About

If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything.

You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.

- Michael Critchon -

Author & Screenwriter

Pioneer Genealogy Code of Ethics

Genealogists specialize in seeking and uncovering historical records and reports to provide clients with an overall idea of how their ancestors lived. One of the most important aspects of discovering these documents is interpreting them; based off the information found within a record (or - what is not found) often requires interpretation from a historian to add to the narrative. For this reason, when a genealogist becomes a genealogist, they must develop their own code of ethics - an assurance to the client - and to ourselves - that our research will also be completed with honesty and integrity.

As a genealogist myself, I take my code of ethic very seriously and I consistently hold myself to these standards through all the research.

As a Professional Genealogist, I promise to:

1. Present research results and opinions in a clear, well-organized manner; fully and accurately cite references; and refrain from withholding, suppressing, or knowingly misquoting or misinterpreting sources or data.

2. Be courteous to research facility personnel and treat records with care and respect; support efforts to locate, collect, and preserve the records by compiling, cataloguing, reproducing, and indexing documents; refrain from mutilating, rearranging, or removing from their proper custodians printed, original, microfilmed, or electronic records.

3. Report appropriately qualified genealogical conclusions in writing based on the weight of the evidence with fully and accurately cited sources

4. Prepare and abide by written agreements regarding applicable project scope, fees, charges, payment structures, and deliverables without concealment or misrepresentation

5. Maintain confidentiality of client communications and research, except as permitted in writing by the client or required by court or professional disciplinary proceedings; all research data and information will remain totally confidential and information therein will not be discussed with any third party that the client has not agreed to in writing previously

Why Genealogy?

I've always been a little obsessed with history. When I was about 8, I asked my mom is there was anywhere we could go where we could live like it was the 1800s for a couple of days - I was desperate to see what it was like.

I've also always been a storyteller. As a youngin' I wrote stories as a form of escape; to alter my own reality for a short time and not have to deal with the present. I wrote about love, I wrote about relationships, and every story had an element of a historical mystery.

When I was 22, I discovered "historical fiction" - a story genre that combines non-fiction historical events with fictional characters. Maureen Lee (rest in peace) was the author of the historical fiction stories I became obsessed with. Her stories centered around families in England (mostly Liverpool) and how they fared during the World Wars. The stories followed families (mostly wives), watching as they learned to adjust their lives to the changing times. I've always been fascinated by the human's ability to adapt to nearly any circumstance. It wasn't the war I was interested in learning about with these stories, it was learning about those who lived through the war and how they managed to survive.

About a decade ago, I discovered genealogy. I'd tried Ancestry.ca when it first came out in the early 2000s, but I could hardly afford the monthly payments, let alone understand anything in the records I was finding. But a few years ago, I decided to really look into the history of my family. I bought a membership on Ancestry.ca and the more I researched, the more I discovered about the history of the very place in which I lived. I was fascinated - and hooked.

In 2021, I began working towards a degree in Canadian Genealogy. Through this research, I came to discover so much about Canada's history, specifically Ontario. The thing about history, however, is that one event was caused by a previous event, so to understand genealogy, one must understand at least the basics of global history and how everything came to be.

This is what I love. This is what I do.

If you would like to see some examples of the genealogy stories I've written thus far, you can read them here

(I have been given permission by the clients to post these stories)

Education

2021-2025

Degree in Canadian History & Genealogy
International Institute for Genealogical Studies

Every genealogist specializes in different aspects of genealogy; one of my specializations is pioneer genealogy - the individuals and families who left their home country for the New World in hopes of building a better life. From the Talbot expedition of 1818, the Peter Robinson Expeditions of 1823 and 1825 to everything in between (and afterwards), including such historical characters as Philemon Wright, Nicholas Sparks, Peter Robinson, and many more. In addition to how each of Bytown's (present-day Ottawa) boroughs such as Nepean, Cumberland, Carp, Perth, Hull, and Gloucester came to be.

To see a list of all courses studied, click here

2008-2010

Professional Writing Diploma
Algonquin College

As writing was my first love, right out of high school, I jumped into the world of storytelling. Because that's what writing is - whether you're a marketing content creator writing about a business, or you're a medical transcriptionist transcribing a patient's visit, or you're writing a full-blown novel - a writer is always telling a story.

Mastering my storytelling abilities has given me an extra boost when it comes to genealogical reporting. Rather than getting a report from your genealogist that lists names, dates, and locations, I prefer to outline the history in storytelling format, providing context to their lives, and offering information about current events to provide clients with the ability to actually envision the lives of their ancestors to truly understand and appreciate all that our ancestors did for us all of those years ago.

After all, without them, none of us would even be here!

2010-present

Various Historical courses and workshops from various places

Workshop: Tracing Family History at the Archives of Ontario, 2023
Workshop: Advanced Skills in Genealogy Workshop, National Genealogical Society, 2021
Workshop: Genealogy 200 with Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family