At Lineages, Inc. we have made of our science. As a world leader in genealogical research our specialty areas include research in all regions of the United States, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, all of Scandinavia, England, Wales, Scotland and many other countries throughout the world. We are particularly proud of our success in identifying the origins of German-speaking immigrants to the United States and producing and well-documented genealogies for our clients.

General Requirements – Research Specialists

• Excellent written communication skills
• Outstanding attention to detail
• Proficient in Word or WordPerfect
• Ability to target Internet searches rapidly
• Commitment to meeting research deadlines
• Ability to work with minimal supervision
• Successful completion of a test research project

United States Research Specialties

The ideal candidate will have an in-depth understanding of the following subjects as they relate to the time period and geographical region of their research specialty:

• National and local records—including, but not limited to birth, marriage, death, census, religious, probate, court, land, tax, immigration, and naturalization records
• National, regional, state and local history
• State and local geography
• Local customs
• Migration patterns
• Laws governing property and inheritance

Additionally, the ideal candidate will also know which records to search first in solving a research problem, how to formulate a research plan designed to achieve maximum results, use deductive reasoning to evaluate accumulated evidence, have a basic understanding of the weight and value of circumstantial evidence—as well as the use and abuse of the preponderance of evidence theory. The candidate will know to check the validity of secondary sources, especially genealogies and family histories in print and on the world wide web, and draw reasonable conclusions based on the evidence available—bearing in mind that “there’s no truth without proof” in accepting family tradition

Nineteenth Century American Research Specialist This position is ideal for someone who is a “Jack or Jacqueline” of all trades when it comes research in the United States. You could be asked to tackle a research problem in any state or territory that existed prior to 1900! Mid-Atlantic Research Specialist The ideal Mid-Atlantic Researcher will be able to trace families who lived in New York and New Jersey from the colonial period to the present and have an in-depth understanding of records peculiar to the Mid-Atlantic states, such as vital records, census, probate, land, court, and other more modern record sources throughout the United States. New England Research Specialist This position requires someone who is experienced in research families who lived in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Maine between 1629 and the present. The ideal candidate will have an in-depth understanding of records peculiar to the New England states, such as vital records, census, probate, land, court, and other more modern record sources throughout the United States. Virginia Research Specialist The ideal Virginia Researcher will be able to trace families who lived in Virginia from 1607 to the present. This position requires someone who is experienced in researching families who lived in Virginia between 1607 and the present, with emphasis on the colonial period. Old South Research Specialist The ideal Old South Researcher will be able to trace families who lived in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia from the formation of each colony to the present. This position requires someone who is experienced in researching families who lived in the Old South between 1607 and the present, with emphasis on the colonial period. New South Research Specialist This position requires someone who is experienced in tracing families who lived in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas when those locations were territories and states. Midwestern Research Specialist A Midwestern Research candidate will be able to trace families who lived in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota when those locations were territories and after achieving statehood.

German-Swiss Research Specialist

The ideal candidate will have an in-depth understanding of the following subjects as they relate to tracing families who lived in towns and villages in what is referred to today as Germany and Switzerland:

• Reading and writing the German language
• Religious history and records
• Civil Registration
• Record-keeping changes during the Napoleonic era
• Immigration and Emigration records dating from the 1600′s to the present
• Changes in political geography over the last four centuries
• Pennsylvania German Research, with emphasis on immigrant origins
• Regional and local customs
• Migration patterns

Additionally, the ideal candidate will also know which records to search first in solving a research problem, how to formulate a research plan designed to achieve maximum results, use deductive reasoning to evaluate accumulated evidence, have a basic understanding of the weight and value of circumstantial evidence—as well as the use and abuse of the preponderance of evidence theory. The candidate will know to check the validity of secondary sources, especially genealogies and family histories in print and on the world wide web, and draw reasonable conclusions based on the evidence available—bearing in mind that “there’s no truth without proof” in accepting family tradition. This candidate must also be willing to take extended research field trips to locations in Germany and Switzerland when records are not available in the United States.