Interested in finding out where your family came from?
I take on genealogy and family-history projects using real record research and Family Tree Maker. I can organize the family information you already have, build the tree, research the history behind the names and relationships you know — and turn it into a Tree of Life you can hang on the wall.
I built my own family's tree first — 156 people, eight generations, lost branches recovered, cousins found — then a 50-page book from it. That's the process you get.
Starts at $100 · priced by how deep you want to go · payment plans welcome
Sample Tree of Life — my dad's five-generation tree
What a family-history project includes
Pick the pieces you want. Some families want the tree. Some want the book. Some just want to know if the story about great-grandpa is true.
Family-tree research
Starting from the names, dates, and stories you already have, I work backward through census records, cemetery records, obituaries, marriage and death records, and land records — as many generations as you want to go.
Organizing what you've got
That shoebox of photos, the notes on the back of a funeral program, the half-finished Ancestry tree — it gets pulled into one clean, properly sourced tree in Family Tree Maker that you keep.
The history behind the names
Where they lived, what they did, who they buried, why they moved. The people, not just the dates.
A printable Tree of Life
Your ancestors' names placed on an illustrated tree — paternal line on one side, maternal on the other, roots reaching to the places they came from. Digital file included; prints available.
A family-history book (optional)
For families who want more than a chart: a typeset book with the tree, the records, the photos, and the stories — the kind of thing that gets handed down.
Finding the living branches
Cousins you didn't know you had. Privacy for living people is respected — nothing about the living goes in a print or online without their say.
How it works
Tell me what you know
Names, rough dates, where they lived, family stories — even if it's just a grandparent. Everything helps; nothing is required.
Pick how deep you want to go
Five generations back is a great first tree. Ten or more if you want to keep going. The price follows the depth and the time — agreed before any research starts.
Get the tree, the sources, and the story
Every conclusion is labeled with how sure I am and what it rests on. You get the tree file, the Tree of Life image, and a plain-language write-up.
Honest answers first
How much does it cost?
Family-tree projects start at $100. The final price depends on how many generations you want and how long the research takes — you'll have the number before I begin, and payment plans are fine.
Can you guarantee how far back you'll get?
No, and anyone who does is guessing. Records burn, names change, people vanish from the paper trail. What I guarantee is honest work: every person on your tree is backed by a record or clearly labeled as a probable match, and I'll never invent an ancestor, a date, or a coat of arms to make the tree look fuller.
Are you a certified genealogist?
No — I'm not a Certified Genealogist and don't claim to be. I follow the Genealogical Proof Standard, cite sources, and label every conclusion. If a line needs a specialist (overseas archives, DNA analysis), I'll say so.
Do I need an Ancestry or FamilySearch account?
No. I handle the research. If you already have a tree somewhere, I can work from an export of it.
What about DNA?
I don't run DNA tests or interpret results. If you've already tested, I can use the matches you share as leads for record research.
Where are you and do you work remotely?
Hot Springs, Arkansas. Most of the work is remote; local families can sit down in person to go through photos and papers.
If you've been wanting to learn more about your family history, just send me a message. A grandparent's name is enough to start.