I have been actively researching my family history since 1999, when I formally took over the work from my sister. What began as a shared family project quickly became a lifelong pursuit rooted in evidence, analysis, and a deep respect for historical context.

While online databases are an invaluable starting point, meaningful genealogical research rarely ends there. The most accurate and compelling discoveries often come from records that have never been digitized—original manuscripts, town records, probate files, land records, church registers, and local archives that require boots on the ground. My research philosophy is simple: original records matter, and context matters just as much as names and dates.

Travel has played a critical role in my work. By visiting courthouses, libraries, archives, and historical societies, I’ve been able to examine records in person, uncover overlooked details, and resolve long-standing brick walls. These trips have also allowed me to quite literally walk in my ancestors’ footsteps—seeing the landscapes they knew and gaining insight into the communities they lived in several centuries ago.

Over the years, I have conducted on-site research in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Northern Ireland. Each location has added depth and clarity to my understanding of family lines that might otherwise remain fragmented or misunderstood.

My documented research has supported successful membership in several lineage and hereditary societies, including the Daughters of the American Revolution, National Society Daughters of the Union 1861–1865, General Society of Mayflower Descendants, New England Women, Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, and National Society Daughters of American Colonists.

Continuing education has always been a priority. I have participated in multiple “Come Home” research programs through the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and I regularly attend national genealogy conferences sponsored by organizations such as the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and RootsTech.

I was among the earliest cohorts to complete the Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate Program, and I have completed intermediate-level research coursework at both the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. In addition, I have completed the first three courses of the Genealogical Education Program offered by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

This blog serves as both a research journal and a public record of my findings. Posts are grounded in source-based research, careful analysis, and transparency—especially when conclusions are tentative or evolving. My goal is not just to document ancestors, but to tell their stories accurately, within the historical realities of their time.