Editor's Note: The following is excerpted from an article written by Maxine H. Jones that appeared in The Knox Countian magazine in Spring 2003:

The Knox Historical Museum has received a large collection of genealogical materials relating to the counties of Knox, Clay, Bell, Whitley, Laurel, Leslie and Harlan donated by the family of Hermina Brinkmeier. Miss Brinkmeier was a retired librarian and an avid genealogist from Dayton, Ohio. Many of her neighbors were from southeastern Kentucky, and she became interested in their heritage.

She and Maxine Humfleet Jones, President of the Knox County Genealogical Society, became close friends. She also did research and transcriptions of census records of several surrounding counties as well.

Hermina and Stephen Bingham wrote a thousand-page book entitled The Bingham Family of Southeastern Kentucky. She also assisted in compiling several volumes of The Descendants of Dillion Asher. These books include former Mayor Asher of Barbourville as wsell as other Knox County families.

Upon her death this year it was the wish of her family to contribute this tremendous collection of genealogical materials including more than 600 rolls of microfilm, books, periodicals, and other items to the Knox Historical Museum. This will be known as the "Hermina Brinkmeier Collection."