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Genealogical and Family History Research
Lang Historical Research can assist
you in uncovering your ancestor’s stories to preserve and pass
them on to future generations.
Although many historical and
genealogical resources are now available through the Internet, the
majority of records are stored in local courthouses, libraries,
archives, historical societies and other repositories. For many
people these repositories are too far away to visit or they don’t
have the time to research the records. In terms of both time and
money, it is often less expensive to hire a professional
genealogist than to travel to the region your ancestors lived and
attempt the research work yourself. Let Lang Historical Research
can do the research for you.
On-Site Research
On-site research conducted in county
courthouses, public, university or historical libraries, churches,
cemeteries, LDS Family History Centers, genealogical societies and
historical repositories located in Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings,
Merced, Stanislaus and Mariposa Counties. Available to travel to
other counties in California upon request.
Records
used in research include but are not limited to the following:
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US Census (1790-1930)
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Birth and Death Indexes
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Death Records
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Marriage and Divorce Records
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Land and Tax Records
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Church Registers and other Records
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City directories
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Newspaper obituaries, articles, birth and marriage announcements
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Manuscript Research
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Cemetery / Burial Records
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Passenger Lists / Immigration
Repositories visited when needed:
California State Archives, Sacramento,
CA - Collections include
records of the California National Guard, professional and
vocational licensing boards, prison records, California Youth
Authority records, Supreme and Appellate court cases, common
school reports, articles of incorporation, registers of State
Hospital records, and records for 28 counties (including probate,
deeds, naturalization, etc.)
California State Library, Sacramento, CA - Resources include
city and county directories from as early as the 1850s, county and
local histories, historical newspapers from around the state,
publications of county genealogical and historical societies, and
specialized indexes and files created by the California State
Library
Sutro Library, San Francisco, CA -
Excellent collection of county and state histories from all
over the United States, over 10,000 compiled family genealogies,
San Francisco City Directories from 1854 forward, microfilm copies
of old city directories and telephone books from all over the US.
National Archives-Pacific Region
- Significant genealogical collections include naturalization
records and indexes for federal courts, indexes and passenger
arrival records for San Francisco, land claims and grants, records
of arrivals and disposition of Chinese and Japanese-Americans in
San Francisco, registers of Chinese departing from and returning
to the US, index to Mexican War pension files, Native American
Records for Northern California, Indian Census rolls, 1928 Census
Rolls of the Indians of California and California Indian
Enrollment Applications.
The Research Process
To
better determine your needs, we suggest you fill out and send in
the
Request Form. We will contact you to clarify your
requirements, let you know if we can do the work for you or
suggest another researcher. We then mail you a no obligation
agreement to sign and return to us with payment and copies of any
relevant documents about the subject. (View a
sample agreement.)
You sign the agreement and return it with a retainer equal to
one-half of the estimated research hour fees (check or credit card
via PayPal). See
fees for pricing. As soon as the retainer
is received, we begin your project.
All projects include:
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Review and analysis of information provided by you
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Determine your objectives
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Survey the types of record sources available
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Development of a research plan
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Research (includes Internet research and/or onsite research)
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Report (includes details of negative and positive results)
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Analysis and recommendations for future research
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Provide photocopies, certified copies, transcriptions, or
abstracts of documents
We’ll include an invoice with your report. You pay the research
fees, minus retainer, upon receiving the invoice (check or credit
card via PayPal).
You are control of the process – contracting with us for research
as you can afford it and always having an estimate ahead of time
of the hours for an agreed upon research objective.
Large genealogical projects require more organization and
oversight, especially if the research involves various lines in a
number of locations. When needed, we utilize the services of a
network of professional genealogists who have access to the
courthouses and archives in other locations. Lang Historical
Research continues to manage the project, prepares the research
plan, involves other researchers when needed for access purposes,
compiles the documents, analyzes the results, prepares the
research report, and keeps the client informed throughout the
process.
Terms
Work will start once the deposit has been received and you have
provided us with the details of your request in writing plus
copies of relevant past research and supporting documents. If we
cannot begin immediately we will contact you.
Balance of payment due must be paid within 15 business days after
a report has been sent.
Lang Historical Research retains copyright to the client report,
the manner in which the information is expressed, and the right of
use for certification, articles, lectures, instruction, and other
accepted genealogical purposes.
Reports generated by Lang Historical Research to the client are
copyrighted material. Our reports cannot be reproduced in its
entirety on web pages, electronic media, or in family newsletters
without permission from us. Small portions of the genealogist's
report may be quoted, if properly cited and credited to Ruth Lang
and to Lang Historical Research, in any text document that a
client might create.
Guarantees
Lang Historical Research offers expert time and attention to your
research needs. No ethical genealogist can predict or guarantee a
specific document, guarantee that they can find your relative or
can know how many hours it will take. Each family is unique.
Specific results won’t be known until research is conducted and
completed. In fact, there is no guarantee that we will be able to
locate new information about your ancestors. When you hire a
professional genealogist you are paying for her or his time and
expertise, not for positive results of a search. It takes just as
much time to discover your ancestor is not mentioned in a
particular record as it does to learn he is recorded there.
Our research is conducted in accordance with the highest
professional standards and in full compliance with the
Code of Ethics
published by the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Limitations
Lang Historical Research does not perform research on biological parents or families of adopted
individuals.
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