Let Us Help With Your Genealogy Research

Family History Research Collage

Genealogy Research Services

I Hunt Dead People offers genealogy research services. If you're curious about your family history but don't have the time, energy, or experience to do it yourself, contact us and we'll be happy to assist. We offer a wide variety of options to fit every budget.

About Our Workshops

I Hunt Dead People offers interactive genealogy workshops for all research experience levels. Whether you're just starting your family tree or are looking for new avenues to expand your knowledge, consider taking one of our hands-on sessions. Our classes are offered exclusively at Studio 557. Check their events calendar and subscribe to our newsletter to keep informed of the latest offerings.

Studio 557
Workshop attendees
Workshop attendees
Genealogy for the Absolute Beginner
Genealogy for the Absolute Beginner
Genealogy for the Absolute Beginner
Genealogy for the Absolute Beginner

DNA Doesn't Lie

Have you wondered what information you can glean from an autosomal DNA test from Ancestry.com, 23andMe, or other companies? This workshop teaches how to connect with family members through DNA testing, understand why your ethnicity report changes over time, and use your test results on multiple websites.

 

Using Find a Grave as a Researcher or Contributor

With over 226 million memorials, Find A Grave is the world's largest gravesite collection. Learn how to use this website to discover the final resting place of family members. In addition, we'll show how the FindAGrave app uses Google maps to direct you to the exact location of a  grave. In addition, we'll encourage you to consider being a contributor as well.

 

Let's Dig Up Your People! Workshop for a Beginner

This workshop is geared for those with little or no experience and who want to begin genealogy research. With this hands-on class, we’ll establish goals, organize what you know, and find a pathway to building your family tree. Join us and discover your ancestors using online resources. 

Hunting for Great Grandma - Parent/Child Introduction to Genealogy

Whether you and your parent, your child, a sibling, or a cousin are curious about your family history but don't know where to start. This workshop is a two-for-one offering. Register yourself and another family member and start your research as a team!

Organizing & Preserving Family Records

Avoid boxes of documents, hundreds (thousands?) of loose photographs, and disarray by establishing a plan for organizing, preserving, and storing your research. The ultimate goal is find what you are looking for by pulling a record from a file cabinet or clicking the correct digital file folder without asking, "Where did I put that?"

Finding Your Family in US Census Records

The US Census has been taken every decade since 1790. Some States also collected data on their citizenry between federal enumerations. Where was your family located? Who was living in their household?  What was their profession, education, and the value of their property? These and many more questions can be answered by diving into the decades from 1790 to 1950 in this workshop.

Self-Publishing Your Family History

You've collected photos, documents, stories, and family history, now you want to share it with siblings, children, and cousins. How do you do that without encountering huge out-of-pocket expenses for publishing? This workshop shows a variety of options that will allow your research to be delivered to their mailboxes without you having to print or mail them.

Using Subscription-based Genealogy Websites

Curious about what Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, and Fold3 have to offer? Is it worth the money for a subscription-based genealogy research site? It depends. This workshop gives an overview of what to expect from these sites and discusses the pros and cons of going with a subscription.

Cindy Selensky Foster is a genealogist with over 40 years of experience “hunting dead people”! Her interest piqued when, as an 8-year-old, she met her 2nd great aunt. One-hundred-year-old Ella McCartney Selensky was born at the close of the Civil War. Cindy was intrigued by the fact that Ella’s father voted for Abraham Lincoln and was intrigued to learn more about her living at that time. Her journey has led her to discover farmers, preachers, inventors, gold miners, Russian immigrants, patriots of the Revolution, Civil War veterans, and a few scoundrels as well.  She looks forward to helping you dig your roots, discover your leaves and find a couple of nuts along the way.

Cindy ^ Lucy at New River Gorge National Park