April 30, 2015Chevy Chase, Maryland Apparently Emmett’s visit and interview with Nicholas Van Sant, which took place sometime during the last week of October, 1905, was successful: In the spirit of transparency, I have no idea what kind of conversation went on between Emmett and Nicholas Van Sant during their […]
October 25, 1905Residence of Nicholas Van SantSterling, Illinois I slept well after the three-day train trip to Sterling. Van Sant met me at the Sterling train station, brought me home right away; as it was late, the house was already quiet, but that was no matter — I was glad […]
April 29, 2015Chevy Chase, Maryland Even though Emmett knew him from their college days at Stetson University, and had maintained a connection through correspondence, he didn’t know everything about his friend, colleague, and mentor, Nicholas Van Sant. Emmett thought he did; after all, he had good role models before (his […]
April 28, 2015Chevy Chase, Maryland Why would someone up and leave his home, family, business and professional contacts, and budding political network to relocate 1,500 miles away, where he’d be virtually starting over, all alone? And, why go from Florida to rural Illinois in January, for goodness sake? I’d been […]
September 18, 2015The American UniversityBender Library Source: The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.), 29 June 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062268/1905-06-29/ed-1/seq-5/ During the Summer of 1905, Emmett had a decision: To stay in Marianna with Cephas in the law firm, or to move to Sterling, Illinois, to […]
Hopefully, he’s not underwater on this day, as there is horrific flooding from Hurricane Sally in Pensacola, where Emmett is buried. Happy Birthday, Emmett.
September 11, 2020Chevy Chase, MD I suppose Emmett could be considered lucky — in his life, he had at least three mentors looking out for him, shepherding him during his career, impressed by Emmett’s intelligence and potential. Emmett had a lot of potential, energy, charm, and those who know him […]
April 30, 1905Cephas and Lula Wilson’s HouseMarianna, Florida7:25 pm I’m standing outside of Ceph’s house, in the front yard, looking up at the huge oak tree near the sidewalk. The tree has curtains of gray moss dangling, drifting with the soft wind. The sun’s set already, and it feels like […]
Wilson & Wilson Law OfficesMarianna, FloridaApril 30, 1905 Cephas waited until we were back at work the next morning before he brought up the Daniels case. He brought Godfrey Long into the room, sat us both down, and he asked us both what happened. I speak up immediately; I tell […]
April 29, 1905Marianna, Florida6:10 p.m. The footsteps pounded the hallway; my office door swung wide open; reflexively, I stood. “Emmett!” Walter Kehoe, who’d broken away from Cephas and the other gentleman, leaving them to talk in the hallway. He comes around to my side of the desk, and clasps my […]
