September 10, 2016University of Maryland Research CarrelCollege Park, Maryland Before I move on with Emmett’s story post-WFS, one thing that popped out at me when I was looking through Emmett’s old college yearbook was this: The Jennings inauguration ceremonies ran from January 6-9, 1901 — and by this account, Emmett […]
January 12, 2020Chevy Chase, Maryland I’ve been thinking deeply about this new article on Emmett’s mother that I located during one of my regular database re-check activities two days ago, and wishing I’d been able to find it at the start of Emmett Wilson’s research project. But then, the ancient […]
December 25, 1900, 6:35 pm,P&A Train Depot, Chipley, Florida The Chipley train depot is a long, gray-and-brown, rectangular wooden building that looks very much like the other Pensacola & Atlantic stations along the line. There’s nothing remarkable about it other than the fact it has been rebuilt a few times; it […]
May 19, 2014, 3:30 p.m., Fort Morgan, Alabama The crisp breeze off the Gulf of Mexico buffets me a little as I walk westward along the beach towards the old fort. The surf is comforting, but I watch my step as I walk along the edge of the warm water, […]
May 18, 2014, 11:40 a.m. Pensacola Historic District Clearly, I am in the presence of awesomeness. I can’t describe it, but as I walk around historic downtown Pensacola with Jacki Wilson, retracing Emmett Wilson’s everyday steps, I am aware and humbled by her true awesomeness. For the record, my relationship […]
May 18, 2014, 10:45 a.m. Pensacola Historic District It wasn’t hard to find the parking lot behind the old City Hall building in downtown Pensacola. Even if my van’s GPS decided to conk out, one wouldn’t get lost. The darn thing is a hulking example of beige Spanish architecture. It’s […]
May 17, 2014, Montgomery, Alabama, about 3 p.m. Her eyes. They are so blue, piercingly blue. I catch my breath audibly. But it isn’t just her eyes that get me — it is the moment. I can’t believe it. And in response, she laughs, kindly, cheerfully at me. I am […]
Friday, May 24, 2014, 1:30 pm, 6th Street Chipley Barbara Russell is buckling her seat belt in my van, as I start the engine, and turn up the air conditioning as high as it will go. The heat is rising off the hood of my car in shimmering waves. Even […]
December 22, 1900The L&N Train DepotChipley The #22 L&N train pulled into the Chipley station a few minutes before 1 pm; it was a mild day for late December, about 55 degrees, an overcast, milky white sky. Chipley is a nice town, but it has never really felt like home […]
Friday, May 24, 2014, NoonChipley After Whit dropped me off at the Washington County Historical Society, I notice that I have about a half hour before I was to meet the current owners of the Dr. F.C. Wilson home. I took Judge Wells’ advice to do a self-walking tour around […]
Tell my story. 