Celebrity Genealogy      Research - My Family

My Journey as an Amateur Genealogist: From Curiosity to Family History Discovery

I’m an amateur genealogist who began formally documenting my family tree back in 2002, shortly after realizing that I didn’t know nearly as much about my family’s past as I thought. What started as simple curiosity quickly grew into a lifelong passion—some might even say an obsession—with uncovering the stories, origins, and people who shaped my life today.

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How My Genealogy Research Began

In the early days, I began my family history research the traditional way—by digging through every family record, photo album, and handwritten note I could find. From there, I started reaching out to relatives, gently (but persistently!) asking questions to help guide my search in the right direction.

My research took me to dozens of cemeteries across Southern Ontario, where I searched for clues about known ancestors and discovered many more who had previously been lost to history.

Eventually, I joined Ancestry.com, which opened a whole new world of genealogical information. While the platform was a game-changer, I quickly learned that not every detail online is accurate. Careful fact-checking and verification became the cornerstone of my process.

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Ensuring Accuracy in Family Tree Research

To me, accuracy in genealogy is absolutely essential. Over the years, I’ve invested both time and money to ensure that my research stands up to professional scrutiny. In fact, I even hired professional genealogists to verify my work—an expense I don’t regret for a moment. Aside from one small error, they confirmed the validity of my findings, giving me renewed confidence in my abilities as an amateur genealogist.

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Surprising Ancestral Discoveries

My dedication soon paid off with some astonishing discoveries. From uncovering long-lost relatives and hidden family stories to finding connections to Colonial America and even European nobility, my ancestry turned out to be far richer and more complex than I could have ever imagined.

What truly amazed me was the depth of documentation surrounding my lineage—particularly on my paternal side, which had once been a mystery. I found links to historical figures whose family lines trace back over a thousand years. I would have been thrilled to trace my family just a few generations, but what I uncovered was beyond belief.

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Famous and Distant Relatives

Even more surprising were the countless connections to both famous and infamous distant cousins, all sharing common ancestors. To this day, I continue to uncover new links and fascinating stories that keep my research alive and ever-evolving.

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A Note on Personal Connections

For the record, I don’t personally know—or have any relationship with—my living or deceased distant relatives (beyond my immediate family). If you’re hoping for contact details or personal information, I’m not the right source. My goal is simply to document our shared family history for current and future generations to explore and appreciate.

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Why I Document My Family Tree

My mission in building this genealogical record isn’t fame or recognition—it’s understanding. I want to know where I come from, who my ancestors were, and how their lives shaped my own. I also hope my work inspires others in our family to explore their roots and recognize the greatness that lies within their DNA.

If even one family member reads these stories and feels more confident in their own potential, then all my efforts have been worthwhile.

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Connecting with Other Genealogy Enthusiasts

I’m always happy to help fellow family history researchers when I can. If you find a familiar name or family connection on my website, please feel free to reach out through my [Contact Page]—I’ll do my best to assist you. In fact, over the years I've helped several people discovery family members including putting them in touch with their biological parents. I may have upset a relative or two by doing this, but I believe that everyone should know their history if possible, and for at least 1 errant cousin, he should have exercised a LOT more control! Enough said :) If you have a DNA match to me, or if you have questions about anyone listed on this site, I'll be happy to help if I can. However, and I can't stress this enough - I do not have a personal relationship with any living celebrity listed on my site and even if I did, I believe in protecting people's privacy; that policy goes for other relatives that are living that I do know. 

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Beyond Genealogy

When I’m not immersed in genealogy, I’m a passionate car enthusiast, traveler, writer, business professional, animal lover, gardener, and history buff.

I’m not big on having my photo taken, but it’s nice to put a face to the name. The photos above include moments such as:

• A trip to a château in France for a friend’s wedding

• My 50th birthday celebration with my parents

• Visiting Vimy Ridge and discovering my great-grandfather’s inscription—a moment my grandmother never had the chance to experience

• Reuniting with my maternal cousins in Derby, England, once “long-lost” but now joyfully reconnected

• And a throwback to 1972, with my dad and little brother at Disney World, Florida

(And no, you won’t find my passport or driver’s license photos here!)