Currently accepting clients for...

• Family History Research
• Speaking / Presenting
• Writing /Publishing

Melanie Proctor was born and raised in California, and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. With an innate curiosity about history and people's stories, she founded Passiflora Research to help others find their past. She has two decades of legal research, writing, and advocacy under her belt. She brings those skills to each genealogical puzzle she tackles. Melanie earned a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University, and completed the Fundamentals of Forensic Genealogy course through the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research. Melanie is a member of the APG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. When not combing through records in search of answers, Melanie enjoys musicals, gardening, and baking.

Available services include the following:

*Forensic genealogy, including finding missing and unknown heirs;

*Genealogy research coaching;

*Family history projects, including research, writing, analysis, and suggestions for further research;

*Document lookup and retrieval at repositories throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including listed research counties; and

*Editing.

Please contact Melanie if you have project you would like to discuss.

Testimonials
I found out about Melanie by accident, as she hired me to digitize her great-grandmother's demo records and tape, but what a happy accident! She thoroughly took me back five generations on my paternal side and now I'm excited for her to research my mother's family. She is very thorough and provided a written research letter and a family tree, along with documentation supporting her findings. She also provided suggestions for further research. Five stars! --Mark "Wally Sound" McClellan Owner of the Wally Sound recording studio, Oakland, California

Lectures
"I Found My Family At the Library," an introduction to library resources in Contra Costa and surrounding counties.

Repositories
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Library
Sutro Library - California State Library (San Francisco)
National Archives at San Francisco
California Genealogical Society (Oakland)

Research Time Periods

• 21st Century
• 20th Century
• 19th Century
• 18th Century

Certificates
Certificate of Completion, Genetics for Genealogists: Fundamentals of DNA (July 2024), Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research
Certificate of Completion, Fundamentals of Forensic Genealogy (June 2023), Texas Institute for Genealogical Research
Certificate in Genealogical Research (May 2023), Boston University

Affiliations
California Genealogical Society
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Ohio Genealogical Society
New England Historic Genealogical Society

Degrees
J.D., B.A.