The Mystery of Trees

Much of a tree's life is hidden in its roots. Likewise, much of your family story is hidden in the past. You might know the story of your parents and grandparents, or the first generation to come to America. How much do you really know about your ancestors? And how much of what you think you know is true?

As a child, I thought I knew my family story. A bunch of dull but pleasant peasants, from places like the Netherlands and Norway. Turned out exactly NONE of that was true.

In 2010 my mother and I took a genetics course at the local community college to better understand our DNA results. From genetics I sidestepped into genealogy, and began building our family tree.

The golden rule of family history is that "genealogy without documentation is mythology." So I meticulously documented every fact I could find, puzzled over conflicting reports, and pieced together profiles from the tiniest of bits of data. Within a few years, I had over four thousand people in my family tree.

By then dubbed "the family detective," I was hooked on the mystery. I loved finding people, unearthing the secrets of when and where and why they traveled and worked and loved the way they did. I began building trees for anyone who asked (and some who didn't!).

My gift is not just in organizing a mountain of data, but turning that data into a compelling story. Whether using historical context, literary parallels, or posing intriguing questions, I look to illuminate each ancestor's life.