Dorothy Lighton was born 21 April 1893 in South Omaha, Nebraska. After several years as Assistant to the Registrar, University of Arkansas, Dorothy married (12 February 1929) Sidney Wright Benton, a 1917 graduate of the University. They had two children, Meah Elizabeth (Betsy) and William Briant. Betsy married Wiley Washington Murrell, Jr., 6 June 1949, in Fayetteville, and had three children, Wiley Washington III, Rebecca Jane (Becky), and Laura Ann. A number of items, mostly newspaper clippings, pertain to Dorothy Lighton Benton's children and grandchildren. Dorothy Benton died 14 January 1967.

Laura McMaken Lighton's extended family played an important part in William Lighton's writings. Her uncle, Henry McMaken, participated in the first survey of Nebraska Territory, and his tales of early Nebraska were the basis for William Lighton's book, Uncle Mac's Nebrasky. William Lighton's fictitious "Billy Fortune" was based upon Laura Lighton's cousin, Dan Chalfant. His sister, Alice Chalfant Wolfe, and her family homesteaded in Wyoming, establishing the Nine Bar Ranch near Lusk. While visiting the Nine Bar, William Lighton met Dan Chalfant, who had homesteaded the adjoining property. William Lighton returned to the Nine Bar later, in company with an illustrator, to gather further information for his Billy Fortune stories. Much of the material was gathered or saved by Suzanne Lighton, who was interested in family history.

During Laura Lighton's last illness, Suzanne Lighton questioned her and took notes on family history. Included are papers and correspondence pertaining to A. C. McMaken's Civil War service. Andrew McMaken, Company A, First Nebraska Cavalry, enlisted as a private but was promoted to sergeant in October 1861. In December 1863, he resigned in order to accept a commission as second lieutenant of Company C, Sixty- second United States Colored Infantry. During his tour of duty with the Sixty-second, McMaken survived the sinking of the steamboat Planet on February 1, 1864, on the Mississippi River near St. James Parish, Louisiana. McMaken resigned his commission on July 4, 1864, and returned to Nebraska. There he reenlisted as a private with the First Regiment of Nebraska Veteran Volunteer Cavalry and saw service at Fort Kearney, Nebraska, as a quartermaster sergeant. Other than his notice of resignation from the Sixty-second U. S. Colored Infantry, no letters of McMaken from 1861 to 1865 are in the collection, but there are numerous supply returns from Fort Kearney dated 1864 and a report of equipment lost during the sinking of the Planet. Some of McMaken's letters from the late nineteenth century mention his war exploits, and there are numerous pension documents. The collection also includes one letter, dated November 11, 1864, written from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, by Private H. A. Seiffert, Company M, Second Colorado Cavalry. Seiffert, apparently writing to McMaken, describes in detail his experiences during the battle of Westport, Missouri, October 23, 1864, and his regiment's subsequent pursuit of General Sterling Price's retreat toward Arkansas.

Friends include the North Family (neighbors and good friends of Laura McMaken Lighton's in Atchison, Kansas), Judge Lee Seamster (Suzanne Lighton's friend and mentor), and Henry Tovey (a music professor at the University of Arkansas and a close friend of the Lighton family). Like Suzanne Lighton, Seamster was interested local color, and many of his resesarch notes and papers were saved by Suzanne Lighton. Most Seamster material was separated and incorporated into MC 637, Lee A. Seamster Papers.