Services & Fees

Listed below are the services I offer.

Research

My current rate is $75/hour with a 20 hour minimum. A downpayment of 50% ($750) is required before I begin the research. The balance ($750) plus any expenses will be billed before the final report is sent to the client. Additional hours of research may be purchased in 5 hour blocks. An authorization/contract is required before I begin the research. The client will be invoiced for any expenses related to the project before the report is delivered.

You will need to provide me with a specific research question with name(s), dates, and locations. An example is, "Who were the parents of Samuel Campbell, born August 1819 in Ohio, married Sarah Ann Roberts 18 Jan 1847 in Highland County, Ohio, and died 19 October 1901 in Highland County, Ohio?"

The research process includes:

• Review of the information provided by the client
• Construction of a research plan
• Research and analysis of information obtained
• Evaluation of documents with source citations
• Written report of all findings, even the negative ones
• Recommendations for further research
• A list of all resources consulted
• Copies of all documents with transcriptions and/or abstracts

Arrangements may be made for researching on-site in Ohio as well as other states and major research repositories (Family History Library, Allen County Public Library, Library of Congress, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Library, New England Historic Genealogical Society Research Library, etc.). I do require any applicable travel fees (transportation to and from location, rental car, and lodging) to be paid upfront.

I will need to know what specific information you are looking for at the repository (review of certain books, copies of family files, obtaining information from microfilm, etc.). If you prefer, I am able to perform hourly research at the repository.

Consultations

Are you just starting your journey in genealogical research and do not know where to begin? Have you been researching for a while and need some new strategies to help obtain your goal? I will review your research and provide a research plan at an hourly rate. I will provide you with a form to complete before the consultation which is performed via email.

Data Entry

I am able to assist you with entering the information you have obtained into a genealogy software program at an hourly rate. I personally use RootsMagic, but I do have experience with Family Tree Maker and Legacy.

Notice

Please remember that genealogical research done correctly does take time and often involves collecting data from external sources (probate courts, NARA, health departments, etc.) and results may not be available immediately.

I cannot guarantee I will be able to solve your genealogical problem(s) since the availability of information varies from county to county as well as from individual to individual.

The fees I charge are for my time spent researching and not for the information itself.