Introduction             

PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGISTS seek to determine the facts as close to the truth as sources will allow. We can take disorganized research and plan a strategy for the beginner, or introduce the intermediate genealogist to new record types or methodology through research plans. If you have specific questions or an entire lineage to be traced then a professional can produce reports and genealogies containing the research, sources and information that you need.

ANCESTRAL ANALYSIS specializes in creating research plans, problem-solving difficult cases, tracing ancestral lines, and platting on current topographical and aerial maps. Most cases take lines back to their east coast origins. All specialites involve knowledge of land records and cluster genealogy. This involves discovery of associated families that helps trace ancestors. My basic philosophy when approaching research is that 'there are no brickwalls in genealogy, only undiscovered sources and misunderstood information.'  Many problems can be solved by:            

• observing how the sources were evaluated in the past
• opening up new avenues of research if the focus has been too narrow
• reexamining the chronology of events to make sure it is reasonable
• understanding the cultural and historical context of events
• studying kinship groups and collateral lines
• understanding migratory patterns

Survey Platting on Topographic Maps
                                                
A UNIQUE SERVICE of Ancestral Analysis is the ability to take your deeds and plat them on modern topgraphical or aerial maps. A plat is a drawing of a land survey. It can be placed on a topographical map, an aerial photo or on a white or colored background. Most genealogical research involves the collection of deeds and other documents that contain information about land that your ancestors acquired. Land records are a primary tool when researching our lines. These deeds, tax records, probate records, etc. can give you a general location such as a county, creek and neighbors (in the state-land system of metes and bounds) or section, township and range (in the federal-land system), however, in some cases you may not be able to locate the land with this information.

On the right is a sample of three plats on the Miami River in Ohio. Ohio is of one the most challenging states to plat because of the many ways the land was surveyed. For simplicity, the direction and distance of the survey lines have been left off. A completed  Ohio plat with the 'calls' (boundary directions, distances, and corners) can be viewed. Although the land was a fractional section of a federal township, it was platted with using metes and bounds. For more about this service, please go to Platting Services.