During World War I, Pottle was a member of the American Expeditionary Forces' Liaison Service, serving with French Balloon Companies 39, 49 and 74.

He wrote a number of books in his early years, including Handicapped, The Little Village, and The Little House.

Emery began his career as a playwright in 1921 with several of his plays produced on Broadway into the 1930's.

His first play, "The Hero", was revived in 2014 to acclaimed reviews including the New York Times [1].

[5] Emery died on October 28, 1945, in Los Angeles, California and is buried in Rose Ridge Cemetery in Naples, NY.