society's sunflower logo

Home

OnLine News & Updates

Monthly Programs

Annual Seminar

On-Line Resources

General Information

Membership

Publications

Questions and Queries

Professional Genealogists

Surname Index

Executive Board

ByLaws

Johnson County Library

Johnson County Kansas Genealogical Society

Professional Genealologists

Professional genealogists are people experienced in genealogy and genealogical research who offer their services for a fee. Listed below in alphabetical order are members of the Johnson County Genealogical Society and Library, Inc., who have requested that their name, background and contact information be listed here. Please contact any of these people for their help with your genealogical research and for their schedule of fees.

Valerie Eichler Lair

  • Business:
    Val's Roots Professional Genealogy Services

  • Background:
    Valerie Eichler Lair is the owner and professional genealogist for Val’s Roots Professional Genealogy Services. She has been researching her family since January of 1989 and started offering professional services in the spring of 1990. Valerie is an experienced researcher, consultant, instructor, lecturer, editor and author.

  • Research Experience:
    Valerie has experience conducting research in the U.S., Canada, England, Scotland, and Germany. She is available for on-site research anywhere in the U.S. and for local Kansas on-site research for Johnson, Douglas, and Wyandotte counties and the state repositories in Topeka. Valerie conducts yearly research trips (January) to the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT.

    Valerie is the author of The Lair Family History 1752-1993, The Eichler Genealogy 1854-2004, The Jost/Yost Family 1799-2008. Her fourth book focuses on her grandmother’s family (Schmidt, Lembke, Leppert, and Lau covering 1600’s to 2011). She was the Project Coordinator for publishing the Evergreen Cemetery Interment Records and Tombstone Inscriptions of Colorado Springs, Colorado: 1856 to 2006 which is available online at www.interment.net or through the link on her website (below).

  • Research and Geographical Focus:
    All U.S. states. Specifically California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. San Jose, Sacramento, Denver, Colorado Springs, Chicago, Kansas City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis, Billings, NYC. Request information regarding the research areas in Canada, England, Scotland, and Germany.

  • Services Available:
    Services include: full or partial research projects; organizational systems; consultations for any genealogy topic or project; presentations; providing assistance with publishing research; teaching classes at all levels.

  • Contact Information:
  • email: valsroots ...at... yahoo.com
  • phone: (720) 886-9096
  • Facebook: yes

  • Website: www.valsroots.com

    • Char Mitts

  • Business:
    C & J Genealogical Services and Researchers

  • Background:
    Char Mitts is the owner and principle researcher for C & J Genealogical Services. She has been researching her family for over 30 years and helping others since 1992. Char is a Family History Consultant and trainer at the Olathe Family History Center. She has lectured for societies and groups in the area. Char has written articles for several quarterlies and currently compiles a column in the Association of Professional Genealogist Quarterly. She has been the president of the APG Heartland Chapter, and was the 2nd Vice President for the Johnson County Genealogical Society. Char is the USGenWeb coordinator for Melrose, Massachusetts and Group Leader for several ProGen Study Groups. She lectures for Legacy Family Tree Software and started the Kansas City Area Legacy Users Group.

  • Research Experience:
    Char has experience researching in Kansas, Missouri, New England, and Canada. She has experiences with LDS records and Family Search. She lectures on several genealogical websites, including FamilySearch, Fold3 (formally Footnote.com), American Ancestors (formerly NEHGS), USGenWeb and Ancestry.com. Char has done researched in the DAR Library in Washington D.C., the National Archives, and in many repositories, archives and courthouses around the country. She has taken clients on research trips to several locations including Massachusetts, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Char has helped individuals research their family helping them to place their heritage pictures together in digital and hard copy format.

  • Research and Geographical Focus:
    Many U.S. states specifically Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, the New England states; and the Canadian Atlantic Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick), LDS research.

  • Services Available:
    Char has consulting services for beginners that needs help developing their own research plan for their ancestors. She conducts research at all levels, from that single document to organizing and researching large research projects. Also help in organizing genealogical filing systems, oral history projects, planning research trips, internet researching, cemetery research, and photographing ancestral sites for clients. Char teaches beginning to advance classes, lectures on a variety of subjects, and presents living history presentations.

  • Contact Information:
  • email: charmitts ...at... gmail.com
  • phone: (913) 768-1506 (daytime)
  • Facebook: n/a

  • Website: cjgenealogy.blogspot.com

    • Fred Praechter

  • Business:
    n/a

  • Background:
    Fred has 20+ years researching his surname. His family immigrated to St. Louis in 1847.

  • Research Experience:
    Fred has researched his wife’s maiden name, Carson, in Northwest Missouri, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio and Indiana, as well as that name in court records in Holt and Nodaway counties in Missouri. He has researched his wife’s mother’s maiden name of Sarensen in Netawaka, KS and Denmark, and has written a book on that family history.

    Fred spent 30 years as a law enforcement investigator, and has extensive training in and knowledge of research methods in court houses, especially land records, court records (civil and criminal), and other county records.

  • Research and Geographical Focus:
    Fred has extensive research in and knowledge of the Kansas and Missouri Border Wars, plus histories of numerous Missouri counties, especially in the St. Louis area.

  • Services Available:
    Fred is available for research and research assistance covering a wide variety of genealogical topics.

  • Contact Information:
  • email: fpraechter ...at... kc.rr.com
  • phone: (913) 897-2710
  • Facebook: n/a

  • Website: n/a

    • Disclaimer

    The names and information above are listed at the request of the individual and do not constitute an endorsement of the individual or their work by the Johnson County Genealogical Society and Library, Inc.

    Return to the Society Home Page
    Last updated on 9/28/11