Kelley Conner Lear CG®
- DNA
- Family History Research
- Speaking / Presenting
- Writing /Publishing
- Family History Research
- Tutor / Coach
- Family History Research
- Methodology & Resources
- Writing & Publishing
- Available for in-person events
- Available for virtual events
- Author/Writer
- Graphic Designer
- Tutor / Coach
Kelley Conner Lear is a Certified Genealogist® specializing in research in her home state of West Virginia, as well as Virginia, Central Appalachia, and the Allegheny Highlands. She is available for client research, writing, speaking, or teaching. Her personal research interests include tracing female ancestors, developing family narratives, and sifting through manuscript collections. She especially enjoys reconstructing the stories of “everyday” ancestors.
Kelley currently serves on the Board of the Virginia Genealogical Society. She also chairs the Professional Development Committee and sits on the Board of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). She is also a member of the National Genealogical Society, Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia, KYOWVA Genealogical and Historical Society, Hackers Creek Pioneer Descendants, the Georgia Genealogical Society, and other local societies.
An alumna of ProGen 52 and Progen Practicum 2, she now mentors ProGen 69. She also holds certificates from the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (GenFed), SLIG, and GRIP. She has earned a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS) in American Studies from the International Institute of Genealogical Studies.
Work samples and references are available on request.
West Virginia; Virginia; Tennessee; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Kentucky
West Virginia, Virginia, Appalachia, North Carolina, Tennessee
You've Got Mail: Using the Rich Records of the Postal Service in Genealogy (2023); Demystifying a DAR Application: Using Best Practices for Your Best Shot (2023); X Marks the Spot—Using Maps to Locate Your Rural Ancestors (2025); Between Tick Marks and Relationships: A World of Information in 1850 to 1870 Census Records (2023)
West Virginia Archives and Culture (Charleston); Library of Virginia (Richmond); WVU Regional History Center (Morgantown); Virginia and West Virginia Courthouses; Georgia State Archives (Morrow); NARA (Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Morrow, Ga.)
- 20th Century
- 19th Century
- 18th Century
CG®, Certified Genealogist, Board for Certification of Genealogists®
PLCGS, Professional Learning Certificate Genealogical Studies in American Studies
ProGen 52; ProGen Practicum 2
APG, Board of Directors; Virginia Genealogical Society, Board Member, Historian, Social Media Chair; National Genealogical Society; Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia; Hacker's Creek (WV) Pioneer Descendants
B.A., Communications, Mary Baldwin University