Ancestral and Historical Research

I have been bitten by the ancestry/historical research bug BIG TIME, and have various resources at my disposal to help me discover your family history. For recent discoveries I’ve made, see the FAQs near the bottom of this page.

Are you an author in need of historical research for your non-fiction or historical fiction book? I can help you write a compelling manuscript by researching unique and obscure pieces of history. To view samples of my work, read the Digging History blog or ask for a free issue of Digging History Magazine. Contact me for more information or to request a writing sample.

Scroll down this page for pricing, including ways to fund an extended family history project.

Pedigree Charts

Want a unique and decorative pedigree chart to proudly display your family’s history? I can format one that includes pictures and vital information about your ancestor, including birth and death dates, news clippings, signatures, cattle brands and more. For a sampling of family history charts, click this link.

You may also want to include your family stories via “Our Family History (the fine print)”. Sample Family History Book.

Charts can be sized to meet your requirements. Scroll down to see pricing information or contact me for more information.

Digging History Magazine

Digging History Magazine is a bi-monthly digital (PDF) publication available by single issue purchase or subscription. The magazine runs 70-80 pages of articles (just articles, no advertisements) per bi-monthly (or monthly issues for 2018) which highlight a wide range of historical events and characters, including thoughtful articles sometimes offering a different perspective. Each issue also features articles of interest to those researching family history. Some issues are thematic. For example, the April 2018 issue was all about the Civil War, even the book reviews! Some of the article titles in that issue included:

National Traitor or American Martyr: John Brown’s Enigmatic Position in History
The Civil War Before THE Civil War
Hell No, We Won’t Go! – The New York City Draft Riots
Adventures in Research: What Really Happened to Stephen Paul?
When Johnny Came Marching Home (Without an Arm or Leg)
Yankee Doodle Dandies: Civil War Silk Stocking Regiments
Winning the War by the “Hundreds”
North and South: Profiles in Courage

Subscriptions are the best option with four affordable and budget-minded options: month-to-month, 3-month, 6-month and one year (now with a free one-month trial, except month-to-month). Purchase online once with a credit card and your payments will automatically recur at the interval you have chosen until you tell me you want to cancel.

SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS: All subscribers are entitled to 20% off all services, including charts.

NOTE: For those who wish to subscribe but don’t want to do it online, one-year subscriptions may be purchased by check. Contact me first: [email protected] to arrange payment.

If you love history, you’ll love Digging History Magazine, your bi-monthly “history fix” delivered to your inbox!

A chart featuring a family with a long history of American Patriots.

Pricing

NOTE: Be sure and check out the FAQs page regarding suggestions for funding research projects big and small, or contact me to discuss payment plans and options. Let’s make a deal!

SERVICE	HOURLY RATE	PACKAGE PRICING
Ancestry or Historical Research*	$35	$300 (10-hour package)*
Custom-Designed Pedigree Charts**	$25	N/A

*Genealogy by Subscription is also available as a budget-minded option.

** Total price depends on the number of generations and each chart is unique to one’s family history. Estimate available upon request, or check out this blog post.

FAQ

Q: Are you a professional genealogist?

A: I am not a certified genealogist, but a relentless researcher. I have various online and other resources to help me uncover your family history. Here are some of the fascinating facts I’ve discovered recently:

For a friend who was adopted, I found his birth father’s family and some interesting history, including an uncle who was murdered by one of Pancho Villa’s bandits (he was only four years old at the time). His birth father was deaf and avoided being killed himself because of the bandits’ superstitions regarding handicapped children.
For this same friend, I discovered he has an ancestor who was on the Mayflower.
For another friend, whose family would never talk about their history, I discovered she has a rather famous first cousin, seven times removed – Benjamin Franklin.
For a friend who is part Santee Sioux, I discovered she has Quaker ancestors. Her fourth great-grandmother was struck by lightning and killed in 1817.
A recent discovery for one client — his great grandfather was one of Abraham Lincoln’s body guards.

Q: How much do you charge for your services?

A: My rates are more reasonable and affordable than many genealogy research firms ($35 per hour). For a price comparison:

Legacy Tree Genealogists
Ancestry.com Pro Genealogists
Hiring a Genealogist Wiki (average fees you can expect to pay)
Heritage Consulting
Price Genealogy

I can also work with you to create a more affordable package. Hourly rates are $35 per hour, but packages are available and quotes for special projects exceeding 50 hours can be arranged. These rates reflect the need to partially defray the cost of various paid web sites like Newspapers.com, Genealogy Bank, Newspaper Archives. Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and more which aid research efforts on behalf of clients.

Q: I would like to engage your services for extended research, but my budget is limited. Do you offer payment plans?

A: It’s certainly possible to set up a payment plan, but we would need to discuss it further (contact me here). I have just added a “Genealogy by Subscription” option on a companion site. Payments are recurring monthly and continue until the client requests cancellation or the project is completed.

Q: Do you offer a guaranteed result?

A: When we are dealing with “brick walls” there may or may not be an answer because there simply may be no available records. So, a guaranteed result is not something any genealogist would likely offer. However, I will guarantee you that I will do my best to find you an answer within the time-frame you choose to pay for. I will also provide you with full documentation and details of all techniques and research possibilities for you to pursue on your own.