Currently accepting clients for...

• Family History Research
• Speaking / Presenting

My professional credential is specifically in the United States Gulf South Region (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida). I also have extensive experience with African American research. As an Accredited Genealogist Lecturer™, I have given genealogical presentations for local, regional, national, and international conferences, workshops, and genealogical and historical society meetings. In addition to my genealogical research and consulting business, I am a full-time employee of FamilySearch and work as a Research Specialist for the United States and Canada region at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. I am also an adjunct faculty member at Salt Lake Community College and teach online classes in U.S. research and accreditation for their genealogy certificate program. I serve as the Conference Chair for the Utah Genealogical Association, where I served on the Board of Directors for six years. I am also a Commissioner for ICAPGen, the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists.

Geographic Specialities
United States and Canada
Southern States (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida)

Additional specialities or search keywords
African American, Deep South, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida

Publications/Media

"A Mighty Woman in Zion: The Roles of Mary Jane Dilworth Hammond as an LDS Missionary Wife in Nineteenth-century Hawaii," The Thetean (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, Spring 1994).

"A Closer Look at Post-1850 U.S. Census Records," Crossroads, Vol. 18, Issue 3 (Summer 2023).

Lectures

Deep South Research: A Case Study (Utah Genealogical Association Multi-Chapter Event)

Maximize Your Research Time (Utah Genealogical Association, Texas State Genealogical Society Conference)

African American Records and Strategies: Post-1865 (FamilySearch)

Exploring Resources in FamilySearch (Pecan Plantation Genealogy Group)

Overview of FamilySearch.org (FamilySearch)

Military Pension Files (1776-1916): A Gold Mine for Family History Research (FamilySearch)

Sharpening the Saw: Keeping Your Professional Edge with Continuing Education (Utah Genealogical Association Pro-Talk Series)

Measuring the Masses: Exploring Post-1850 U.S. Federal Census Records (FamilySearch, Utah Genealogical Association)

Deep South Research: A Beginner's Guide and Case Study (East Texas Genealogical Society, Texas State Genealogical Society Conference)

Eureka! Records and Resources of the Forty-niners and the California Gold Rush (National Genealogical Society)

Dying to Get In: Digging Up U.S. Cemetery Records (FamilySearch, Utah Genealogical Association)

Avoiding the Rabbit Hole: How to Stay Focused in Family History Research (Utah Genealogical Association Summit of Excellence Conference)

Extra! Extra! The Scoop on U.S. Newspaper Research (FamilySearch, Utah Genealogical Association)

A New Look at FamilySearch and Online Records (Utah Genealogical Association Multi-Chapter Event)

A New Look at FamilySearch Historical Images (FamilySearch)

Getting Started with African American Research (FamilySearch RootsTech; Tacoma, Washington African American Family History Event)

Success Strategies for African American Research (FamilySearch RootsTech)

Helpful African American Genealogy Websites (FamilySearch RootsTech)

African American Resources on FamilySearch (FamilySearch RootsTech; Tacoma, Washington African American Family History Event)

African American Research Strategies: Post-1865 (FamilySearch RootsTech)

Start Organized, Stay Organized: Laying the Groundwork for a Successful U.S. Research Project (FamilySearch RootsTech)

Maximize Your Research Time (Genealogical Forum of Oregon - March 2023)

Starting on the Right Foot: Salt Lake Community College's One-Year, Online Genealogy Certificate Program (Utah Genealogical Association Pro-Talk Series - April 2023)

Eureka! Records and Resources of the Forty-niners and the California Gold Rush (Villages Genealogical Society - May 2023)

Getting Started with African American Research (Brigham Young University Family History Library - May 2023)

A New Look at FamilySearch (Alabama Genealogical Society Fall Seminar - August 2023)

Alabama Research: A Beginner's Guide and Case Study (Alabama Genealogical Society Fall Seminar - August 2023)

Order in the Court! An Introduction to United States Court Records (FamilySearch Webinar - October 2023)

They Came from Virginia: A Case Study in African American Research and Methodology (Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Conference - October 2023)

Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Method to the Madness (East Texas Family History Fair - November 2023)

They Came from Virginia: A Case Study in African American Research and Methodology (East Texas Family History Fair - November 2023)

Deep South Research: A Beginner's Guide and Case Study (East Texas Family History Fair - November 2023)

Military Pension Files (1776-1916): A Gold Mine for Family History Research (RootsTech 2024 - February 2024)

A New Look at FamilySearch and Online Records (Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society Ancestor Swap Meet - April 2024)

Making the Most of Your FamilySearch Affiliate Library (Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society Ancestor Swap Meet - April 2024)

Alabama Research: A Beginner's Guide and Case Study (Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society Ancestor Swap Meet - April 2024)

Dying to Get In: Digging Up U.S. Cemetery Records (Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society Ancestor Swap Meet - April 2024)

Reading Between the Lines: Analyzing and Evaluating Evidence (FamilySearch Webinar, 16 May 2024)

In Their Own Words: Women and the War of 1812 (National Genealogical Society, 2024 Virtual Family History Conference, 17 May 2024)

African American Records and Strategies (FamilySearch Library and RootsTech Presentation, 20 June 2024)

Military Pension Files (1776-1916): A Gold Mine for Family History Research (BYU Family History Library Webinar, 11 July 2024)

Extra! Extra! The Scoop on U.S. Newspaper Research (FamilySearch Library and RootsTech Presentation, 15 August 2024)

Military Pension Files (1776-1916): A Gold Mine for Family History Research (FamilySearch Library and RootsTech Presentation, 7 November 2024)

Researching Virginia from Afar with FamilySearch (Virginia Genealogical Society, Virtual Fall Conference, 18-19 October 2024)

Avoiding the Rabbit Hole: How to Stay Focused in Family History Research (Texas State Genealogical Society Conference, 1-2 November 2024)

Evidence Analysis: The Gem of Genealogical Research (Texas State Genealogical Society Conference, on demand, 1-2 November 2024)

Repositories

National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.

Library of Congress; Washington, D.C.

J. Willard Marriott Law Library, University of Utah; Salt Lake City, Utah

Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University; Provo, Utah

Duchesne County Recorder's Office; Duchesne, Utah

Utah State Historical Society; Salt Lake City, Utah

The Church History Library; Salt Lake City, Utah

FamilySearch Library; Salt Lake City, Utah

Fayette County Courthouse; Fayette, Alabama

Rusk County Courthouse; Henderson, Texas

Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee

Research Time Periods

• 20th Century
• 19th Century
• 18th Century

Languages
English
German
Dutch
Latin

Honorifics/Credentials
Accredited Genealogist®
Accredited Genealogist Lecturer™
Online Teaching Credential

Affiliations
ICAPGen, Utah Genealogical Association, National Genealogical Society, Louisiana Historical Association, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Association of Genealogy Educators and Schools, Texas State Genealogical Society, East Texas Genealogical Society, Alabama Genealogical Society

Degrees
Bachelor of Arts in History and University Honors (1993)
Master of Arts in History and Education (2021)