Discover Yourself, with Discover the Story of You
Professional Research Services
With nearly 40 years of expertise in family history research, I am thrilled to offer my extensive sleuthing skills through customized genealogy packages, tailored for you. Together we will explore your personal history, grow your Family Tree with verified documentation, and uncover the life stories of prominent ancestors with whom you must closely resonate! I'll take extra time to illuminate some of those most notable ancestors, to provide you with a focused (and hopefully enlightening) oral or written narrative. The purpose & joy in growing these gardens of history, is to help you find your answers to that ever-burning question:'Who Am I?'
Growing Your Family Tree
I don't just build trees; I grow them! Like any tree, a Family Tree takes time to bear fruit. In genealogy, nurturing a family tree, to grow strong and healthy roots & branches, involves thorough and ongoing research into historical records & analyzing the data to verify that it belongs on a tree.
It means digging into immigration, census records, and military and church records, and pruning away mistaken names or dates, to make sure that a record matches the correct ancestor. Sometimes it involves walking through old cemeteries to photograph your ancestor's tombstone, or scanning microfiche in a library, to verify kinship within your tree.
My thorough approach to researching your family history means you'll receive the most deeply rooted, healthy, leafy and full Family Tree possible; it shall become your personal story, the legacy of how you became who you are!
As an independent genealogist, my rates for custom genealogy packages are much more affordable than those of most others, whether you're looking for package deals or hourly rates.
(I even have sliding scale rates for very low-income customers).
I believe that discovering the story of you, finding answers to your 'Who Am I?' should be as affordable as possible.
I'll do my best to work with you to make that happen.
One-on-One Interviews
To begin your ancestral journey and create your Family Tree, we’ll need to meet (either in person or via online video chat) for an intake interview. During this 1-2 hour session, I’ll gather some initial information (names, dates, etc.) essential for your family history research. We'll discuss what you hope to learn about yourself, and which ancestor(s) you want to know about more deeply. I’ll answer any questions you might have about my work process, and we'll determine which package or rate fits your needs best.
Document Retrieval Services
You know where the records for your ancestral journey are located, but if the distance is too great from your home and time is limited, I can help! For those seeking to delve into their family history research in the Pacific Northwest, my custom genealogy packages include doing the legwork for you. Equipped with a 1200dpi hand-held wand scanner, I will visit towns, churches, town offices, libraries, museums, and other locations within the region to access your records in person. I will meticulously scan your old documents, records, and newspapers, providing you with the clearest and sharpest copies to aid in building your Family Tree and answering the question, 'Who Am I?'
Ongoing Research
Sometimes, incorrect records can end up attributed to a person named in your Family Tree. A misleading record may have led a previous researcher down a proverbial rabbit hole, resulting in the wrong person being identified as your ancestor. Perhaps the surname spellings didn’t match, or there were siblings within the family group with the same name but in a different birth order. There may also be a different parent listed than the one you believed to be your ancestor. Additionally, documents can be transcribed incorrectly, or the online genealogy records may be too old, faded, or fuzzy to read accurately.
Mistakes in genealogy are common, especially the further back in time you explore!
That’s why it’s essential to utilize various resources for accurate family history research, verifying every addition of a person's name to your family tree. This means engaging with other genealogists, accessing more libraries, and visiting historical sites for additional clues. It also involves searching through as many online databases as possible and staying on the lookout for updated facts and resources.
When new genealogy tools and resources emerge, your family history deserves a fresh look! Choosing custom genealogy packages and opting for hourly rates instead of a flat package deal is often the best approach. This allows you to confirm a person named in your tree with greater accuracy or to delve deeper into the life story of one of your ancestors. Sometimes, a few more hours of research makes all the difference in uncovering 'Who Am I?'
Send me a message when you’re ready to continue your journey!
Custom Packages Available
Discover The Story of You offers a variety of custom genealogy packages tailored to your needs, including the chance to work closely with you to develop a package that aligns perfectly with your family history research goals. Let's explore your ancestral journey and uncover your Family Tree together, answering the question, Who Am I? through in-depth Genealogy research!