I (Wayne Haston) met Dwight in person for the first time in the summer of 2000.  I was just beginning to become interested in Daniel Haston family.  Dwight had been researching the family for years and was well-acquainted with all the historic sites in the area where Daniel’s family settled.  We interacted via email in late 1999 and met in person in the summer of 2000.  I was living in Pennsylvania at the time, but visited my parents in Sparta (TN) in mid-2000.  Dwight, my brother Ron, and I got together, and Dwight took us on what I now call the “Historic Haston Tour.”  He introduced us to the Big Fork Cemetery, where Daniel Haston and many of our early Haston ancestors are buried.  Then he showed us the site (in the photo above) where Daniel Haston established his home almost 200 years before my first visit there.  Since that time, we have met numerous times and interacted by phone calls and emails many, many times over the past 25 years. 
  

Even as recently as a week or so ago, I contacted him about a Haston history question.  Along with his response to my question, he added: “Glad to help anytime I can.”  “Looking forward to your next book.” 
 

I recall that, in 2000, I was reluctant to begin researching our Haston family history and told Dwight, “Dwight, I assume you and others have already scraped the bottom of the barrel of Haston history.”  Dwight’s response – “Wayne, there’s always more in the bottom of the barrel.”  And, he was right.  I hope when I am gone, others will continue scraping the layers of history that are still stubbornly clinging to the bottom of that old barrel.   
 

In one of my most recent email exchanges with Dwight, I told him, “Dwight, you will never know how much I appreciate you.”  And, I always will.