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Early in my Internet experience I made connection with Hirst cousin M. Jay Kimmel or rather he made contact with me as a result of a query I had placed online on the Gen-Web Wisconsin page. . He and his delightful wife Sue have visited here at the lake and Jay has generously contributed an immense amount of meticulously researched data on the Hirsts. Equal in cordiality and quality and volume of information about the family in Wisconsin has been provided by Bernita Craven Jenkins. I came to know Bernita by way of serendipity, the appearance of a letter in the first Grant County Heritage news letter I received after joining the Genealogical Society. I immediately recognized the author as the husband of a sister of my great great grandmother. Bernita though not directly related has generously done a great deal of research that provides so much of the history of the family in Wisconsin. That not sufficient she has also shared with me the invaluable Hirst information compiled by her mother's good friend, Hazel Hinkens Johnson. This is (the Hazel who adopted the orphaned children mentioned in Emma's letter). Bernita is vice-president of the Grant County Wisconsin Genealogical Society. Her address is listed below. Ann Drown is a former spouse of a descendent of (and therefore her children descend from) a sister of my great grandfather. She was discovered as was Jay by way of online queries and has shared old photographs and much information on Emma. She even made the very special effort to visit the Reynolds graves in Los Angeles and photograph them. And then there is Judi Sharp, a moving spirit and historian for the city of Mountain Home, Arkansas. She is a direct descendent of my great great grandfather's half brother John Howard, and has so freely shared infomation and photographs of this man who was so close to my great great grandfather. I must also not fail to mention most recently Rita Livingston who has shared more on the Hirsts and, most treasured, photographs of the brother of my great great grandmother, cleft in the chin and all. And also special thanks to the Grant County Wisconsin Genealogical Society, not only for the specific members who have been so cordial but the entire organization for the data and records that have been collected and preserved for example the marriages listed by names of parents and the cemetery surveys and many many records too diverse to list that I hope to view at the Lancaster Library view in person someday. There is simply no way of expressing the appreciation for all contributions and as well the joy at knowing these "cousins" and associates who have aided so much in this undertaking. Anyone wishing
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