The story of the Peralta Stone maps was fueled for many years by a man named, 

Jim D. Hatt

Born in Michigan in 1949 and arrived in Arizona around 1989. He worked at the Palo Verde nuclear power plant and in 1992 is when he 1st met Tom Kollenborn, an Arizona historian & Dutch hunter. 

Jim 1st learned of the Lost Dutchman mine in 1956 from his Great-Grandfather, Earl A. Hatt who personally knew members of the well know "Petrasch" family. Earl heard personal accounts about the time period of 1880-1990, that he shared with his great -grand son, Jim Hatt. 

In the words of the great

 Tom Kollenborn

"This was His contribution to the Dutchman Story"

His belief in the authenticity of The Peralta Stone Maps 

caused him to spend many years in the Superstition Mountains, after his children were grown and had left the house. He hit the trails and searched for clues during some of the hottest times of the summer and did so up until he started to grow ill around 2009. I had the pleases of meeting Jim and we became good friends based off of a story I shared with him when I attended a church in Arizona, back in 1987. We discussed my theory of where I believed the Peralta Stone Maps lead to and it shifted his stubborn mentality that he was so known for having. 

He told me,  Im to old to start my search all over", 

he became convinced and introduced me to Tom Kollenborn and, thats when things stared to line up.