Welcome
Vegas Ancestor Hunter
Professional genealogists proudly serving clients from the Desert Southwest to the Pacific Northwest and all parts in between.
About Us
Recent Happenings
2024 Highlights
2024 was a year of growth and discovery! Advanced coursework at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, GRIP Genealogical Institute, and Genealogical Institute on Federal Records sharpened skills in key areas.
Research led to archives on both coasts, from the National Archives in Washington, DC to the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives in Bellevue, Washington. A planned (and subsequently cancelled) visit to the California State Archives in Sacramento taught a valuable lesson about the reality of ‘open’ records in California!
Two exciting new presentations were added to the Vegas Ancestor Hunter portfolio: “Discovering More about Mystery DNA Matches” and “A Quick and Dirty Guide for Reading Old Handwriting & Script.” It was an honor to speak to the Allen County Public Library (Genealogy Center), Placer County Genealogy Society DNA SIG, and the Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society, among others.
Looking Ahead to 2025
New mysteries, fresh presentations, ongoing family archive organization, a greater focus on writing, and, of course, more educational adventures are on the horizon!
Photo credit: Raz Rosebrook. Mojave yucca in Red Rock Canyon. September 12, 2020. Used with permission.
Upcoming Presentations & Webinars
June 11, 2025
Utah Genealogical Association DNA Special Interest Group
June 24, 2025
Clark County (Washington) Genealogical Society
August 2, 2025
Southern California Genealogical Society
August 4, 2025
Oklahoma Genealogical Society
December 18, 2025
Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society
Jaunts and Junkets
From ghost town cemeteries to international heritage tours, our blog, Jaunts and Junkets, features some of the places we visit on our genealogical journey. Also included are mysteries about the colorful characters we encounter along the way, tips for everything from beginner classes to death purging, and reviews of our favorite (and not so favorite) genealogy resources.
Check out the latest blog, scroll through them all, or highlight those based on your favorite genealogical question:
Who, What, Where, When, Why or How.
Photo credit: Raz Rosebrook. Airplane wreckage at Angel's Ladies Brothel (closed) in Beatty, Nevada. February 18, 2018.
Used with permission.
Resource Roundup
Recommendations for those wishing to take their own genealogical journey to discover their ancestors.
Photo credit: Raz Rosebrook. Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. May 1, 2021.
Used with permission.
Featured Project
THE CASE OF THE MISSING CLASSMATES
This project for the Centralia High School (Centralia, WA) Class of 1949 put our internet sleuthing and genealogy skills to the test.
- THE TASK: Track down as many of their missing classmates as possible.
- DETAILS PROVIDED: A high school yearbook and whatever information the known classmates could recall (e.g., "his wife's name was Jean, I think", "he went into the service right after high school").
- THE RESULT: Updates on the lives (and given the age of the classmates, often the passing) of many long lost friends and classmates. Case closed in April 2022.
- UPDATE (28 July 2024): A searchable pdf of the 1949 Skookum Wa Wa is available in our Downloads.
Photo credit: Raz Rosebrook. Remains of a building in Pioche, Nevada. June 23, 2018. Used with permission.