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Our
researchers are available to assist you with your genealogy and family history
needs. Do you need someone to:
* Give a lecture? We can help in
these and many other areas of genealogy and family history. PS-APG
Members do genealogical research in the Puget Sound area and beyond. You
can reach their individual biographies by clicking on their name below or
scrolling down the page. You can also
reach them at the national
APG Directory. M. Alan McCool Jr., Ph.D., G&FHC
Patricia "Trish" Hackett
Nicola
CGSM
Patricia
Summers-Smith, G&FHC* Cathryn E. “Cathi” Vannice, G& FHC* Please be
advised that while PS-APG encourages quality in its members' work, it does not
guarantee the work performed by any of our members.
All of our
members abide by the APG Code
of Ethics. Claudia C. Breland Claudia has been doing genealogical research since 1972, tracing her family back to the early 19th century in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. She obtained her Master's Degree in Library Science from Florida State University, and has worked in local public libraries for over ten years. She has taught library research skills at the community college level, and made several research trips to Michigan. Claudia is the current Chapter Secretary for the Puget Sound Chapter of the APG. Specialties: Claudia specializes in 19th and 20th century Michigan and Washington State, and is especially familiar with libraries and archives. Claudia's close proximity to Tahoma National Cemetery and other cemeteries in Maple Valley and Black Diamond area make access easy. She is experienced in doing extensive internet research. Classes: Claudia is available to teach classes in Online Genealogical Research. Memberships: Claudia is a member of the National Genealogical Society, the Ohio Genealogical Society, and the Washington Genealogical Society.
Lois Gumz-Calisal
Lois has roots in the US and strong roots in Ohio. She highly recommends the Ohio Genealogical Society for research and networking. Lois combines researching her family history with extensive travel. In December 2009 she traveled to Istanbul to visit family and may return as recently as February of 2010. Her travel challenges have included stopping in Washington D.C. which is filled with genealogical possibilities. She mentioned traveling to Ottawa to visit family. Ottawa has the Library and Archive of Canada a great genealogical treasure. If that is not all, Lois just might appear at the upcoming Ohio Genealogical Conference and the National Genealogical Conference in Salt Lake City for 2010.
Bonnie was
born and raised in Seattle, Washington.
She is a graduate of the National Genealogical Society American
Genealogical course. She has travel
extensively throughout the United States researching her family at various
genealogical archives such as the D.A.R. Library, Mayflower Library and the New
England Historic Genealogical Library in Boston.
She also travels to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Bonnie has a B.A. degree in History from the University of Washington.
She is currently President of the Puget Sound Chapter of the APG.
From
January 2009 to December 2009 she was the Region #2 Representative for the
Washington State Genealogical Society. Beginning on January 1, 2010 Bonnie
became the Washington State Genealogical Society Newsletter Editor.
Lectures:
Bonnie has lectured at the Family
History Expo, for the Rainier Chapter of D.A.R., and for several genealogical societies
and family associations. Her topics are: “How to Organize a Genealogical
Research Trip;” “Wills, Probate & More…;” “Researching in the Pacific
Northwest;” “How to Prepare for a Trip to the Family History Library in Salt
Lake City;” and “My Genealogical Journey.” Specialties: Bonnie will assist you in locating your ancestors with particular emphasis on Washington State. She offers digital photography services of family history sites such as tombstones or houses. She is located 20 minutes away for major Seattle genealogical repositories and is willing to travel. She is currently working on projects in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Jamaica. Her own personal research takes her to Minnesota, Ohio, and New England. Bonnie has experience with obtaining obituaries, census, cemetery information, vital records, probates, deeds and more. Memberships:
Member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society,
Seattle
Genealogical Society, Delano Kindred and several historical societies in
Pennsylvania.
M. Alan McCool Jr., Ph.D., G&FHC After years abroad, Alan returned to the Seattle area, where he was born and
raised. He has been investigating his heritage for over 30 years and is
very familiar with the excellent genealogical resources in and near Seattle. In
investigating family history, he has also traveled to and used archives in
Denver, Colorado; Nashville, Tennessee; Salt Lake City, Utah; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; and in small towns in Northern Ireland, Missouri, Arkansas, Idaho,
and Oregon. Upon his return from overseas, Alan developed considerable
ability in internet genealogy, which has opened many doors in his own
genealogical research. In June, 2009, he earned a Certificate in Genealogy and
Family History from the University of Washington. His final project for
that program concentrated on Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (immediately
northwest of Philadelphia), 1784 – 1815. In August, he made some family
history himself by getting married. His wife has Swedish roots, which have
inspired a new and growing expertise in Swedish genealogy, and the McCools are
learning to speak Swedish. Alan has taken a volunteer position as
Genealogy Librarian at Seattle’s
Swedish Cultural
Center.
Alan has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Indiana University and a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching from the Queen’s University of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Social Psychology is a branch of Experimental, rather than Clinical, Psychology; Dr. McCool’s skills are as a research scientist and professor. Within Social Psychology, Dr. McCool’s specialties are social identity and intergroup relations. Social identity is the part of a person’s self-concept that is based on his or her membership in social groups, such as “Americans,” “firefighters,” “Baptists,” “men,” “teenagers,” “wives,” or “Campbells.” Intergroup relations is how social groups think, feel, and act with regard to one another. Dr. McCool did post-doctoral work on these topics in South Africa.Alan has taught university courses in Social Psychology, the Psychology of Diversity, Personality Psychology, Introductory Psychology, Statistics, and Research Methods. With this experience in university-level teaching, he is especially well prepared to provide lectures, classes, and private/semi-private lessons on a variety of genealogical topics. Lectures/Classes: Alan has taught university courses in Social Psychology, the Psychology of Diversity, Personality Psychology, Introductory Psychology, Statistics, and Research Methods. With this experience in university-level teaching, he is especially well prepared to provide lectures, classes, and private/semi-private lessons on a variety of genealogical topics. Specialties: In addition to Lectures and Classes (see above), Geneagraphy specializes in In-Person Help for those who want to do the research themselves, but desire additional, personalized, face-to-face assistance using genealogical resources or solving tricky genealogical problems. Geneagraphy also provides Custom Research for those who have a research goal, but would also prefer to have Geneagraphy plan and take the steps required to reach that goal. Goals of completing historically accurate reports based on sound documentation and analysis are especially welcome due to Geneagraphy’s emphasis on producing long-lasting records of a family’s history. Computer generated charts and diagrams can be incorporated as needed or desired. Finally, Geneagraphy can provide Research Support, which is the completion of limited, clearly defined tasks necessary to projects planned, managed, and analyzed by others. Particularly useful to those living at a distance from the Seattle area, it includes the retrieval of specific records held in local collections (e.g., a particular deed held in the King County Archives or a transcription of a Seattle Death Register entry for someone known to have died there in say, 1902). Research Support also includes the completion of more complex tasks, such as the identification of the specific piece of evidence needed. In addition to physical access to Seattle-area resources, Geneagraphy, of course, has internet access to a wide array of records, such as those from the census, military, and state vital-records departments. Dr. McCool’s background in logic, science, and research enables Geneagraphy to conduct the most complete, efficient, and reliable data-base searches possible. Alan’s genealogical research experience follows the westward expansion of the United States. Starting with the US Atlantic coast, it is concentrated on the states of Pennsylvania (colonial times through the present) & early Virginia. Alan is particularly familiar with the land, probate, and court records of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and the years in Pennsylvania from 1780 to 1820. Moving inland, Alan’s experience spreads to early Ohio & Kentucky; antebellum Tennessee & Illinois; then to Indiana, Missouri, & Arkansas; and, in the West, Washington & Colorado. In addition, Alan has growing expertise in the records of the Kingdom of Sweden. Writings and Presentations: Dr. McCool has produced numerous scholarly reports, including research articles in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology and in the journal Politics. He has presented his experiments to conferences in New York, Hawaii, Northern Ireland, England, South Africa, and elsewhere. His final, June 2009, report for the University of Washington’s Genealogy and Family History Certificate program was entitled Toward a Family History of the McCools of Post-Revolutionary Southeastern Pennsylvania and focused on Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1784 - 1815. Memberships: Alan is currently a member of the Seattle Genealogical Society and the Swedish Cultural Center, Seattle, Washington
Patricia Moss
Publications include: The History
of the Angle and Luckett Families, an illustrated family history of German
ancestry and Virginian roots, 2006 A Good
Family: A History of the Booth Family, 1832 – 1922 (includes edited
chronological mergers of two transcribed journals and numerous family letters),
2005 Henry Bridges Jefferson, “My Colorado Experience:
1869” in Colorado Heritage, Summer
2003 (transcription and editing) History of
the Guinotte & Harris Families, December 2002 ”George Caleb Bingham & Dr. John Sappington,” The
Westporter, “The Portraits of George Caleb Bingham Reveal a
Different History of Greater Kansas City,” Kawsmouth:
A Journal Of Regional History, Kansas City Regional History Institute,
University of Missouri – Kansas City, Winter-Spring 2001 “Prelude to the Specialties:
Patricia’s specialties include the westward
migration from coastal Virginia, to the interior of Virginia, to Kentucky and to
Missouri. Additional specialties include archival preservation, art historical
research, assistance with art appraisal and conservation, cemetery records, city
directories, court records, historical contextualization, , land records,
military records, obituaries, organization and preservation of materials,
photographic enhancement, and transcription.
Memberships:
Association of Professional Genealogists,
National Genealogical Society, and
the Association of Historians of American
Art Patricia
“Trish” Hackett Nicola, CGSM Trish has been researching
family history and genealogy for over twenty years. She has been a professional
researcher since 1991 and became certified in 2000. (Certified Genealogical
Records Specialist 2000-2005; Certified Genealogist 2005-present). Trish is a
founding member of the PS-APG chapter, served as president for three years and
is currently Chapter Representative to APG and the PS-APG chapter Treasurer. She is serving her third term on the
APG board. Trish has a B.S. in Accounting
and is a retired CPA. She has a Master of Science in Library Service and worked
as a reference librarian before becoming a full time professional genealogist.
The analytical and research skills she honed as a CPA and librarian have come in
handy for historical and genealogical research. She loves solving mysteries. Specialties: 19th and 20th
century in Seattle, Washington State and the Pacific Northwest--from Native
Americans and early settlers to locating missing heirs; historical research for
authors and Irish-American research. Her research is usually conducted in local
courthouses, libraries, archives, historical repositories, cemeteries, and
National Archives (Seattle), with periodic trips to Salt Lake City. Trish’s other research
interests include the Chinese Exclusion Act Records, house histories, historical
research, oral histories and photographing
cemeteries. She likes to travel and recently conducted research in London and
Yorkshire. Recent Publications:
Memberships:
National Genealogical Society,
Seattle Genealogical
Society, Western New York Genealogical
Society (Queries Editor since 1997),
Queen Anne Historical Society (Trustee, 2007),
Irish Genealogical Society
International and several other local and national historical and
genealogical organizations.
Evelyn M.
Roehl Evelyn has
been researching for clients since 1995.
She takes frequent trips to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Lectures: Immigration, Naturalization and Ships Passenger Lists; Civil War Records; German Names and Place-Finding Techniques; Common and Quirky Errors in Genealogical Sources; Genealogical Hunting Grounds in the Puget Sound Region; and Beginning Norwegian Research. Evelyn also hosts tours of the UW Suzzallo-Allen Library. Publications:
Evelyn has published local research guides:
Civil War Military Records; Finding your Ancestors on Ship Passenger Lists-Books and
Microfilms in the Puget Sound Region; Quick Guide to Vital Records in the Puget
Sound Area; and State and Territorial Censuses in Books and Microfilms in the
Puget Sound Region. Specialties: United States and Canadian records, as well as German, Scandinavian, English/Irish, Italian, and Alsatian records. She can also transcribe oral history cassette recordings. 
Melonie Soper Ramsey Melonie has ten years of genealogy experience. She is the past Secretary and current Webmaster of PS-APG. Melonie is currently a U.S. GenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project Volunteer, transcribing and photographing the 6000+ interments at the Arlington, WA Municipal Cemetery. Specialties:
Federal Records, Historic newspapers, Internet Research. Geographic specialties: Memberships: Melonie is a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, The Washington State Genealogical Society and the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society.
Patricia
Summers-Smith, G&FHC
Patricia is a professional genealogist with 20+ years' experience in genealogy and family history research and 35 years' experience in the field of graphics and publication production. She completed the University of Washington Genealogy and Family History Certificate (G&FHC*) program in 1995 and the Washington State PI Certification Course in 2006. She travels periodically to Salt Lake City to research in the Family History Library, and has also traveled and researched in major repositories in Kentucky and Missouri. More recently, in 2009, she became an alumni of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) at Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama. Specialties:
* All aspects of genealogy and family history
research,18th, 19th, 20th centuries. Amy is currently enrolled in the Genealogy and Family History certificate program at the University of Washington. She obtained a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management and Tourism with a minor in Mass Communication from Arizona State University. She is currently researching one of her own family lines and has so far traced them back to 18th century Virginia. Memberships: Member of the Berrien County
Genealogical Society and the Virginia Genealogical Society.
Cathryn E.
“Cathi” Vannice, G&FHC*
Cathi is a graduate of the Specialties: All aspects of genealogical research, primary
focus on the Pacific Northwest and Memberships:
Member of New England Historic Genealogical
Society (NEHGS), Washington State
Genealogical Society,
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society and
South King County Genealogical
Society.
Jean J. Yager
Jean has been interested in
genealogical research since 1994 when her paternal grandmother passed away.
Going through a box of family information, she came across several articles
on John Nance Garner (VP to President Franklin Roosevelt). Questioning
her dad on why her grandmother had them, he could only reply that they were
somehow related to him. That started her quest into understanding the
world of genealogy. Jean was bit by the bug so bad that she has put
her original project on the back burner and has since been gathering
genealogical and historical information on all her lines, including her
husband’s. She has an AA degree in Business from Olympic Junior
College (1975); completed an online course through Carl Sandberg College on
Beginning and Intermediate Genealogy (1997); received a Certificate of
Completion in American Genealogy: A Basic Course from National Genealogical
Society (2004); and a University of Washington Certificate of Completion in
Genealogy and Family History (2009).
Jean loves to cemetery hop
and can usually drag a “willing” family member. She has been to
several cemeteries in Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, Hawaii, California,
Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Oregon.
In January of 2010, Jean
(along with four of her family members) made her first trip to the Family
History Library in Salt Lake City; a truly beneficial adventure that she
plans to recreate several times.
Specialities: Her
research interests lie in 19th and 20th century in
most states, along with Scandinavian research. Specialties include
digital photographs of tombstones and cemeteries, researching historical
U.S. newspapers, locating obituaries and census records, and researching on
the internet.
She has also researched
online, both genealogical and historical, in the above mentioned states
along with Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Louisiana. She has a
collection of historical books on almost every state.
She lives on the Kitsap
Peninsula in Washington state, making it convenient to travel around to
different cemeteries in western Washington, going to the Washington State
Archives, Washington State Library, National Archives in Seattle, and the
local libraries that have genealogical collections.
Memberships: Puget
Sound Genealogical Society, Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society,
National Genealogical Society. She is involved on several committees
for the Puget Sound Genealogical Society (Education, Cemetery, Library,
Website, and she is Chairman for Publicity and Field Trips Committees). |
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