March 25, 2023Chevy Chase, Maryland Emmett’s summer of 1912, on the surface, seemed low-key, and predictable. According to contemporary media coverage, he went about his business as usual: Prosecuting cases for the State of Florida, visiting or entertaining relatives who stopped over from Marianna, Chipley, or Sneads, contributing to political […]
January 18, 1906Sterling, Illinois I returned to the office late in the afternoon, after spending a day and a half in Morrison, at court. Our office secretary, Miss Delp, handed me a few letters in a folder that required my signature. No other messages? I’d asked. “No, Mr. Wilson”, she […]
October 11, 2016Chevy Chase, Maryland Those first few weeks in Sterling were an eye-opener for Emmett Wilson. Probably for Nicholas Van Sant as well. It isn’t that Emmett didn’t think he wouldn’t have anything to catch up on once he’d moved from Florida; he had a lot on his list […]
Wednesday, January 3, 1906Sterling, Illinois Sydney and I both turned at the sudden sound of footsteps coming down the hall and the outer office door opening — it was Nick. “Well, good morning!” Nick called jovially, as Sydney and I came out to greet him. Nick came over right away […]
Wednesday, January 3, 1906Sterling, Illinois It was breathtaking, the snow, all blinding white, crisp, clean, cold. White fluffy drifts and dunes everywhere. I felt light hearted. “This is wonderful,” I said to Sydney Anning, as I looked around at the blinding whiteness that was everywhere. There had been a fresh […]
January 1, 1906The Boardinghouse of Mrs. Luella S. Anning802 West Third Street, Sterling, Illinois Nick had taken charge of everything related to my moving to Sterling. He’d even taken charge of finding my boarding house. I would have gladly made my own arrangements, but I had no idea where to […]
January 1, 1906C, B & Q DepotSterling, Illinois The train pulled into the station at about half past seven; the snow was still coming down heavily. I looked up at the streetlights around the depot, marveling at the large flakes coming down, and all around me as the town was […]
May 1, 2015Chevy Chase, Maryland I’ve been reading microfilm for hours. My eyes are dry. But what a freaking goldmine. Not only am I finding long-missing information about Emmett Wilson’s wherabouts during 1905 and 1906, there is a ton of contextual information about Nicholas Van Sant, Emmett’s roommates at his […]
On the westbound Chicago, Burlington & Quincy trainEn Route to Sterling IllinoisNew Year’s Eve, 1905Around 5 pm. It isn’t close to midnight, but there are New Year’s celebrations going on in the several of the cars surreptitiously — men are passing bottles and private flasks among themselves, up and down […]
April 30, 2015Chevy Chase, Maryland Apparently Emmett’s visit and interview with Nicholas Van Sant, which took place sometime during the last week of October, 1905, was successful: In the spirit of transparency, I have no idea what kind of conversation went on between Emmett and Nicholas Van Sant during their […]
Tell my story. 