Emerson quickly became Concord's most prominent citizen, a man respected and beloved by his townsmen. Along with his Concord heritage, his characteristic humility and inclination to deal with others directly and kindly, no matter what their station in life, made residents of the town feel that he was truly one of them. He delivered his first public address in the town on September 12, 1835, the two hundredth anniversary of Concord's incorporation. (The manuscript of the address is now in the Concord Free Public Library.) In 1837, Emerson's poem "Concord Hymn," written at the request of the town, was sung at the dedication of a monument erected near the site of the North Bridge to commemorate the Concord Fight of April 19, 1775. Over the years, he served the town as a Sunday school teacher in the First Parish, through its lyceum, as a member of its School Committee and Library Committee, and through attendance at town meetings (a form of local democratic government that he appreciated). He also made Concord a destination for pilgrims who hoped to meet one of the most recognized men in America.
On September 14, 1835, two days after his civic debut at Concord's bicentennial celebration, Emerson married Lydia Jackson of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and brought her back to Concord to live in the home (called "Bush") that he had bought on the Cambridge Turnpike. He and Lidian (Emerson changed her name to prevent the final "a" from turning into "er" through local pronunciation) had a relatively stable, happy married life, although it lacked the intensity of Emerson's first marriage. Lidian was a spiritual and intellectual woman. Their relationship was based on mutual respect and upon shared love and concern for their children. The second Mrs. Emerson understood and accepted how deeply her husband had cared for his first wife, but at times she had difficulty coping with his emotional aloofness and with his absences from the household while on lecture tours and trips. The Emersons had four children: Waldo (1836–1842); Ellen Tucker (1839–1909; named for Emerson's first wife); Edith (1841–1929; later Mrs. William H. Forbes); and Edward Waldo (1844–1930).
