History has been a passion in both my professional and personal life, through archival work, genealogy and collecting vintage items.
The Beginning of My Interest in Genealogy
My interest in genealogy and curiosity about my own family history began in 1992, when I asked my grandmother to send me information she had about her ancestry.
Research was a little bit of a slow-go back then, involving mostly written requests to libraries and genealogical societies. Nearly 30 years later, genealogy grew from a fun pastime, to a passionate hobby, to a career choice.
My Career as an Archivist and Genealogist
Early in my career, I worked as an archivist and used the organizational and research skills I learned to enhance my genealogy techniques. I eventually received a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University.
I am now a professional genealogist and have officially started my own business. To date, I have completed over twenty-five research projects for companies and individuals located in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and England. My specializations include New York State research and I have access to libraries and archives in the Hudson Valley and Capital District areas of the state. I also have years of experience researching New England and Mid-Atlantic digital record collections dating back to the Colonial era.
My Research Projects
My research projects have ranged in length from a few hours to a few weeks, addressing research questions primarily concerning birth, marriage and death, as well as immigration and naturalization. I have utilized online and on-site resources including vital records, church records, land records, newspaper collections, immigrant passenger lists, naturalization and citizenship collections, cemetery records and probate records.
As I have been building my business, I have also been trying to define my social media presence. This leads me to where I am now, writing my first blog post!
With my future posts, I hope to share the discoveries I make in my personal research, as well as provide tips and advice about using different types of record collections. I also plan to feature local libraries and archives that I use in New York as well as those I visit during my own family history trips.
I have found genealogy to be personally fulfilling endeavor. Through learning about my ancestors, I have learned a lot about myself. I hope that my enthusiasm and expertise can help you discover more about your own family history.
If you have questions or suggestions, I encourage you to leave comments in the section below. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail as well. Your feedback is appreciated. Thanks so much!