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
This was all ChatGPT's idea. Well no, not really. To be completely transparent though, the name "Vegas Ancestor Hunter" was suggested by ChatGPT during a conversation on April 22, 2023. ChatGPT was also helpful when it came to selecting a domain name, setting up the blog, and brainstorming ideas. For us, ChatGPT has served both as a guide and a sounding board.
We remember when researching family history meant completing poorly photocopied family group sheets by hand, sifting through old bibles and photo albums with elderly relatives, and not-so-patiently waiting for requested microfiche to arrive at the local Family History Center.
And now here we are leveraging AI in the creation of this website dedicated to our shared genealogy journey.
We really have come a long way, baby.
Photo credit: Raz Rosebrook. Mojave yucca in Red Rock Canyon. September 12, 2020. Used with permission.
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.