The county was created by the 1879 territorial legislature .
The county was named for James A. Emmons ( 1845 -- 1919 ) , a steamboat operator and early Bismarck merchant and entrepreneur .
The county was created by the 1879 territorial legislature and named for James A. Emmons ( 1845 -- 1919 ) , a steamboat operator and early Bismarck merchant and entrepreneur .