Ricki King
Most people want to learn about their family history but don't have the time or know where to begin. Ricki Sue King has the training, does the research, and provides you with a report of her findings. She began Roots To Branches Genealogy, LLC, to help others find their family history. Her specialties are forensic (heir or estate) research and the Midwest, focusing on Iowa, Missouri, and African American (Black).
Ricki King is a 2015 certificate holder in Boston University's Genealogical Research program, holds a BA in History from Drake University, completed Progen, and attended several genealogy institutes. She is passionate about providing opportunities and resources to inspire and support current genealogists and the next generation. She is the founder of Roots to Branches Genealogy, LLC, and author of "A Father's [Lynching? Murder?] Provides A Possible Motive for an African American Woman's Use of Multiple Maiden Names," which ran in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Volume 109, No. 1, (March 2021) and a webinar presenter for the Iowa History 101 Series: "Iowa's Black Migration: Into, Around, Out of, and Back Again, and "Forever Free: Rediscovering Heroes, Heroines & Helpers of Central Iowa's Underground Railroad." She presents Pre-Beginning Genealogy lectures at local public libraries. Ricki's genealogy enthusiasm started while working for thirty-one years at John Deere Financial, from where she retired in 2019 to pursue her genealogy passion full-time.
As of 5 January 2022, Ricki took office as a member voted in Director with the Association of Professional Genealogists, an international group. As of 2021, Ricki is the Vice President of the Iowa Historical Foundation, which works with the State Historical Society of Iowa.
In the Spring and Summer of 2021, during COVID, Ricki worked with the Forever Free Mentoring Pilot Program, mentoring a high school and a college student, helping to research twenty-two people possibly buried at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa. The persons examined were known to have helped or used the underground railroad as freedom seekers. Some freedom seekers also served in Iowa's 60th Colored Infantry during the Civil War.
Ricki, working with local, state, and federal agencies to preserve history, submitted their application on fifteen individuals to the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. As a result, an announcement was made on 30 September 2021 that Woodland Cemetery has been accepted into the network. In addition, History Quest is a separate program involving Woodland Cemetery. Ricki recorded videos containing the UGRR research used in the application, which will play once a QR code next to a headstone is scanned.
While volunteering as a death certificate indexer with the State Historical Society of Iowa, Library (SHSI), and Archives Research Center, she noticed fetal death records were forever closed. Ricki's zeal and dedication have benefited the genealogy community with her two years of lobbying the state legislature to change the Iowa law on access to fetal death records. Finally, her follow-through opened all Iowa death records after 50 years. She continues her work to help all genealogists and historians by serving as President of the SHSI Iowa Historical Foundation Board and volunteering.
In 2020, Ricki ran for President of the United States on the Iowa ballot, making history as the first Black person born and raised in Iowa to run. She did this while promoting genealogy by naming her party Genealogy Know Your Family History Party. Thus, her party's unusual name will also be whenever her accomplishment is mentioned. In her spare time, she is researching 333 Blacks living in Iowa on the 1850 United States federal census, following them through to the 1900 United States federal census.
Services
Roots To Branches Genealogy, LLC is a genealogical and historical research company.
Geographic Specialties
IA, Midwest
Ricki is always finding ways to improve searches and gain information for all genealogists-her sparkling personality and smile make her a joy to be around, plus she does know her stuff!" -Jay "I asked Ricki to use her Genealogy knowledge and skills to help me solve a few family mysteries. After prioritizing my list and agreeing on a budget, Ricki went to work. She was ultimately able to find information I never could and interpret it to answer several questions for our family. While the related documentation can be a bit overwhelming, Ricki interpreted it and also provided a narrative that I could use and share with the rest of my family. Ricki s love of genealogy is evident when you talk with her and I would definitely work with her again!" -Linda "We have been very pleased with the work performed on our family heritage by Ricki King, she is very responsive and through in her analysis. Her work has taken my family lineage to 1780s with still the opportunity to potential go further back. Her extensive years in genealogy is evident in her performance. I would strongly recommend you consider her for your genealogy investigation." -T.A.
King, Ricki. "Separating Identities of Two Hattie Campbells of Marion and Ralls Counties, Missouri, Reveal Hattie King's Mother." National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Volume 110, No. 4, (December 2022): 265-273. King, Ricki. "Research Guide Iowa.," page 33-36, familytree Magazine. July-August 2022. King, Ricki. "A Father's [Lynching? Murder?] Provides A Possible Motive for an African American Woman's use of Multiple Maiden Names." National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Volume 109, No. 1, (March 2021): 29-44. King, Ricki. "Women and the 1925 Iowa State Census," WOW Women of Worth April-May 2020. King, Ricki. "Women of Three Generations," The Urban Experience October 2018.
Iowa's Black Pioneers "Forever Free: Rediscovering Heros, Heroines, and Helpers on Central Iowa's Underground Railroad," Iowa History 101 Series, State Historical Society of Iowa. 22 July 2021. "Iowa's Black Migration, Into, Around, Out of, and Back Again," Iowa History 101 Series, State Historical Society of Iowa. 25 Feb 2021. "Family History Research Beginner: Where to Start?," various organizations in Iowa. 2021. Interviews: "Butterflies glide from floor to ceiling in an exhibition reflecting Black American migration," Talk of Iowa with Charity Nebbe, January 2023. "Ricki King, Genealogy Business Owner," Host: Coffee with Cleo part 1 with Cleo Franklin, Dec 2020. "Ricki King, Genealogy Business Owner," Host: Coffee with Cleo part 2 with Cleo Franklin, Dec 2020. "The Business of Genealogy with Ricki King," Host: Insight on Business with Michael Libbie, July 2020.
State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) Iowa Genealogical Society (IGS) Drake University Iowa State University University of Iowa Des Moines Public Library and surrounding areas
- 21st Century
- 20th Century
- 19th Century
English
Certificate holder Genealogical Research (Boston University)
*Albemarle Charlottesville (Virginia) Historical Society *Association of Professional Genealogists, Director 2022-2023 *Association of Professional Genealogists, Chapters Heartland and Northland *Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center, Past Board Secretary. *Iowa Civil War 150th Celebration, Advisory Committee. *Iowa Genealogical Society *Iowa Historical Foundation Board, President *National Genealogical Society *State Historical Society of Iowa *State Historical Society of Missouri
Bachelor of Arts, History; Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 2005. Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication; Drake University, Iowa, 2005.