Ruth was Emerson’s mother and a widow at a relatively young age.  She came to live with Emerson and Lidian in 1835 and remained until her death.  Edith Emerson later wrote:

Our grandmother lived with us, and a sweet calm place her room always was.  There each of us at the age of three came daily at ten o’clock to be taught our letters at Grandma’s knee and learn to read.