Captain Isaac "Ike" Emerson, riding high on the international success of his patent, Bromo-Seltzer, lived a storied life of opulence. This first biography of the "Bromo-Seltzer King" traces his path from North Carolina farm boy to Baltimore-based multimillionaire with a penchant for lavish entertaining. This book presents Emerson in all his complexity, as entrepreneur, patriot, civic leader, sportsman, and philanthropist. Though little known today, Emerson was a phenom in his era, and this book, drawing from archival records, newspapers of the day, and interviews with descendants, details the ups and downs of his indulgent life.