The Young Traveler and His Elusive Quests

Edward B. Emerson has been described as a brilliant young man with a promising future as a scholar and lawyer. He entered Harvard at the age of 15, and graduated at the top of his class. He later read the law under Daniel Webster. His St. Croix-Puerto Rico travel diary provides insight into the eagerness of Edward’s quests and his uniqueness within the notable Emerson family. While the journal reveals his wide-ranging knowledge and interests, it also exposes his mental and physical frailty and lack of health. However, Edward’s “end of life” diary does not reveal many of the idiosyncrasies, layers of personality and intensity of his life prior to traveling to the Caribbean.

This presentation describes how a biographical essay was assembled, based on the diary and complemented by information gathered in archives, church and school records, and publications in New England and Puerto Rico. The examination of these documents using qualitative techniques such as hermeneutical, narrative, and content analysis captures the particulars and intensity of a life cut short. Emphasis is given to the portrayal of Emerson as a youth in the quest for physical and mental health, affection, knowledge and ultimately meaning during his short life. Different countries create the scenery and environment for his elusive quests.