I began working on my genealogy in 1985, picking up where my Mom left off. Soon, I learned that my cousin had picked up where his Mom left off, so we combined our trees and discoveries. My first challenge was a brick wall: who were my maternal great-grandparents and why did they put their children in an orphanage. 

My next challenge was a family legend about how the Hearst empire took ownership of my great-great-uncle's Homestake Mines. While the legends were far more exciting than the facts, it turned out to be a very interesting story, anyway.

Since then, we've uncovered the truth behind family legends and revealed our ancestors adventurous lives so thoroughly that we just published one biography in a local history publication, and are planning a few more writings.

Through research contacts, I was invited to start genealogy clubs and teach genealogy through local history museums and community education programs. When searching for further education on family history research I discovered there were no ancestry related courses on Udemy, and thought there just needed to be a few. 

I am adapting my classroom courses to Udemy's online format. 

Through genealogy I've met relatives whose ancestors helped locate the Homestake mines, relatives all over the world with whom I've developed relationships, and learned much more about my family that I couldn't have known otherwise, 

Please join one of my courses to embark, literally, on "the adventure of your life." Genealogy is truly one of the most rewarding hobbies you'll ever engage in. You just never know what you'll discover.