Family Histories
We transform generations of memories, photographs, documents, and family research into a compelling narrative that helps children and grandchildren understand where they came from.
Begin Your Family HistoryMore Than a Family Tree
A family tree can show how people are connected. It cannot explain who they were, what they endured, why they left one place for another, how they built their lives, or which values and traditions they passed forward.
A family history brings those lives into view. It gathers memories, photographs, documents, and existing research into a readable narrative that connects one generation to the next.
It helps younger family members understand where they came from while preserving stories that might otherwise disappear with the people who still remember them.
A Wider Lens
Where a personal memoir is shaped around one person’s experiences and perspective, a family history follows multiple branches and generations, often reaching back centuries.
Personal Memoir
A personal memoir may briefly trace the author’s parents and grandparents, then conclude with children and grandchildren. The principal story, however, remains the author’s own life.
It is usually written in the first person and shaped by one person’s memories, interpretations, and voice.
Family History
A family history may devote individual chapters to different ancestral lines, tracing each branch through migrations, marriages, enterprises, communities, and historical events, sometimes as far back as the 1600s.
It is generally written in the third person and may encompass many ancestors while still organizing the story around one central individual or present-day family.
The result is not a compressed account of one life, but a connected narrative of the people, places, and decisions that shaped a family across generations.
A Multigenerational Undertaking
We bring together family recollections, existing research, photographs, documents, and historical context, then shape the material into an engaging, beautifully produced book.
Family Material
We interview key family members and organize the photographs, letters, records, stories, and genealogical work the family has already assembled.
Narrative and Context
We create a clear multigenerational structure, provide appropriate historical context, and write and edit the book as a connected narrative rather than a catalogue of information.
Book Production
We manage photographs, captions, optional family trees, design, typesetting, proofreading, printing, and binding through delivery of the finished books.
When a project requires original genealogical or archival research, we can engage and coordinate qualified specialists as an additional part of the commission.
Research and Source Material
Scattered records become meaningful when they are organized, interpreted, and placed within a larger family narrative.
Included in the Engagement
We review and organize the photographs, letters, documents, genealogical reports, family trees, and other material your family has already collected. We also provide the basic historical context needed to make the story clear and readable.
Available When Needed
When important branches remain incomplete, we can engage and coordinate professional genealogists or archival researchers. Original-source searches, genealogical investigation, and formal verification are separately scoped specialist services.
How It Works
We create a clear framework for the project, organize the people and materials involved, and guide the family from the first conversation through delivery of the finished books.
We discuss the generations and family branches to be included, the intended audience, available materials, interviewees, desired level of research, timing, and production goals.
We review the family’s existing research, photographs, documents, and family trees, then recommend a narrative structure and provide a detailed proposal for the work.
We interview the family members who can bring the history to life, uncovering stories, relationships, traditions, turning points, and details that may not appear in the written record.
We organize the generations and family branches into a coherent third-person narrative. The commissioning client reviews the manuscript as it develops and provides corrections, additions, and guidance.
Once the manuscript is approved, we manage photographs, captions, optional family trees, design, proofreading, printing, and binding through delivery of the completed books.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most full-length family history engagements range from $75,000 to $125,000 or more, depending on the number of generations and family branches involved, the condition and volume of existing materials, the extent of interviews and specialist research, and the book’s design and production requirements.
Every project is individually scoped after an initial conversation and review of the family’s goals and available materials.
A substantial family history generally takes 12 to 24 months. Timing depends on the number of generations and interviewees, the organization of the family archive, the need for outside research, and the pace of manuscript review and book production.
No. We can begin with whatever your family has already gathered, including family trees, photographs, letters, records, oral histories, and prior genealogical reports. We organize those materials and identify gaps that may affect the narrative.
When original genealogical or archival research is needed, we can engage qualified specialists and incorporate their findings into the book.
Our standard engagement is editorial rather than genealogical verification. We work from the records, research, and recollections supplied by the family and flag apparent inconsistencies when they emerge.
Formal verification through original records can be added through a professional genealogist or archival researcher.
Yes. Depending on the project, the finished book may include family trees, timelines, maps, letters, newspaper clippings, immigration records, business materials, recipes, and other archival elements. We select and design these materials so they support the narrative rather than overwhelm it.
Most projects are commissioned by one individual, family office, or foundation. That commissioning client serves as the primary point of contact and has final approval over the manuscript, even when several relatives contribute interviews, records, or corrections.
Establishing one clear decision-maker keeps a large family project organized and prevents the review process from becoming unworkable.
Preserve What Connects You
Tell us what your family has preserved, how far back the story reaches, and what you hope future generations will understand. We’ll help you determine the appropriate scope and the best place to begin.
Begin Your Family History