Research Services, Fees and Request for Quote

I adhere strongly to the Association of Professional Genealogists Code of Ethics and pride myself on the highest of ethical business practices

Genealogical Services that I offer include:

  • Federal Records searches at the National Archives Great Lakes Region including Census, Naturalizations, Bureau of Indian Affairs and any other federal records held at the Great Lakes Region
  • Cook County and collar county research including vital records (birth, marriage, death), probates and wills, divorces, lawsuits (civil) and criminal case records
  • Property/Deed research at Cook County and other local county recorder's offices
  • Revolutionary War through contemporary military history research
  • Illinois State Archives research at IRAD facilities
  • Obituary and/or other newspaper article research for the Chicago/Ilinois Area
  • Cemetery research to include location, photographs and plot card information for Chicago, Northern Illinois, Northwestern Indiana and Southern Wisconsin
  • Heir searching
  • Local and International civil and church records through LDS family history centers
  • Compilation and/or organization of family information up to and including custom family tree charts and/or family history albums/books as needed
  • Historical research at all of the Chicagoland historical and genealogical research repositories
  • Instruction in the skills and tools necessary to become your own family history researcher for all of you other "History Cops"

My fee schedule is as follows:

  • My current research rate is $25.00 per hour
  • I do not charge for travel time unless it is over 50 miles
  • I will charge back costs for copies, government certificates (i.e. birth, death, marriage), train tickets or parking fees at cost (I never add markup).
  • I will always give you a free quote for research services and require your approval before I would undertake any research.
  • I will always provide a very clear research findings report and provide citations
  • If the project is on the larger size, I prefer to bill in smaller increments (10 hour blocks) so that you are always aware of your budget and the project's progress.

Requesting a research project:

If you have a project that you would like me to undertake for you, you may contact me any number of different ways.

1.  By telephone at:   (708) 387-1884

2.  By email at:           rayjohnson@historycop.com

3.  By filling out and submitting the form below:

Please include your email address or any other contact information such as phone number and best time to contact you or your snail mail address.

Thank you so much for your interest!