First of all, I want to thank all of the researchers who came before me who had the foresight and wisdom to keep a genealogical record. They laid the foundation for us to build upon. Those like John J. Dickey who went throughout eastern KY interviewing old timers and preserving their recollections for us in a "Diary". And Arch & James Bowman who compiled data on the early KY settlers and grouped them together for us by surname, including some marriage & census records BEFORE they were so easily attainable. And Leonardo Andrea, a paid researcher, who collected much information on the Thomases of Union, Chester, & Fairfield Counties, South Carolina. Then there were the avid researchers like Glenn Twist (Franklin Co. Arkansas Thomases), Reed Thomas (Isaac Thomas/Elizabeth Smith line), Marjorie Turner (Combs families), Luther Ambrose (Carmacks), Norma Pierson (Owsley Co. Thomases), Margaret Millar Hayes (author of the 1880 Owsley Co. KY Annotated Census), Jeff Springer, Jacklyn Flannery, Judy Tate, William Thomas, Sandy Tirey, Ernie Matlock and many more who spent YEARS researching their ancestors. Those who personally influenced my research were: Darlene Sizemore, who not only helped me with my Sizemore line, but helped me to 'learn the ropes' in genealogy research; Fred Price who sent me my first 'motherlode' of information on the Gabbard line; Margaret Millar Hayes who was always approachable and very willing to help; William Thomas who freely shared his research with me and gave me a clearer picture of the Marchant Thomas clan; Judy Tate who opened up the trail to possibilities beyond Marchant; Togin Cassell who played an important role in my discovering the chasm between the Abraham Thomas line and the Marchant Thomas line; Jacklyn Flannery who made my search more real and personal by sharing letters & pictures from the past with me; and, more recently, Sandy Tirey of Owsley County, KY who has been very helpful and hospitable; Ernie Matlock, a very industrious researcher and willing contributor; Lisa Wombles, secretary of the Clay Co. KY Historical & Genealogical Society, who goes beyond the call of duty to help; Jessie Vaughn, who alerted me to the marriage record of Elisha Thomas & Rachel McCollum and helped me make the Harlan county connection to the Owsley county Thomases. And thanks to ALL of those researchers & contributers who added something to my genealogy database, some of whom are listed below.*
Other researchers and contributers are:
Stephen Bowling - Breathitt Co. KY
genealogist.
J.P. Downard - Perry Co. KY genealogist and
descendant of Martin Couch.
Ray Ellis - Sidney Thomas &
Martha Skaggs genealogy.
Betty Bowman Gabbard - Niece of
James Bowman and author of the 1900 Owsley County KY
Census; descendant of Cornelius Bowman Jr.
Diana Ingalls -
Simeon Thomas researcher and descendant through daughter,
Margaret Rachal.
Gary & Elsie McCollum - Genealogy
researchers for the Linn County Library, Brookfield, MO and
descendants of David McCollum & Rachel Morris through
son, Perry.
Oscar D. McCollum - McCollum Clan genealogist.
David Moore- Worked on tombstone records in and around
Owsley County.
Ron Rowland - Researcher and descendant of
William Rowland & Elsie Ann Thomas, d/o Elijah Thomas
& Lucy Ann Carmack.
Leon Sandlin - Researcher of
Buffalo Cr. families in Owsley Co. and author of Tales
From Buffalo Creek.
Myrna Gulley Seal - Author of 1870
Owsley Co. KY Census and descendant of Henderson Sizemore
& Minerva Combs through daughter, Susan.
Robert L.
Smith - Author of Owsley Co. KY Marriages, 1910 Owsley Co.
KY Census and other publications.
Manuel R. Spencer -
Researcher & descendant of James Spencer & Polly
Gross, parents of Isabell Spencer who married Reed S.
Thomas.
Jess Wilson - Wilson families researcher, and
contributer to the Clay County KY Historical Society's
genealogical records.
And not to be overlooked are all the AUNTS, UNCLES, COUSINS, & NEWFOUND RELATIVES who were so cooperative and helpful and who shared their family Bible records with me. Nor do I want to forget the person who handles the technical end of my website, and who got me into this Internet stuff in the first place — my husband, and webmaster, Dwight Finger. Also a SPECIAL THANKS to Evelyn Twist and Colleen Ambrose who trustingly made available to me their deceased loved ones' research papers. And to Henry Sizemore, son of Lewis, who guided us around Owsley County, KY our first visit there.
* It is impossible to thank all of the people I have come in contact with since starting my research in 1989. There have been so many helpful & friendly people. If I have forgotten anyone, I apologize, and I hope you will forgive the oversight. If you feel that you should be included in the list of researchers & contributers who helped me, please contact me and include the family line you contributed to. Thank you.