The Legend:
If you visit Emo’s Grave, circle the Moritz Columbarium three times while chanting “Emo, Emo, Emo” and then look into the columbarium you’ll see the red glowing eyes of “Emo” staring back at you.
The History:
One of the local legends I’ve had a lot of people ask me about is that of Emo’s Grave. Emo’s Grave is a columbarium located in the Jewish section of the Salt Lake City Cemetery. The tomb is visible from 4th Street just East of 990 East. The name ‘Emo’ appears nowhere on the monument because it actually belonged to Jacob Moritz.
Jacob Moritz: From Germany to America
Jacob Moritz was born in Ingenheim, Germany, in February 1849. At 16, he immigrated to the United States, arriving in September 1865. He spent a few years in New York City working at F.M. Schaefer Brewing Co. Then, he moved to St. Louis and worked for Anheuser-Busch.
A Brewing Empire in Salt Lake City
Hoping to try his hand at mining, he eventually made his way to Helena, Montana. Whether he struggled with mining or simply missed brewing is unclear. In 1871, he moved to Salt Lake City and opened the Little Montana Brewery. Within a few years, it became immensely successful. He then built a much larger, state-of-the-art brewery at 10th East and 5th South, renaming it the Salt Lake City Brewing Co. Part of the original brewery still stands and is now the Anniversary Inn.
A Prominent Figure in Utah
Over his 39 years in Salt Lake City, Jacob Moritz grew his brewery to be one of the largest outside of Milwaukee. His beer was sold throughout Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, and even parts of California. At the height of his success, he also owned over 36 saloons. In 1889 he married Lahela Louisson from Hawaii, and she joined him in Salt Lake. Both actively participated in the local Jewish community. He served as President of Temple B’nai Israel, while she led the Hebrew Ladies’ Relief Society. In addition to running a successful brewing business, he engaged in Utah politics as a member of the Liberal Party.
Declining Health and Death in Germany
Despite making his fortune from alcohol and supporting liberal politics, Jacob Moritz was well-liked in Utah, even among Mormons. In October 1909, he received a passport. Soon after, he and Lahela left for Europe. He had been in poor health for months, and they hoped rest and mineral springs would help. By June 1910, they reached Germany. There, Moritz died of lung and stomach cancer at 61, surrounded by his wife and siblings. This is where the legend of Emo’s Grave begins.
The Beginning of the Emo’s Grave Legend
A newspaper report on his death stated that Lahela had him cremated, intending to inter his remains in the Jewish section of the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Lahela returned to the United States from Europe on the 23rd of July. Lahela sent Jacob’s remains “in bond” and they arrived on the 25th. Sometime after July 31st, she interred them in the columbarium, though I found no record of a funeral or ceremony. Soon after, rumors about “Emo’s Grave” began to spread.
No one knows who started the rumors or how the name Emo originated. Not long after Jacob’s death, Lahela remarried and moved to California with her new husband. At some point, Jacob’s family retrieved his remains, but their final resting place remains unknown. I suspect they were taken to California and possibly buried with Lahela when she died in 1959. Nonetheless, the tale of Emo’s Grave lives on.