Here is an absolutely wonderful treasure trove of vintage autograph albums, photo albums, calling cards, journals — everything I would love to have about Emmett Wilson or any other of Emmett’s friends. I stumbled across it in search of information on one of Emmett’s roommates for his second book — […]
The review of the first draft is finished. It’s a five-chapter mess, not counting the bibliography and notes section. It is a relief to have gotten through a complete first draft. But, no lie, the real work begins with the second draft. I’m not sure when I’ll have a final […]
I’ve always had a feeling new information might emerge just as I was putting the manuscript to bed, and sure enough, that’s what’s happened. I’m not upset or dismayed — quite the contrary. But it does make me anxious for the future as I get close to publication. I want […]
If you haven’t read this story from yesterday’s edition of The Washington Post, please do. Lucky man, historian James I. Robertson, Jr., surrounded by artifacts. So blessed. So privileged! Out of the 1,600 pieces of information, he used 140 to write his book — all of it precious. What was […]
One of the reasons why I started this blog about Emmett’s book was (is!) to locate his scrapbooks, correspondence, or anything that exists out there that may not be already digitized. Crowd sourcing the research has worked fairly well; last year I wrote about Emmett’s sister, Katie Wilson Meade, and […]
I’m pleased to report that not only have I located Emmett’s doctors (both in Pensacola and Washington, D.C.), but I’ve also located his pharmacist. Pretty damn good History Detective work, huh? I’ll have more on the doctors in another post, but I thought I’d introduce you to the pharmacist first, […]
As promised, an update: I reached out to Katie Wilson Meade’s granddaughter Tuesday morning. She responded within a few hours — positively — and is willing to share information and (get this): Photos! Of! Emmett! Wilson! Photos that (in all probability) are those I have not seen! Maybe he’s smiling […]
The central issue that I still struggle with — two years into this research — is this: Can I write a credible biography with only secondary sources? This bothers me, because, well, you know. I want to do the best job I can with Emmett’s story. It isn’t impossible to […]
I’m curious how other writers of historic bios handle their biographical subjects, particularly when the lives were short and relatively obscure, as was Emmett’s. I was intrigued with the story of Alonzo Hereford Cushing. Cushing was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on November 6, 2014 — more than 150 […]
In an earlier post — hell, in several earlier posts — I politely beg and plead for assistance in finding Emmett’s Elusive Scrapbooks. The deal is, Emmett kept scrapbooks, and he willed them to his namesake, Emmett Wilson Kehoe, when he died. I have been in contact with the Kehoe […]
Tell my story. 