Services

Evidence-based genealogical research, tailored to your research question

Every project begins with a clearly defined research question and a careful review of the available evidence. Because genealogical problems vary widely in scope and complexity, services are tailored to the question at hand, rather than offered as one-size-fits-all packages.

Broadly, my work falls into the categories below, though many projects combine multiple approaches.

Getting started

Every project begins with a conversation about your research question and an initial review of the available evidence. If I believe professional research is likely to help answer your question, I'll recommend the next appropriate step.

For a detailed explanation of how new projects begin, including the Preliminary Research Assessment and proposal process, please see the Process page.

Traditional genealogical research

Records-focused research for early American ancestry, long-standing brick walls, and cases involving incomplete, conflicting, or ambiguous documentation. This type of research is appropriate when documentary evidence is central to the question, whether or not DNA evidence ultimately plays a role.

Typical projects include:

• Evaluating or verifying existing family trees
• Resolving brick walls in early American or 19th-century research
• Identifying parents, spouses, or places of origin using records
• Addressing problems involving record loss, migration, or name variation

Deliverables typically include:

• A written research report with full source citations
• Copies of relevant documents
• A research log outlining sources searched and results

DNA may or may not be part of this work, depending on the question and available evidence.

DNA-focused genealogical research

Research in which DNA evidence is central to the question—such as unknown or uncertain parentage, identity questions, or conflicts between genetic evidence and documentary records. This work is appropriate when DNA results require careful interpretation, supporting documentation, and structured analysis.

Typical projects include:

• Identifying unknown parents or grandparents
• Interpreting complex DNA match patterns
• Evaluating competing hypotheses using DNA evidence
• Integrating DNA analysis with existing research

Deliverables typically include:

• A written report explaining methodology and conclusions
• Discussion of how DNA evidence supports—or limits—findings
• A documented family tree (GEDCOM) with supporting records attached, where appropriate

Because DNA evidence often involves living individuals, this work is conducted carefully and privately, in accordance with established ethical standards.

Hybrid research

Many complex research questions benefit from a hybrid approach that integrates documentary research and DNA analysis. This work is particularly useful for long-standing brick walls, early American ancestry, and cases where traditional records alone are insufficient—but where DNA evidence, when carefully analyzed and contextualized, may still offer meaningful insight.

In some cases, I have successfully used DNA evidence in combination with traditional records to identify ancestors born as early as the mid-to-late eighteenth century. This work requires cautious interpretation, extensive documentary context, and a willingness to engage with uncertainty—and it is not always possible. When it is, however, it can be especially rewarding and informative.

Hybrid projects are appropriate when neither records nor DNA alone are sufficient to address the problem, or when long-standing assumptions need to be evaluated using multiple types of evidence.

Hybrid work is scoped carefully and may involve staged research, with planned check-ins to assess progress before proceeding further.

Deliverables combine elements of both traditional and DNA-focused research, tailored to the specific project.

What I do—and don’t—take on

I accept projects when I believe there is a reasonable path to meaningful progress using available evidence.

I do not accept projects intended for legal proceedings, citizenship or heirship claims, or financial or support claims.

Specific outcomes are not guaranteed. Genealogical research involves uncertainty, and honest conclusions are always preferable to false certainty.

Learn about the research process Tell Me About Your Question