Genealogy Research

I customize my research services to what you want to learn, so I don’t waste time discovering information you already have or that you aren’t interested in. My services are billed at $150 per hour, with a 2-hour minimum for all projects. Every project starts with a confidential conversation about what you want to learn, what you already know, and your budget.

Core research services include things like:

  • Transcribing old handwritten letters or documents (I’m best at English, but I have experience with French, German, and Latin, too).

  • Tracing a specific family line as far back as records allow

  • Investigating family stories, legends, or mysteries

  • Helping you break through a genealogical "brick wall"

  • Building a multi-generation family tree

  • Performing in-depth research into a specific ancestor's life (military records, immigration, land records, etc.)

  • Visiting the National Archives in Washington, D.C. to obtain records held there, or visiting cemeteries within a reasonable drive from my home (at additional cost)

Confidentiality & Scope

Sometimes genealogical research uncovers information that is difficult to hear, embarrassing, or otherwise unpleasant. I hold all research findings in strict confidence and won't discuss or disclose anything about your family history with anyone without your express permission. Also, because this is a genealogy service, I don't locate or investigate living people. The one exception is DNA matches: if a strong match points to a shared ancestor, I'll try to identify that common ancestor where possible, with full disclosure that this kind of research can be very tricky.

Billing & Payment

You can choose to purchase a set number of research hours, or set up a retainer for larger, more complex projects. Any unused funds are returned to you at the end of our work together, though every project carries a 2-hour minimum charge. A 50% deposit is required before research begins, and the remaining balance is due before I send your final Family Roots Revealed document.

Staying in Touch

Transparency with regard to what I find is very important, so I'll keep you updated and share findings as the research progresses. Once you feel the work is complete, we'll schedule a final meeting to review everything together.

Your Findings, Delivered

Every project concludes with a detailed written document of the research findings. Together, we'll decide what will be included. Options include:

  • Core genealogical facts — birth, marriage, and death information (included in all projects)

  • Biographical narrative — more details of the life behind the names, including where they lived, what they did, things that happened to them, their accomplishments, etc.

  • Photographs and images of ancestors, documents, and places, where available

  • Newspaper articles and other historical records related to your family

  • Historical context — the major world or location-specific events your ancestors lived through, such as floods, fires, wars, etc.

Once we've settled on the content, you’ll decide how you'd like to keep the finished document:

  • Digital Report (included with every project) — A polished, professionally formatted PDF document that is easy to save, print, or share with family.

  • Bound Keepsake Booklet (Add $40 and up, depending on size) — A modestly bound, archival-quality copy of your document, printed on high-quality paper, to provide years of reference.

  • Heirloom Edition (available by special order — inquire for current pricing and availability) — A premium, leather-bound edition for a true family heirloom, made to order through an outside bindery, with extended turnaround time.

Ready to Get Started?

To get started, I’ll need a quick description of what you’d like to learn, along with any relevant context or details. I’ll confirm when your project will begin and perform 2 hours of focused initial research towards your goal.

During that time, I may reach out if I need clarification, and I will share a complete summary of my findings once finished. From there, we can review the results and discuss plans for any additional research you might be interested in. Contact me to schedule yours.