Posted by MM on July 19, 2001 at 16:36:25:
In Reply to: For MM - copied from further down the board posted by Murrisk on July 18, 2001 at 18:38:34:
Tragedies started early for Robert Emmet,Esq of Cork,Doctor of Physics and member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Montpelier,France and his wife Elizabeth Mason Emmet of Kerry.Of the 17 children that Elizabeth bore,only 4 grew to adulthood.One was still-born,the others died young.Their oldest son Christopher Temple,a shining star,brilliant lawyer died at age 27 from smallpox.Robert of course,hanged/beheaded at age 25.Both parents were dead before Roberts death.Their fourth child Thomas Addis who spent many years in prison,but was released,spent his later years in America after Robert died.He earned a great reputation at the American bar.He sucessfully defended two fugitive Negro slaves who had run away from their tyannical master.He became Attorney-General of the State of New York.His son Robert became Judge Emmet of the Supreme Court.There is a monument to Thomas Emmet in St Pauls Churchyard between Vesey St And Fulton St on Broadway..There is a statue of Robert Emmet near the corner of Massachusettes Avenue and S St in Washinton DC.Some of the above information gleaned from the book by Gretta Curran Browne.Tread softly on my dreams.
I cannot imagine the feelings of the parents but I believe they stood behind their sons,otherwise they would probably have disowned them.I believe the imprisonment of Thomas probably contributed to the Fathers death,but thats purely conjecture.