We continue to dissect Cephas Love Wilson’s letter to Emmett Augustus Meade, dated January 6, 1910: “Uncle Meade” was The Reverend Everard Meade, O.D., “Gentleman, Soldier, Man of God.” He was the rector of the historic Pohick Episcopal Church in Lorton, Virginia (about 30 miles south of Washington, D.C.), which […]
There’s Wilson family lore about a silver pocket watch that’s I’d love to prove. I don’t know what it looked like, other than it was smooth, silver, and had Emmett’s grandfather’s initials engraved on it — AEM — for Augustus Emmett Maxwell. It probably had a chain, and maybe a […]
This morning, I had a great exchange with several colleagues and friends on the Washington County (Florida) Genealogy Facebook page. I hang out there with several fellow historians who have been extremely helpful with Emmett Wilson’s research over the past four years. It started with a post I shared (and […]
Meet Buell Cook: Lawyer, Insurance salesman, Realtor, Mayor, Statesman. Another man, like Emmett, who died too young, and whose death could have been avoided. Buell was elected to represent the 25th district in the Florida State Senate in 1909. He was reported to be an excellent lawyer who chose principles […]
Did you know that in 1906, Chipley, Florida (Emmett’s childhood home) had a telephone directory? Granted, it probably would not have been much larger than a 5 x 7 inch note card, but it existed. Emmett’s father, Dr. F.C. Wilson’s name isn’t listed, but as one of the town’s three […]
Although Congress had been back in session since December 4, 1916, Emmett was still in Pensacola, with no plans to return to D.C. Emmett still had four months remaining in his term as Congressman from the Third Congressional District, but it is damn near impossible to be present when one’s […]
How was your New Year’s celebration? Ours was low-key — a family party with several friends who also have small children. Nothing outrageous, nothing fancy. Mostly, pot luck, with too many carbs, and a gathering around the large-screen television to alternately curse and bless the teams playing in the Fiesta […]
Lots of interesting things as I take a little writing break to organize notes/ideas for the next two books in this research project. Sometimes it helps me to work on sections of Emmett’s story out of sequence — I get a fresh perspective on the information I’ve collected over the […]
On Monday, the most awesome, intrepid, and wonderful Jacki Wilson (no relation to Emmett or Bill), friend, colleague and archivist, with the University of West Florida Historic Trust, told me that she was digging around in an old house, collecting artifacts for the UWF Historic Trust, and she came across this: […]
I like to check on my favorite databases every six or eight weeks, so as not to miss any updates. And — SCORE! — the excellent Chronicling America newspaper database (of the Library of Congress) had added several years of The Pensacola Journal since my last visit! And what an […]
Tell my story. 