Discover Your Family History
Carefully researched, narrative‑style histories
The Southwick Time Machine (STM) has spent years researching and publishing historical stories about people and events connected to Southwick and the surrounding region. This service applies the same historical methods to help families rediscover the stories of their own relatives—anywhere in the United States, not just Southwick.
Most genealogy services focus on building family trees: lists of names, dates, and relationships. The Southwick Time Machine takes a different approach. The goal is to rediscover the story of a person, family, or historical event.
This service works well for memorials, milestone birthdays, family reunions, and local history projects—particularly for those who want a well-crafted narrative grounded in the historical record rather than a bare family tree.
Because each story is based on real research, the final narrative reflects the available facts, which may include both positive and difficult aspects of a person’s life or time.
What You Get: Story, Not Just a Tree
Instead of simply documenting who someone was related to, research draws on historical records, public documents, and archival sources to uncover the events, places, and moments that shaped the subject’s life. The findings are then turned into a narrative story, just like the historical pieces regularly published on the Southwick Time Machine.
For many families, this is the first time a relative’s life (or a historical event) has been told as a story rather than a collection of dates.
Historical research may reveal:
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Mentions in historical records or community publications
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Business ownership or employment history
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Military service and wartime records
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Court cases or legal disputes
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Property ownership and community involvement
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Accidents or major life events
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Civic activities, clubs, or organizations
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Small historical references involving family members
Every project is different; some lives leave a long paper trail, others just a handful of clues—but even a few details can be woven into a meaningful story. Even brief references in surviving records can sometimes provide meaningful glimpses into everyday life during earlier periods. In some cases, these discoveries become the foundation for a much larger story that has never been told before.
Some individuals or families may already appear in existing Southwick Time Machine stories. Details about public and private options, story access, and potential overlaps are explained below.
How the Process Works
Step 1 – Initial Historical Research — $40
All projects begin with a historical research phase designed to locate
available records related to the individual, family, or event. This
phase includes:
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Searching historical records and archival sources
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Identifying major life events and documentation
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Reviewing available historical references
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A brief summary of findings
After this research, you can review the findings and decide whether to proceed with a full narrative story.
Note: Research for very common names (e.g., Smith, Johnson, Clark) may require extra time. An estimated upcharge (typically about $35) will be confirmed with you before proceeding.
Step 2 – Your Narrative Story
You choose the level of depth that fits your needs.
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Individual Life Story — $130
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Narrative story (approx. 800–1,200 words)
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Historical context about the time and place
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Integration of research findings
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Up to two free future updates for public stories only, at STM’s discretion, if significant new information is discovered
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Expanded Family Story — $260 (Most Complete)
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Narrative story (approx. 1,500–2,500 words)
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Research covering multiple relatives, families, or generations
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Broader historical context
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Up to three free future updates for public stories only, at STM’s discretion, if significant new information is discovered
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Expanded stories often reveal unexpected connections and forgotten chapters of family history.
Public vs. Private Stories
Who decides?
The person requesting and paying for the research decides whether the
story will be private or public. STM cannot verify that every relative
agrees with these decisions and is not responsible for resolving
objections or disputes from other family members.
Public Stories (Recommended)
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Become part of the permanent Southwick Time Machine historical archive
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Celebrate the subject’s life and preserve it for future generations
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May occasionally be updated if new historical information is discovered
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Some may be designated Premium Stories, allowing limited free views before requesting a voluntary donation (100% supports STM; not the requester)
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Once published, stories cannot later be made private
Bonus: Public story clients receive a 365‑day full access pass to all STM content
Private Stories
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Delivered directly to you electronically; not published on STM
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Add $125 as a private story fee to the selected story option
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Private stories may later be made public at your request; the private fee is non-refundable if published
Privacy of the Story, Not the Person
A private story means that a particular narrative written for a client
is not published on STM. It does not prevent STM from researching or
writing about the same person, family, or events in future projects for
other clients, or in STM’s own historical work, using public records and
independent research. Commissioning a private story gives you a private
narrative for personal use; it does not create exclusive rights to a
person or topic. Some individuals, families, or events may already appear on the STM.
Pricing at a Glance
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Research + Individual Public Story = $170
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Research + Individual Private Story = $295
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Research + Expanded Family Public Story = $300
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Research + Expanded Family Private Story = $425
Photos & Illustrations
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Historical photos or documents may be included if available
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Additional historical images may be purchased for $5 per image
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AI‑generated illustrations created to accompany a story are free if used
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Not every story will have images due to archival limitations
Editorial Standards
What You Need to Get Started
To begin a research request, a helpful starting point is:
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The person’s name
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Approximate date of birth or death (if known)
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Town or area where the person lived
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Any additional details (parents, siblings, spouses, occupations) if available
By submitting a request, you confirm that any details provided about living people are shared with their knowledge and permission, and that STM may rely on the accuracy of information supplied by you.
Ready to Request Your Family Story?
If you would like to begin a research request, email southwicktimemachine@gmail.com with any of the following:
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Name of the individual or event
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Approximate dates of birth, death, or occurrence
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Locations connected to the subject
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Any additional context that may help guide the research
Payment is accepted via the Donation button (preferred) or PayPal. Once details are confirmed, you’ll receive simple next steps and an estimated timeline for your project.
To keep quality high, STM accepts a limited number of new projects each
month. If this month is full, you’ll be notified and added to the next available
slot.
If you’re not sure whether your idea is a good fit, you’re welcome to email southwicktimemachine@gmail.com a brief description and ask or reach out on Facebook messenger.