Links & History
Here are some links to sites that have information about Robert Emmet and his legacy.
Local Robert Emmet Society: Based in Petoskey Harbor Springs Michigan Area
http://www.emmet1803.com/ Lots of historical information and background with additional links
http://www.contemplator.com/history/tmoore.html Thomas Moore's songs in honor of Robert Emmet
www.emmetsburg.com/
Site of a Robert Emmet Statue and annual celebration of Robert Emmet's life and
times.
Historical Novel "Tread Softly
on my Dreams" by Greta Curran Browne. Check out the book, "Tread
Softly on My Dreams," Browne
has woven a gripping story based on the well documented facts surrounding the
life and death of Robert Emmet. She tells of the suffering of the Irish people
under British rule and how young Emmet played a role, that led to his execution,
to help alleviate their suffering. He was a hero to the early Irish settlers who
chose to name a number of towns and county's in honor of him and to commission 3
statues to be placed in Washigton, San Francisco and Emmetsburg, IA.
How Emmet County Got its name:
It seems that politics has been alive and well in this area for a long time. Just reference how Emmet Co. got its name. It seems that the venerable Mr. Schoolcraft was surveying Michigan back in the 1840's and naming counties as he went along. He, of course, named one for himself. While up in this neck of the woods he named our county after a notable local Odawa Chief by the name of Tonebagana who was from Cross Village and involved in the treaty of 1836(a bad treaty as it turned out but that’s another story). Now about that time a state representative by the name of Charlie O'Malley
(is that Irish or what) and his brother Tulie,who was the local Sheriff wanted to honor the homeland and all the Irish who built the railroads and helped settle the area. Both of these men were from Mackinaw Island which was the seat of power in those days. By the way it seems that the county seat has moved around a bit starting at St. James, Beaver Island to Mackinaw City(on paper only) then to Harbor Springs and finally to Petoskey.Anyway the O'Malleys convinced the local folks that the county should be named after the great Irish martyr and patriot Robert Emmet. Robert Emmet was famous as a romantic hero of lost causes being hanged after an abortive Nationalist uprising in 1803 against the British in Ireland. He would have gotten away had he not attempted to gather up his true love Sarah Curran before escaping to America. He was captured, tried for treason, hanged and drawn and quartered on September 9, 1803 at the age of 25. His love affair was immortalized in Thomas Moore’s songs "She is far from the land where her young hero sleeps" and "Oh breathe not the name". Charlie O'Malley was able to add the name change as an amendment to a bill in the legislature that was part of the government grant to start the University of Michigan. This amendment also changed the names of four other Northern Michigan Counties which are now Clare, Antrim, Roscommon and Wexford.
I got most of this information from the Encyclopedia, Candy Eaton the director of the Little Traverse Bay Historical Museum who indicated that she found it in the publication Condensed Historical Sketches of Michigan’s Counties by Milo Quaise and Denny McCullough. There is also a great historical novel about the life of Robert Emmet written by Greta Curran Browne called Tread Softly on my Dreams.
P.S. Thomas Emmet, who was Robert’s older brother was also active in the Nationalist movement and defended James Napper Tandy among others. He was exiled and busy in France trying to get help from Napoleon when he heard the news of his brother’s demise. He eventually moved to America and continued his law practice ultimately unsuccessfully arguing in front of the Supreme Court against Daniel Webster in the famous Gibbons vs. Ogden(1824) case that opened up interstate commerce. One of his sons eventually made it on the supreme court.
Jim Gillespie