Daughter of Mollie Ledora King (1870-1909) and John Watson Emerson, Sr. (1860-1948) of Durham, NC. See memorials here. 
They married on Dec. 23, 1896 in Durham, NC.

Granddaughter of Charles Christopher King (1848-1904) and Susan Betty Abbott King (1847-1897) both of Lenoir Co. NC.  See Find A Grave Memorials # 117220083 and 117220095.

Granddaughter of Robert Jehu Emerson (1835-1902) and Cornelia Hudson Emerson (1835-1873), both of Durham Co. NC. See Find A Grave Memorials # 24067981 and 28838283.

Martha Emerson's siblings (memorials are listed; five sisters died in infancy): 
Mary Stuart "Mollie" Emerson (Apr 1900-?)
 Find A Grave memorial # 28838664
Anna Clark Emerson (1901-?)
 Find A Grave memorial # 28838650
Cornelia Murray Emerson (1902-1904)
 Find A Grave memorial # 28838317
Susan Abbott Emerson (1903-?)
 Find A Grave memorial # 28838704
John Watson Emerson, Jr. (1904-1974)
 Find A Grave memorial # 94272126
Laura Duke Emerson (1908-1908)
 Find A Grave memorial # 28838307
All the sisters above were buried in Old Carrboro Cemetery, Carrboro, Orange Co, NC

Martha J. Emerson married Raymond Clare Upchurch (1897-1933) in 1924 in Durham, NC. They had three children before his death from a brain tumor in 1933. See his memorial page here (link below).

She later married Hoke Smith Whitesell (1897-1971) in Durham, NC in 1939. They moved to Raleigh, NC where he continued his career with Bell South Telephone Co. Hoke was a wonderful stepfather and later grandfather to eight grandchildren. See his memorial page here. 

Martha was an avid lifelong reader, and instilled her love of literature and learning in her children and grandchildren. She also pioneered the first bookmobile service in Wake County in the 1950s, working for the Olivia Raney Public Library in Raleigh, NC (see photos attached).

She was outgoing and gregarious with long-lasting friendships, and in retirement loved traveling in Europe, Canada and the US with her husband, Hoke. After living most of their lives in NC, they enjoyed retirement in Clearwater, FL and Holden Beach, NC until Hoke's death in 1971. Thereafter she lived in Raleigh and Holden Beach, and later Cary, NC. 

She was a talented needleworker, bestowing gifts of clothing, knitting, and crocheting on her family members. In the post-war '40s she even helped a son by sewing a new cover for a used convertible.

She loved genealogy, and was proud of being the niece of Isaac "Uncle Ike" Emerson (1859-1931) of Chapel Hill NC, later of Baltimore MD. He was the inventor and owner of Bromo-Seltzer.
Her first cousin, Margaret Emerson (1884-1960), married Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877-1915), who perished at sea on the liner RMS Lusitania, off Kinsale, Ireland.
Martha was an active member of the NC French Huguenot Society, and served a term as treasurer. Her Protestant Huguenot ancestors were the Strödes (Stroud) of Strasbourg, France.

Martha was loved by her family and friends and is greatly missed.  

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