until coming to Paducah, Ky., in 1865. His first buisness venture in Paducah was in the marble business, which he conducted successfully until 1876, at which time he was awarded the government contract for the central monument in the National Cemetery at Mound City, Ill.,for which he received the sum of $25,000. In 1876, he formed a partnership with M.K. Scott, in the wholesale hardware business, which partnership terminated in  1882 ,by the retirement of Mr. Emery. Since that date he has been employed in an extensive tobacco buisness, associated with H.H. Hobson and is now numbered among the wealthy men of Paducah. While he is strictly a business man he has nevertheless devoted some attention to enterprises of a public character and
especially deserves credit for his devotion to the public schools of the city of which he was for five years the superintendent, besides serving as a member of the board of education. he is a stockholder and director in the City National Bank. He is a member of the Masonic order, K.of H. and of the A.O.U.W. Mr. Emery was married in Albion, Ill., to Miss Margaret Ferryman, and has a family of three children; Charles, George, and Lorenzo Melvin Emery.