Family Tree Research

Building an accurate family tree is more than just looking up names on a website. It requires:

-Finding all existing records for any given ancestor. Many, many records are still not online, they are found in libraries and various archives as well as genealogical societies. Wills and land records are often a treasure trove of information. These records are found in various places, depending on where your ancestor lived.

-When searching online, knowing how and where to search is important. There are sites devoted to old maps, local histories and periodicals, to name a few. When searching names, one must be aware of name variants. Names can change over the years, and a “LeBlanc” can change to “White”, for example.

-Keeping thorough notes and citations so that research can be returned to at a later date, and records can be referenced by anyone else with an interest in your research.

-Correlating information within sources and being careful not to jump to conclusions without proof.

-Using DNA to ensure that the family tree is accurate. It can also help fill in the gaps and break down brick walls in research.

Help for Adoptees and People with unknown parentage.

I would love to have the opportunity to help adoptees find their birth parents. This involves:

Knowing the laws where you live, in terms of your right to your birth records.

Beyond this, we work with your DNA results. For best results, it is important to test with all of the major DNA testing companies.

We also use old fashioned research in addition to DNA analysis.

Understand your DNA results

Many people are fascinated with DNA tests.

However some of the results are difficult to understand. The number of matches can be overwhelming. If someone has done a Y-DNA (paternal DNA) or Mt-DNA test (maternal), the results can be difficult to understand. I would be happy to help make sense of this for you!

I did my first house history when I was fourteen years old. It catapulted me into the world of genealogy and it has been a life long fascination. Doing a house history involves:

Knowing how to use land records. Sometimes the process goes smoothly, and other times not. If an address has changed over time, such as in a pioneer town turned city, locating the original records are challenging. Roads can change over the years as well as townships and county lines. Using old maps is instrumental in doing a house history.

What draws me to house histories is the stories behind who lived in any given home. Again, it’s important to know where to look for helpful records.

I also have years of experience in photographing old homes. A house history is complete when it includes tastefully done photos of the interior, including fireplaces, trim, stairway banisters and window detail.

If you are curious about the home you live in I would love to help!

The important of photo restoration is two-fold.

One, a professional restoration will bring your old portrait back to life. You may see details that you have previously missed. Water damage or tears can be repaired within reason. Also if done professionally it will still resemble the original, but in a clearer way. I have many years experience in using photoshop and would love to help with this.

Two, I strongly believe that all old family photos should be professionally scanned and digitized. Once we do this, you can keep the file safe on an external hard drive, or kept in cloud storage. You can share these images with other family members and they can them print them if they wish. Your old photos will be saved for posterity.

I am fascinated by the stories that people have about their own lives. Names and dates are one thing, but the stories behind them can be incredible. I would love to help someone compile their story, whether it’s in a written, audio, or video form.