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Services & Speaking

Welcome 

We are located in Martinez, California in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and easily able to reach into the greater Sacramento area.

We provide:
   * research services for local records and off-site record 
   * mentoring services for beginning genealogists and those with tough research questions
   * lectures and classes for genealogists of all levels

Our Mission is:
to adhere to the Genealogical Proof Standard and abide by the Code of Standards of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Board for the Certification of Genealogists.

Description of Services:

One Hour Presentations

Cemetery & Funeral Home Research
There is more to cemetery research than online cemetery sites such as Find A Grave. Learn how to find these other records, what to do when visiting a cemetery, and how funeral home records can add to the family story.

Did Your Ancestor Attend Church? Researching in Religious Records
Church records can provide names, dates, and relationships about your ancestors. Many of the records from churches and religious organizations predate civil records which makes these records a rich source of information about our families. Give these records a try, even if you think your ancestor did not attend church.

Finding Records to Help Document Your Farming Ancestor
Up to about 1870, farming was the number one occupation. You probably have a large number of farmers in your family. There are many record sets that document our farming ancestors such as land, tax, and probate records. Newspapers and many agricultural records can add context to their story.

Fleshing Out Your Family Using City Directories
City Directories are a wonderful source to help fill in details of your ancestor’s life between the census years.  City Directories give information about a resident’s address and occupation but the directories also have lots of other information.  Come hear about how to use the directories to aid in your research and where to find them in person or online.  Remember, even small towns often had published directories.

Focused Research: Using Research Plans
Do you feel like your research just goes in circles, that you keep finding the same information, or you have brick walls you can't solve? Being focused on your research will bring better results. This can be done by using research plans. I will explain how to create and use a research plan to help keep you on focus in your research and get better results.

German Research: Let's Get Started!
Nearly 50 million Americans have German ancestry. The earliest Germans came in colonial times. It was land and religious freedom that brought Germans to America. Yet, it wasn't until 1871 that there was a united Germany. Come hear how to get started in your German research by learning about sources here in the U.S. to help bridge you to the German states of your ancestors.

Researching Offline: Using Archives, Libraries, and Courthouses
Not everything is found online! Using online sources, you can find which off-line resources might have the information to help your family research. Then you can take a road trip or perhaps order the documents directly from them.

Tips for Breaking Brick Walls
Every genealogist at some time while researching runs up against brick walls. Brick walls are when a research question such as finding the parents of an ancestor cannot be answered. There are simple techniques to help break through these walls. Come learn about those techniques!

What’s the News? Your Ancestors in Newspapers
Newspapers are an excellent source of genealogical, social, and historical information about our families and their communities. Newspapers reveal what was happening in a time and place—something other records might not tell us. This presentation will cover newspapers found on free sites and subscription sites.

Courses:
20-hour course in beginning and intermediate genealogy with hands-on activities and homework.

Research Advice and Custom Research Planning:
Let us review your previous research and help you with future research goals. Minimum 2 hours.

Writing Coach:
We can help you with the writing of your family stories through coaching.

Record Retrieval:
Let us retrieve that vital record, land, or probate record from local government offices, obituaries and other newspaper items from libraries and archives, and other research items from archives. Locations include Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Napa County, and Solano County. 

Contact: 
Contact us using this link.