So, you have plundered the free online archives for information about your second great-grandmother, and yet, nothing. You have submitted a DNA sample. Yet, you still cannot uncover the saga of your ancestor’s life and origins. It remains an unsolved puzzle; a “Brick Wall”!
Where to turn next? One possible avenue is to hire a professional genealogist. Where to look?
Professional genealogists can be merely someone who is far more experienced than yourself and is willing to work for a fee. Or you might consider hiring a certified genealogist who has completed a course of genealogy studies and has passed the examination requirements of the certification body (there are several).
Most importantly, you want to hire someone who has experience in the area you are investigating. For some research in Northern Ireland, I hired a professional from Belfast. He produced an impressive report of some 30 pages referencing several records sources that I never would have found by myself. For some translations of records from Alsace, France, I hired a woman from New Jersey who grew up in Alsace. She translated over 100 birth, death, and marriage records for a nominal sum. Truly a goldmine.
Sometimes, the local genealogical society will conduct research on your behalf for a nominal fee. Recently, I hired a member of a genealogical society to visit the Ontario provincial archives for me to retrieve a set of probate records. The modest fee they charged sat comfortably compared to an airplane ticket, hotel room, meals and taxis to retrieve the records myself.
Your local genealogical society can always help. A member may have a recommendation for you based on their past experience.
Ron Gilmore
Email: rvg3@me.com
Website: https://rgenealogy.ca