Genealogy Research
So I've been out of work coming on 18 months now. Some of that time I spend substitute teaching, some of I've spent finalizing my grandfather's estate and researching possible values for various collectibles he had; but for a large part of that time I've been researching my family tree. I've taken what info my parents had collected over the years and combined it with my love of history and an intense desire to know where I came from. I was really surprised with the results.
I always knew that my Dad's side of the family had recent (1860's) German roots, but I didn't realize how far back the rest of my family went. I managed to trace one line back to Wales around the time of the English Civil War -that side were some of the first settlers in the US, coming over around 1670. A completely different branch settled in the same area at the same time (the came over on the Arc & Dove), but would not join together for a 150+ years and several thousand miles west. One line may trace back to King Edward I of England, while another was part of a group that tamed the wilds of central PA. Several lines moved west even before the US did, moving into Spanish controled Mississippi/Louisianna, or into French controled Missouri well before the 1804 Louisianna Purchase. One ancestor may have been spying on several Native American tribes, while others were marrying each others 1st cousins for several generations. What suprised me most was how long and how far my roots stretched in this country.
And now I would like to put what I learned from starting this project into helping others who are interested in their family histories find some answers. I don't claim to be an expert, but I have learned a lot about genealogy and world history in a short amount of time. I am available to help whether it is a quick question or creating a family tree from scraps of info. I can help you create and share a family tree on several different websites, or help find historical background to give context to a decision by an ancestor to emmigrate. I will work with you to determine a fair cost for what you want done, and will keep you informed of progress as it happens. If you are interested, you can drop me a line in the comments with an idea of what you want to learn, and how to contact you; or you can drop me an e-mail at joiedumonde @ gmail.