Research Services

I've been an amateur genealogist since 1991 while I was still in high school. I've always been curious about where my family comes from, and I want to know more about my ancestors. The interesting thing about genealogy is that the more you learn, the more you want to find even more! In that way, genealogy research is never complete. It's an ever-growing jigsaw puzzle that's challenging us to fit the pieces together even when there's no image on the box lid to use as a guide.

Let me help you discover answers to the questions you have about your family. Typical genealogy projects include:

• Uncovering family history and filling out a family tree
• Searching to get beyond a specific road block to identify the parents of a certain ancestor
• Using DNA to learn about ancestors for whom there is no paper trail
• Using DNA to identify the birth family of adoptees
• Deed search to trace the history of a piece of property

In May 2024, I was honored to receive the Historic Preservation Medal from the Rendezvous Mountain Chapter of the DAR. The award was in part for my work in mapping land grants and documenting other interesting stories about our history. I enjoy doing genealogy and history research, but it’s even better when I can share the exciting discoveries with others who have an interest in knowing how we got to where we are today. It’s a good feeling to know that my work is enjoyed and appreciated by others.

I'm a big proponent of using DNA for research!

DNA is a powerful tool in our genealogy toolbox that previous generations didn't have. A mystery that a parent or grandparent was unable to solve is now possible! I first started using DNA testing to help with my own genealogy in 2005 when I took a yDNA test to offer insight into the patrilineal line of my family tree. Eventually autosomal DNA testing became available for researching every branch of a family tree. I manage multiple DNA tests for friends and family, and together that has helped me make new discoveries about my ancestry. DNA allowed me to both discover and eventually solve a mystery in my tree that my family didn't even know about previously. It also allowed me to trace an immigrant ancestor back to England in the mid 1800s.

You don't know what you might find from a DNA test, and you should be prepared for the unexpected before you take one. To anyone interested in genealogy, that element of surprise is the primary benefit of DNA testing. Otherwise, why take a test if you already know all the answers? But understanding the results of a DNA test and how it can help you learn more about your ancestry has a steep learning curve. I've helped several people solve their own family mysteries, and it's exciting when the combination of new science and old-fashioned research can accomplish that. I can help you make sense of your DNA results and offer suggestions on how to move forward to get answers to lifelong questions.

My thoughts on doing genealogy and history research:

• It's important to have credible documentation and to cite sources.
• My website serves as an example of my work and thoroughness.
• It's important to let the evidence tell the story. You'll rarely have an honest account of events if you decide on the story and then only search for evidence to support it.
• When beginning a project, I search in multiple places fairly quickly to understand the scope of information that might be available. After that wide-ranging search, I can be more meticulous and detailed in evaluating specific records and sources.
• My ancestors are mostly from North Carolina and Virginia, and that is where I have the most experience researching.

The output of my research will depend on what question you want to have answered. Generally, it will be a typed report on the details of where I searched and what was found. It might also include a printed family tree. I'll always provide images of all source documents whenever possible so that you can see the original records for yourself.

Let me know what you'd like to learn about your ancestry or about your family's land, and I can help.