User:Jencoffeelover

= Generations =

Generations, owned by Jennifer Holik, is a company in the Chicago area with over 20 years of research experience. We strive to provide clients with knowledge of their heritage through top-quality genealogy research. We also hope to inspire a passion for genealogical research in our clients.

Research Services
I provide clients with a clearly written research report with future research suggestions, which is fully cited, on archival quality paper. I charge an hourly rate plus expenses such as: travel (i.e. train ticket); mileage; copies; certificates and documents; parking fees; supplies for your project if required (i.e. CDs, book creation); postage.

Before starting any project, I do require photocopies or digital images of all research conducted relating to the research problem. I do not accept original documents. The more information you can provide, the easier it is for me to begin. In addition, I am not going over records you have already searched. I also require a retainer for hours and expenses.

• Document retrieval

• Research and analysis

• Creating of family history books

• House Histories and title research

• Family Tree Maker or Ancestry.com Tree clean-up

• Photography

• Lectures

• Articles for magazines

• Education

• Teacher &amp; Youth Workshops

Education
I provide lectures and workshops for youth and adults on the basics of genealogical research. I provide workshops for teachers, genealogy societies and libraries on the creation and teaching of youth programs.

House Histories
I provide complete house histories on archival paper in a “perfect bound” softcover book. The House History contains information from deeds, mortgage records, tax records, probate records, census records, local histories, historical newspapers, maps and photographs. Many towns in DuPage County, Illinois, offer a historic home documentation program. Submission requirements vary. As part of complete house history I will complete the forms for your submission. Fees for house histories with and without documentation applications vary based on the town requirements. Please contact me for pricing.

I am located in the Chicago suburbs and have access to many wonderful research facilities in Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

Contact me for a free consultation and quote for your research project. I can be reached through the contact form on my webpage.

A Little About Me
I have a Bachelor’s degree in History from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri. I have been researching genealogy and history for more than 16 years.

For about 2 years I have been blogging about my research on my personal family history blogs, Family History Research and Chicago Family History. I also have a Kids Genealogy blog written specifically for kids.

My previous job experience was working in the education field as an administrative assistant and part-time educator at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois. From there I moved into the IT department and built and managed databases for the aquarium. I learned a lot about databases, compiling information, building reports, and working with a variety of people with different backgrounds and goals for the projects. The database projects required many of the skills genealogists use – attention to detail, gathering and analysis of information, and reporting.

Education
I recently completed ProGen Study Group 10. This is an 18-month online collaborative learning program. The program introduces students to all the aspects of running a professional genealogy business. I am also completing the National Genealogical Society Home Study Course. This is an educational course with 16 lessons to teach students about all the different U.S. record types, research skills, evidence analysis, and writing skills. Both programs offer a certificate at the conclusion.​

Associations
I am a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and you can find my APG bio here. I am also a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG), the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors, the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Illinois State Genealogical Society (I hold a Director position on the board), the DuPage County (IL) Genealogical Society (I hold the social media agent position on the board), the Czech and Slovak American Genealogical Society of Illinois, the Missouri State Genealogical Society, and the Webster County Historical Museum.