Although a considerable amount of my own original research has gone into this project, I also must acknowledge the help, hints, clues and encouragement that I have received from many people. Without their influence and help, this project would never have been brought to its present state. Some of those on whom I have leaned are:

Lyle F. Stewart (1903 - 1981)
Lyle was my mother's cousin who did his own research on the Nixon/Nickerson side of the family and established that his grandfather (and my mother's grandfather) had changed his name from Nickerson to Nixon when he left his first wife after the Civil War and moved to Indiana. Lyle helped establish our family's connection with the Nickersons of Chatham, Massachusetts. For most of Lyle's career he was the elected County Clerk of Lapeer County, Michigan. He valued genealogical research and in my opinion did excellent work.

Neva Royer
Neva is the step daughter of Elgie Stewart, my second cousin twice removed. She provided invaluable clues and information about my Stewart relatives. The first time I talked with her around 1985, she was nearly blind. She was totally blind when I visited her after that. Although she was born near the turn of the century, she is still living and her mind is "sharp as a tack." Her recollections of the Stewart family have proved to be accurate and invaluable. Whenever I would check a census or other record for information, names and locations she gave, they were always correct.

Dr. Zed T. Hawkins (1867 - after 1933)
All of my Hawkins cousins and I are indebted to Dr. Zed T. Hawkins for his wonderful book entitled, "150 Years of the Hawkins Family," which he wrote around 1933 for a Hawkins family reunion. I particularly am indebted to him for information on my Hawkins ancestors because my great grandmother, Sarah Jane (Hawkins) Garn, died when my grandfather was a very young child. As a result few traditions were passed on about the Hawkins clan. His book filled a big void in our efforts to understand of our Hawkins background.

William Nathan Smith (1896 - 1977)
According to the best information I have, Uncle Willie, as my mother called him, was the person who compiled the early hand written records I have on our Smith and Hunt families. These records, though sometimes difficult to read, have provided invaluable clues in tracking down Smith and Hunt cousins.

Linda Ide
Linda sent me a number of family group sheets on her work on the descendants of Leonard Hunt, Rosa May Hunt, and Calvin Hunt. Thanks to Linda for her research and for sharing her records.

Ruthe B. Stewart (1918 - 1985)
Ruthe Stewart compiled a record of the descendants of Omar Lowell Stewart. She kindly provided me a copy. I regret she is no longer living to help discover other Stewart ancestors.

Ronnie Hawkins, Sr.
Special thanks to Ron for establishing the Hawkins Genealogy web site and his research on the Hawkins family. His efforts have brought together a number of Hawkins cousins over the web. Since I live too far from the Indiana homestead where many of our Hawkins clan settled, it is not convenient to drop in and check out a cemetery inscription or some other record. Ron has done this for me on several occasions. He has willingly shared his own ideas and discoveries to help me discover other Hawkins cousins and ancestors. I've enjoyed getting to know him as a friend as well as a cousin.

Eva (Stewart) Garn, my grandmother, and her siblings and other Stewart and Hillard relatives
In 1938 my grandmother, her siblings and a number of her Stewart and Hillard cousins and relatives got together and held a family reunion which was known as the Stewart - Hillard Family Reunion. This group continued having family reunions until some time in the 1970s. Someone in that group had the foresight to start compiling notes on the Stewart and Hillard families. These notes have been invaluable in identifying and tracking my Stewart and Hillard cousins. The Stewarts and Hillards in this genealogy are indebted to whomever had the foresight to record information about these families.

I would also like to thank the countless others whose hints I may have forgotten which nevertheless may have lead to some major find. Please forgive my oversight if I failed to recall your contribution.