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 […]
October 21, 2021Chevy Chase, Maryland Because we have very little primary information (letters, journals, scrapbooks, personal testimony) from Emmett, the next best thing is primary information from Emmett’s friends, family, and colleagues, in addition to the secondary information (newspaper articles, books, other research). Emmett spent a lot of time with […]
October 19, 2019Chevy Chase, Maryland The remainder of 1909 was rather busy for Emmett — he divided his time traveling for the L&N case for most of the year, between Pensacola, and Louisville — he spent Thanksgiving in Louisville — only to return home to head to Tallahassee for U.S. […]
October 29, 1909Pensacola, Florida Railroad commissioners named me special examiner to review the passenger rate increase of the L&N Railroad in August, in addition to my work as the Assistant District Attorney, and the cases at my uncle’s law firm (yes, I am a partner — but I am constantly […]
October 4, 2021Chevy Chase, Maryland March, 1908 was a prime social month for Emmett: He was selected to be a Gentleman in Waiting for the Pensacola Mardi Gras court, featuring Miss Stella Clare Avery as Queen of the Mardi Gras. This was a huge accomplishment for Emmett. It meant he […]
September 29, 2019Chevy Chase, Maryland Two things concern me about this stage in Emmett’s story, three years before he ran for office as U.S. Congressman. First, in 1908, Emmett was drinking alcoholically. I believe he knew (and his family/friends knew) he either drank more and/or could not handle alcohol as […]
March 15, 1908, Plaza Ferdinand VIIPensacola, FL Frank Mayes enjoyed visiting the Plaza Ferdinand VII park, especially on this pleasant Spring day. A soft breeze rustled the new leaves in nearby trees; the sun was warm, birds twittered here and there on nearby benches. An occasional passerby nodded greetings as […]
September 17, 2021Chevy Chase, MD I know there’s at least 139 candles on this cake! Happy birthday, Emmett Wilson!
Tell my story. 