Learn about our family tree research services
Ancestral Journey
Did you know that if we create your five-generation chart, you would meet 16 Great-Great Grandparents in your blood-line lineage? Add three more generations and that number grows to 128 plus all those aunts, uncles, cousins, steps, and in-laws. Uncover your family's history and trace your ancestral roots through our professional genealogy research.
Every family has a unique lineage and with recent technological advances in genealogy research, more long-lost records are available every day. We will help you uncover incredible stories genetically upstream from you. We take on a limited number of clients at any given time, so secure your Ancestral Journey project slot today.
OPTION 1: Your Personalized VIP Package May Include:
Initial consultation and assessment will help us understand the baseline knowledge of your family story through a review of the family tree records currently in your possession.
Create a basic family tree (up to 5 generations) on a digital platform. This is only the parental lines up to the great-great-grandparents. This establishes an achievable foundation for validation of surnames prior to a more extended search into distant generations.
Extended family tree research adding aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
Vital records search (birth, marriage, death certificates)
US Census Records search 1870 - 1950
Cemetery and grave marker search
Immigration, Military, and other Historical Records Investigation
Identify common medical conditions within your lineage
Correlate your Family history with timeline of world events
Deep dive into family members through vast newspaper article search
Evaluate your ancestor’s impact on society through analysis of their career, philanthropy, and community involvement
Customized ancestral heritage portfolio and storybook
Create an exciting family reunion event where we walk the group through the ancestral journey
Cost: Each family story is very unique and there is no fixed cost for this Ancestral Journey package. We create a customized pricing plan based on the scope and goals of your family project. We try to be as cost effective as possible and seek ways to teach you how to do your own Ancestral Journey in order to reduce the cost of our time. Once a proposal is offered, we will agree to a retainer for a set amount of work based on a predictable hourly or project rate.
OPTION 2: Ancestral Journey Coaching Sessions
Our coaching packages are meant for individuals who prefer a hands-on approach in discovering their own family history. These packages provide resources, guidance, and professional insights to help you navigate your own supervised genealogical exploration effectively.
Included are coaching sessions where we can respond to your queries and offer best practices in genealogy research.
Requires a minimum commitment of four (4) hours. First session is two (2) hours followed by two additional sessions of one (1) hour each. Best practice is to spread this over two to three months.
Additional sessions can be secured as a retainer based on the number of hours purchased in advance. Discounts will apply for large blocks of time reserved.
Why is it important to cherish the past?
If you don’t, who will? And once its gone it is so hard to recover.
“Tell me a story Gramma”
It is an ever-changing world but we have so much to learn from our ancestors. We can help you unlock the stories that have been untold for decades.
Tangled
The roots of your family tree may seem like a tangled mess. We can help you find clarity and better understanding of those who came before you.
You want him to hear your family story from your point of view
So many stories to tell and with the right plan, you can decide what is most important to share with your grandchildren.
Testimonials
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"Cherish My Past helped me to unlock a whole new side of my family history that I never knew existed. The team's passion for genealogy research is infectious, and their dedication to their clients is inspiring."
~ Coral D.
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"Cherish My Past helped me create a beautiful family tree that I can pass down to future generations. Their dedication to preserving history is truly inspiring."
~ Nancy M.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It begins with how much you already know and what are your goals of discovery. Depending on many factors, there may be a treasure trove of information that can help you fill in the gaps on key members of your family tree. Through consultation, we will give you an idea of what is possible then you get to choose what you are most curious about. We can teach you how to conduct your own research or do it for you. Either way, there will be fascinating stories about your ancestors, connections to distant relatives, insights into medical conditions that are common in your family, as well as possible records of immigration, military service, and noteworthy events that involved those who came before you.
We use many sources of information to build the structure of your family tree then dive in deeper with access to millions of newspaper records and other incredible tools. There is so much information out there. You just need to know where to look.
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Our goal is to help you trace back your lineage as far as possible but there are limitations and no guarantees. We have helped some families reach back to the 1500’s but others hit a brick wall within just 100 years ago due to recent immigration from foreign lands, adoptions, and other deterrents. It does become a complex situation as each generation doubles the number of grandparents plus all of those aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. However, this also increases your odds of finding fascinating stories about people genetically upstream from where you stand today.
It is important to note that the availability of records can vary significantly between families and regions due to a multitude of factors, including public record laws, natural disasters, or societal disruptions (wars). While we strive for depth, the extent of traceability might differ in each case.
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The time frame for our genealogy research can vary significantly based on the complexity of your family history, the availability of relevant records, what you already know, and your goals. Our founder and his father have uncovered thousands of people within their family tree and continue to find new exciting stories. Unless you have a finite goal in mind, this is one of those incredible life projects that never ends and can be passed on to future generations.
Prior to initiating the research, we will help you determine our level of involvement so that we are sensitive to your budget. It is our intention to be cost conscious and actually teach you how to continue your own research after we help you build a structured approach and competence with available tools.
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We want to make sure that you are not paying for our time to track down information you already have. This service begins with a comprehensive review of the family tree information in your possession. In some cases, a client has only known the names of their grandparents with no other knowledge of the past generations. Other clients have inherited a massive archive after the death of the family historian, and they have no idea what to do with all of that precious documentation. Many of our clients have some form of family tree that is in written form and need help transferring it to a digital format. In all cases, it begins with what you have and we go from there making the process as easy as possible for you and your loved ones.
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This is a customizable service with packages that include:
1) a do-it-yourself option with our coaching; or
2) our Specialists creating the framework of your family tree along with incredible stories revived.
We suggest that you start with the “Memories for Generations” Consultation which will help you create a plan for digging into the roots of your family tree along with other memory projects. That consultation is currently available for new clients for just $175 (a $200 value). Click on PURCHASE CONSULTATION below or LEARN MORE if you have any questions.
If you choose to hire us for additional services, the consult fee may be deducted from your next invoiced services if scheduled within 30 days.
Schedule a Consultation
Receive $25 off “Memories for Generations” Consultation.
Discover your family's unique story through personalized guidance and tailored recommendations. Get expert insights on digitizing photos, exploring ancestral journeys, and creating family tree records. Consultation cost applied as credit towards first invoice. Exclusive offer for residents of Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Asheville. Schedule now!
Offer expires November 1, 2023.