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Qualifications

I have been doing family history research for over thirty-five years, enjoy it thoroughly, and believe I do it well. What is of most satisfaction, though, is helping families achieve a greater sense of themselves as a family, of who their ancestors were and the lives these ancestors lived. Having a sense of where you came from and of those who came before you gives each of us better footing on the paths of life. Giving your parents, siblings, children, or grandchildren their own unique story, their history, is one of the greatest and most lasting gifts you can make – to them and to future generations of your family.

My initial encounter with genealogical research was at the National Archives when I was a graduate student in the Washington, D.C. area over three decades ago. My interest and experience grew from researching my own family’s history to working part-time as a professional genealogist, to working full-time in this field. In addition to having two master’s degrees (one in education, and one in business), over the years I’ve taken many genealogical courses and acquired an extensive library of reference material. I’ve taught classes on various genealogical topics and assisted individuals in writing and editing their family histories. Most important of all, I have had extensive experience working with all kinds of records from the 17th to the 20th century, transcribing, extracting information, determining the relevance of a document, and piecing together an accurate, documented portrayal of a family’s history.

I am a member of several societies for professional genealogists including:

• Association of Professional Genealogists
• National Genealogy Society
• Genealogical Speakers Guild
• International Society of Family History Writers and Editors
• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
• Numerous local historical societies

To stay current with developments in the field and continue refining my research skills, I regularly attend national and local genealogy conferences and seminars and subscribe to numerous professional journals.

Please read through the rest of the information which follows and feel free to contact me with any questions. I look forward to having the opportunity to help you present to your family their own unique story.

Services

As a professional genealogist, I research families of various backgrounds and time periods. Because of the history of the mid-Atlantic area and those who immigrated here, I have special research experience with families of Irish, Scots-Irish, English, German, and Eastern European origin. I can translate records written in Latin, German, or Cyrillic (Russian or Ukranian).

In Pennsylvania, my research is conducted at the Mid-Atlantic branch of the National Archives (in Philadelphia), the City of Philadelphia Archives, the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the local branch of the Family History Library (which has on permanent loan from Salt Lake City many films of local importance), the state archives, and other historical societies, libraries and museums in the counties surrounding Philadelphia, including Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Schuylkill counties. I also research records at similar facilities in New Jersey, Delaware and northeastern Maryland. I have lived in Ireland, England, and Germany, and my research has taken me back to Ireland and England several times. Also, I go to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and to the Family History Library (LDS records repository) in Salt Lake City 3-4 times each year.

I am willing to take on large or small projects. My clients have included those who had no knowledge of their ancestors other than who their parents or grandparents were. I’ve also worked with clients who have done a considerable amount of research on their own but have hit a “brick wall” and want a professional genealogist to help them break the wall down or who has access to local records. I’ve also been asked by clients to verify research which had been done for them in the past, but which had not been well documented.

Fees

I offer an initial one-hour free consultation. This enables the client considering the use of my services to discuss the proposed project, as well as any research that’s already been done. At this consultation, we can also discuss the types of records that might be searched and an approximation of the number of hours this research would involve. Following this initial consultation, my fee is $24/research hour. I want to keep my rates as reasonable as possible so that more families can afford to have their history researched. In addition to the hourly fee, other charges are:

• for the cost of any photocopies or other reproductions made of records (usually 25 – 50 cents per page) .
• .40/mi for local trips more than 15 miles each way or 30 miles total (the per mile charge is only for those miles in excess of the 30 miles and are for local research). If it appears a trip beyond the local area, such as to Washington, D.C., would be appropriate, I would first discuss this with the client.
• parking charges - this applies mainly to Philadelphia; Trenton, New Jersey; and Wilmington, Delaware. The maximum charge for parking is $10/day (less if it is a partial day). Most locations other than those mentioned have free parking available, except for a couple county sites.

What I have found works best for clients is if we have regular and open communication about the research. Usually, based on what has been determined in our initial consultation, a client contracts for a certain number of hours, as well as an amount for any additional charges. Thus, if we have decided on 8 hours, plus $25 in additional charges, the client would pay for half of those hours, or $96 in this case (4 hours x $24/hr) at the commencement of research. If the research goal is accomplished in the eight hours or less, the client pays for just the total number of hours of actual research. I keep track of the additional charges with the understanding that I will not go over the $25 without the client’s agreement. I submit a statement to the client for the amount of actual charges when the $25 is reached or the project is completed, whichever comes first. At the end of the 8 hours contracted for, if the project is not completed, the client and I discuss what has been accomplished to date, the results achieved, and possible further avenues of research as well as likelihood of success.

A critical component of any research project is that results be documented and not just based on supposition or possible connections. Therefore, a copy of the data that results from the research will be sent to the client. A written report can also be prepared, and would be billed at the research rate of $24/hour. The value and importance of the research report cannot be overstressed. It is a permanent record of the project which can be shared with other family members and can be used as a basis for further research sometime in the future, even many years from now. Depending on the complexity of the project involved, most reports take 2-3 hours to complete.