There is proof that Stephen, William, and Thomas Hilton came from Maryland. For example, Stephen's dau Elizabeth's place of birth (Maryland) is given in a couple Ky records as having taken place circa 1767. William Hilton's dau Susannah is specifically identified as born in St. Mary's Co., Md. William's wife Mildred had joined St. Inigoes Church in St. Mary's Co in 1769. I suppose it is harder to prove that your Thomas in Ky is from Md., but we know he had a wife named Anne and a dau named Elizabeth and we have the records in St. Mary's Co proving a Thomas Hilton with a wife Anne, having a dau Elizabeth born 30 Sep 1781 which would seem to mesh well with Elizabeth in Ky marrying James Wilmouth in 1803. Furthermore, all the above had disappeared from Maryland by the dates of their Kentucky appearances. When did Elizabeth Wilmouth die? If she lived to 1850 the census could be checked for her birth? Did any of Alexander Hilton's children live to 1870 or 1880 when the census asked place of birth of parent's. It would be interesting to see if they said "Maryland." All these Ky Hiltons in the Nelson Co., Ky area had such strong associations with other St. Mary's Co families. William and Mildred's were particularly strong, but that was probably because they seem to have been Catholics, perhaps due to Mildred's influence. I do not think the other Hiltons were Catholics, except perhaps where intermarriage occurred.