Born and raised in New Orleans, Markel grew up surrounded by family stories and a deep connection to Louisiana. With only one grandparent living throughout her childhood, she found herself asking her grandmother questions about the family from an early age. As she got older, conversations with her father, family reunions, and stories shared by her mother about relatives who would come into the city from more rural parts of Louisiana only made her more curious. Many of those seemingly random family stories later became valuable clues as she began building her family tree and learning more about the people behind them.
That curiosity gradually grew into years of genealogical research and a particular love for Louisiana and Creole family history. One of Markel’s favorite parts of genealogy is finding the records that supposedly aren’t there—the document someone said probably didn’t exist, the overlooked clue buried in an unexpected place, or the piece of evidence that opens an entirely new path of research. For her, some of the most rewarding discoveries are the ones that bring an ancestor into sharper focus and reveal something about the life they actually lived.
One of her favorite discoveries came while researching her family, when she found her fourth great-grandmother Ferriby, who was enslaved, named in notarial records. She thought Ferriby was such a unique name that she later chose it for her cat—a small nod to the generations of family names she has uncovered through her research.
Today, Markel lives in Central Texas, where her curiosity extends beyond genealogy. She is an enthusiastic plant collector and enjoys home improvement and DIY projects—activities that, much like genealogy, usually involve a little investigation, some persistence, and the satisfaction of finally figuring something out.
We’d love to help you with your family history, whether we’re breaking down brick wall mysteries, finding your biological parents, or just starting from scratch finding the stories about your ancestors. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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