Acknowledgments

I am deeply indebted to the following cousins who sent me invaluable information for Part I – ROOTS:

• Novella Wilson, great-grandaughter of Aunt Ebaline Ramfield. 
• Ruby Muhlbauer, grandaughter of Aunt Sarah Franklin.
• Charlie Andy Franklin, son of Aunt Sarah Franklin.
• Ada Beaver Brothers, grandaughter of Joseph R. Beaver, Sr., and Aunt Catherine Wilson Beaver.
• Marilyn Giesecke Mills, great-grandaughter of Aunt Ebaline Ramfield.
• Mallie Hukel Ellis, Dollie Hukel Canady, Daphene Hukel Guelker, and Roxie Hukel Powell, all daughters of Aunt Mary Beaver Hukel.
• Mary Maudel Hukel Barnett, daughter of cousin Edwin Hukel.
• George W. McCollum, son of Aunt Lee Beaver McCollum.
• Beatrice Padgett Cox, grandaughter of Uncle Doc Pearson.
• Reba Edwards Carter, grandaughter of Uncle Frank Pearson.
• Wesley Jones, grandson of Aunt Tilda Pearson Jones.
• Tilda Maud Pointer Wright, daughter of Aunt Nannie Pearson Pointer.
• Minnie Hovey Smith and Myrtle Hovey Abbott, daughters of Aunt Ella Pearson Hovey.

To all who answered my letters, lent pictures, gave me a bit of information, and encouraged me to carry on, I give my heartfelt thanks.

I am grateful to my sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, and my sons, for the interesting contributions for Part III – BRANCHES of my book. ‘Without your chapters, the book would have been incomplete.

Thanks to my husband, Buddy Smith, for his patience and longsuffering during the many hours that I sat at the typewriter while he waited for lunch or dinner to be put on the table.

Thanks to my son. Bob, for the fantastic job of printing the book for me. It was an undertaking, considering the busy schedule under which he operates.

Thanks to my son, Dan, for the composition of the Prologue, and for other constructive suggestions.

To all who had a part in this endeavor, I am eternally grateful, and I promise you that my short career as a ’’writer” has now come to a screeching halt.