The Roots of Staton Research

Hello, everyone! I’m so excited (and a little nervous) to officially step out on my own and get started with Staton Research. For many, many years now, friends and family have encouraged me to start my own research business, but I’ve always been hesitant to take the leap. But, I believe that there is a right time for everything, and for many reasons, now is the right time to put my years of education and research experience to work!

For this first “blog” post, it seems appropriate to write a little about myself, my background, and why I’m finally getting started on this journey. First and foremost, I am a genealogist, and the roots of my interest in genealogy are in researching my own family tree after my grandfather passed away in 2008. Even today, nothing excites me more than jumping into my own family tree - even all these years later, there is still so much new to find, and I think that really illustrates how rich of a story each person and each family has to tell.

My interest in historic preservation started a little later, upon my starting at the College of Charleston in 2013. I took an Introduction to Historic Preservation course (shoutout to my amazing professor, Christina Butler!) and immediately recognized all the connections that could be made to genealogy - like making the names on the page come to life by standing in their footsteps and seeing the actual buildings where they lived and worked. This intersection of genealogy and preservation is exactly where I thrive, and is the very essence of Staton Research. With the added layer of a Master of Library and Information Science degree, I feel immensely qualified to connect people with the history that shapes their lives every day.