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Genealogy Skills

Research Skills

  • Analyzing and evaluating historical documents

  • Developing effective research questions

  • Planning and organizing research strategies

  • Correlating indirect and conflicting evidence

  • Distinguishing between primary, secondary, and derivative sources

  • Using the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)

  • Conducting locality-based research

  • Tracing migration patterns and historical context

  • Understanding naming conventions and kinship terms

  • Extracting and abstracting genealogical data

Services Offered:

Genealogical Research (Specializing in African American, Souther, and enslaved ancestry)

  - Archival document search, census review, contextual analysis​

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Lineage Healing Reports (narrative based reconstruction of ancestral lives)

  - Narrative storytelling, ancestral context, spiritual integration​

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DNA Analysis and Interpretation

  - GEDmatch review, relationship clustering, match strategy​

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Family Tree Reconstruction & Legacy Books

  - 5-generation tree, surname list, sourced profiles

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Legacy Books

  - Full ancestry narrative with photos (if available), timelines, and historical notes.

Records & Source Knowledge

  • Interpreting census records (federal, state, and special schedules)

  • Reading and transcribing probate and wills

  • Analyzing land, deed, and tax records

  • Using church, cemetery, and vital records

  • Understanding and using court and legal documents

  • Navigating military and pension files

  • Using Freedmen’s Bureau and Freedman’s Bank records

  • Understanding plantation, slave, and emancipation-era documents

  • Researching using newspapers, obituaries, and city directories

  • Locating and interpreting immigration, naturalization, and passport records

DNA and Genetic Genealogy

  • Understanding inheritance patterns and chromosome mapping

  • Interpreting autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA results

  • Clustering DNA matches and building genetic networks

  • Using tools like GEDmatch, DNAPainter, and Genetic Affairs

  • Writing DNA evidence into genealogical proof arguments

Technology & Tools

  • Using genealogy software (e.g., RootsMagic, Legacy, Reunion)

  • Navigating online databases (Ancestry, FamilySearch, Fold3, etc.)

  • Creating research logs and timelines

  • Building and maintaining digital family trees

  • Digitizing and preserving family documents and photos

  • Creating citation templates and using citation software

  • Using maps, plat books, and geolocation tools

Writing and Communication

  • Crafting proof statements, summaries, and arguments

  • Writing clear, evidence-based narratives

  • Creating family history books or visual presentations

  • Preparing research reports for clients or personal use

  • Conducting and preserving oral histories

  • Citing sources using Evidence Explained standards

Professional and Ethical Practice

  • Adhering to professional codes of ethics

  • Managing client relationships and research agreements

  • Educating others through presentations, classes, or mentorship

  • Working with cultural sensitivity and historical empathy

  • Protecting privacy in genealogical publications and data sharing

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