June 30, 2022Chevy Chase, Maryland This poor, forsaken blog. I find myself talking to Emmett Wilson every day in my mind. Mostly, I’m saying, “I’m sorry, Emmett. I haven’t forgotten your story. I will continue to work on it, never fear. I promise to finish it.” I’m not ignoring my […]
March 24, 2022Chevy Chase, Maryland Though I’ve loved working on Emmett Wilson’s story for (almost) ten years, I’ve had trouble writing up some of the sections of his story. Most of the problem has been a lack of complete information at any one time. The way the pieces of Emmett’s […]
September 27, 2015Pensacola, Florida I was anxious driving around Pensacola, on my way to the Hampton Inn to meet my friend Nancy for the first time in person; so much so that I was practicing what I would say to her upon meeting. She and I had a wide-ranging correspondence […]
September 20, 2015Pensacola, Florida I first met Nancy Rayburn online, over a year ago, on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. She had posted an extensive biography of Robert Anderson on the USGenWeb website. The text came from an obscure history book, and while the University of Maryland has a great InterLibrary […]
September 10, 2015Chevy Chase, Maryland As of today, I booked my second research trip to Pensacola. It’s time: I’m at the point in his story that I have to know what kind of lawyer he was, and how his political background was developing. What papers I can see online are […]
August 23, 2021Chevy Chase, MD I have a follow-up from my inquiries with experts who research newspaper coverage specific to society sections in the early 20th century. All agree with my theory that Emmett Wilson used the society sections as a way to promote himself, but other people did as […]
October 10, 2014Pohick, CemeteryFairfax County, Virginia In the midst of writing Emmett’s story, I’m still working different connections (i.e., Emmett’s siblings’ descendants, descendants of Emmett’s friends, and the like) for anything about Wilson immediate family. It’s a great way to keep my research skills sharp, especially when I have dry […]
May 11, 2021Chevy Chase, Maryland Even though I’ve been writing Emmett Wilson’s chapters on and off since I found him back in 2013, and I feel like I know him fairly well, there’s still new things I’m discovering about his story that trickle in now and then. I feel pretty […]
May 25, 1906Van Sant & WilsonSterling, Illinois4:45 pm There was a knock at my office door. “Come in.” The door opened slightly. Miss Delp stuck her head in. “Mr. Van Sant to see you, Mr. Wilson.“Please show him in.” The door opened wider to admit Nick, who started a bit […]
This application, guys — look at what it does for Emmett’s photo:
Tell my story. 