Joining NFFG

How to Participate in this Founding Family Genealogy Project

Join, Share Resources, Gain Access, and Broaden your Family Research

The Network of Founding Family Genealogies

It is challenging to research your family genealogy. After using your best information from family and personal contacts, you may have tried searching on the web. Sometimes you find bewildering contradictions or conflicting information. How do you know what information is correct? Sometimes, you may seem to have a promising lead, only to end up at a site which charges fees for access, with no guarantee of the suitability of the information to your specific family. Sometimes, you may have paid the fees, but did not learn anything of certainty.

Membership in NFFG may be a good solution. NFFG has paid memberships with the best sources, and has archives or information from other members or contributors, which may apply to your personal family research. NFFG is hosted by genealogists who will contact you, and determine your exact family information and your research hopes. Your NFFG genealogical partners will dig into those private fee-based sources for you, and will search our own archives and contacts. All of this will be done in the context of frequent email dialogue with you. When there may still be uncertainty, we will let you know this, and the door will remain open: your search will remain active, and when new information is discovered by us, or supplied to us, it will be added to your records.

NFFG members have solved many mysteries here, and have gained from, and helped, other seekers find their ways through the past. If you are not now a member, but share in the common quest, you are invited to join.

As of October 2008, we have recorded over 80,000 page views at our online website, over the last three years. These pages have been viewed by visitors who are actively researching their roots. This makes NFFG the preferred forum for online family research. By choosing NFFG Membership, you have the greatest opportunity for developing your family tree in a user-friendly, active genealogy medium.

Some levels of Membership offer you the opportunity to post your own research freely at our online website. If you choose to do this, YOUR research will also be shared and viewed by a large number of researchers, and this will open the possibility of contact from these other viewers, who may be able to add information to your own family tree. All levels of Membership allow you to monitor and copy files from the online NFFG family tree, and allow you to ask for information from our archives, which are not necessarily shown online. In addition, we welcome each new member on behalf of existing members and researchers, who may benefit from the new information which you can provide. In all cases, we respect privacy, and do not show any information, not even names, of living persons. Privacy: it is our policy NOT to include any information on living persons, not even names, at our online family tree.

Would you like to read some comments/references about our Memberships and Genealogical Services? Please click here to read comments, then click BACK on your browser to return here.

Perhaps you don't need all the benefits of a Membership, but you need some professional help with your family research. Is there a mystery or dead end, which you would like to resolve? Would you like to know what is in NFFG archives right now, which might help you?

Please click here for 'help' information (fee required for 'help', two levels of 'help'), then click BACK on your browser to return here. Or, just read on, about NFFG membership.

There are three degrees of Membership in NFFG (click on them to go directly to their details) - Forensic, Senior, and Affiliate. With each level, there are different requirements and costs, which are associated with the amount of professional genealogical work which must be done by NFFG staff to create the new membership. It is this professional genealogical work and intervention, which determines the cost of membership.

Click here to bypass descriptions of membership levels, if you are familiar with the membership levels, and have made a choice, and go to the payment area...

With any level of membership, you will also be helping anonymous cousins who are browsing our online records, in search of lost family connections - which your new information might help. Hundreds of our online pages are visited each week by anonymous browsers, who touch down for a few moments, visit a few pages, and then pass back into the mysterious byways of their searches. Such google-searchers may be unknowingly, closely related to you. If such google-searchers contact us about your new information, we will pass on messages to you.

By joining NFFG, you will make your personal family history a greater, more comprehensive, and more satisfying project. You will be able to share with others who may be researching the same family ancestry. You will share in the genealogy of descendants of national Founders. From our archives you may find stories and records of your family, which are meaningfully woven with other related families. You will have the services of a dedicated genealogical team (which has many years of experience) working with you. More than this, by sharing your records, you will help other cousins, unknown perhaps to you now, to find their own roots.

If you have read the descriptions of the three types of membership, and wish to proceed with your selection, please click here to go to the area to make payment.

General Information about the Scope of Research for new members: Your membership fee entitles you to a single genealogical path, according to your own needs. This may or may not be limited to a single surname. Your name may be John Smith, and you wish to find a path from father to son, to a Smith ancestor who lived in 1740. Or, Mr. John Smith, it may be that your maternal grandmother named Anne Phillips, was descended from a Patriot, and you wish to track that genealogy. NFFG will track the genealogy you specify, and this will usually include siblings of the target person in each generation, in the direct lineage you wish to trace. This may, for example, pass through 7 generations or so. If all of the individuals and families and children along this path were analyzed, it could represent many thousands of persons. NFFG cannot track all of these persons within the scope of a Membership. Your Membership in NFFG provides for the tracking of one lineage starting with yourself, and ending with a target family several generations back. YOU get to choose this focus of research. Often, NFFG discovers intersections with other families which are already in our family tree database, and we may point these out as we go, or you will discover these when you run a report from your CD, using Family Tree Maker, as FTM is the core genealogical engine used by NFFG. NFFG has no affiliation with Family Tree Maker, and you will need to purchase or obtain this software, to obtain the best results from your CD, once your genealogy has been researched by NFFG. When you join NFFG, we will ask you to describe the single genealogical path which you choose to research, and to describe any particular questions you may have, to clarify and focus our research on your behalf.

Important Note about Refunds: The creation of a new membership requires the application of professional genealogical and administrative time which is exclusively devoted to, and custom crafted for, an individual new member. There are no refunds provided after fees are paid, except for reasons of dire personal emergency, at the discretion of NFFG.

Please bear in mind, that on some occasions in the past, registered Members who thought their family ancestry was set in stone, and perhaps a genealogy had been posted online by NFFG, later found that their records were subject to change when NFFG obtained new information. This could happen to your family genealogy, once it is exposed to the Google world at the NFFG online family tree. It happens seldom, but it does happen. NFFG will make every effort to ensure that this does not need to happen to a new member's family records. The better the information which you provide us, the better your results will be. Yet, even so, change could be indicated at some unforeseen time in the future. If such a situation develops, you will be asked for input, and when you agree, you will see the changes with the reasons, and find them posted at the NFFG online family tree, with the sources and analysis of the new information. MANY records, throughout the expanding universe of family genealogy, are subject to dispute, error, enlightenment, and change. New sources are being opened and uncovered daily. The Mormon Family Record Vault, the cavernous vault in Nevada, the world's greatest single genealogical repository, is being scoured and scanned by that Church, and many more of their treasures of genealogy will soon be available online. Other new records are appearing. It is preferable to have the best available family genealogy, and to respond to facts or persuasive inferences, and to make changes when they become certain or highly probable. It is also valuable to be wary and skeptical of the voices of entrenched in-groups and others, small groups who claim proprietary control of certain groups of families - who feel that certain places and times of family history belong to them, and who would simply have you make changes according to their closed circle of wisdom. NFFG is always ready to receive new information, investigate it, and make changes, if that's the way it is. Keep an open mind to your own family genealogy. At any time, members are invited to question any changes made by NFFG, and to suggest changes which their own research has uncovered. Membership in NFFG will ensure that someone, perhaps many people, are watching your records, and will spring into action (sooner or later) if changes are needed. We hear from such persons weekly! NFFG therefore offers a form of genealogical insurance. We probe and dig for our members.

All levels of Membership provide:

Registration with NFFG, with a unique ID number. You will not just be a random web-browser who stumbles upon the NFFG online family tree and has questions which you don't feel privileged to ask. You may cite your registration at any time in the future, if new issues arise;

free access to copy and use all private files shown at the NFFG Online Family Tree, for ONE year (for personal use only; if records found at NFFG are to be cited beyond personal use, permission must be first obtained from NFFG);

New Members will (probably) have made valuable contributions to the online Family Tree. They have the right to be named as source person for research which appears in the online family tree (you may decline this opportunity, if you wish, and your name will only be retained in our files);

New Members may submit any changes or corrections to the Online Family Tree, which they have discovered in the course of their research;

New members have free access to send new information, or to send research requests pertaining to the NFFG archives or research services, for a period of one year. The total number of free hours of research depends on the level of membership;

the right to renew membership, and renew some benefits, on an annual basis for a small, set, annual cost;

Affiliate Membership provides the above Six Benefits.

The above six benefits describe the main benefits provided with Affiliate Membership. Affiliate Members do NOT provide a family tree to be integrated with the Online Family Tree or the Main Family Database, as this would entail too many hours of NFFG genealogical research. Affiliate Members do NOT receive a family CD or Membership Certificate. Affiliate Members are simply indicating a belief in the core concept of Founding Family Genealogy, as expressed by NFFG, and are gaining access rights and copy rights. For Affiliate Members, we generate a unique ID number based an anagram of their email address, and this ID number should be included with Research Requests. Affiliate Members are entitled to ONE free hour of Professional Genealogical Research Requests on any family information found in our online files or archives, and such requests may be submitted at any time during the year of membership. The Affiliate Membership may be renewed annually, and the right to copy will continue, but the right to submit Research Requests is NOT renewed; a unit of Help must be purchased after the first membership year expires. See more information on Help at the main website page. The price of an Affiliate Membership with NFFG, is a one-time cost of $ 45.00, and an optional annual renewal fee of $20.00. Affiliate Members will be advised when the one-year renewal time approaches. If an Affiliate Member does not renew, he or she remains a Past Member, but loses all copy and use rights, and loses all rights to submit genealogical requests. Affiliate Members may upgrade to Senior or Forensic Status at any time, by paying the difference between the two levels, which are in use at the time of upgrade. Ready to order? Click here to go to the Order area.

Senior Members and Forensic Members also receive additional benefits:

All NFFG archives will be checked for relevant information concerning the family records which the new member provides, and if any relevant information is found, this will be added to the information in the notes or details of the new member's posted family tree, and will be shown at the online family tree, and may be used by the New Member as a part of his/her personal family tree;

a CD of the entire family tree will be generated and sent by mail to the New Member, which will include all images and notes; this is in Family Tree Maker format; instructions are included, as to how in integrate some or all of the information on the CD with existing family research. View a sample certificate and CD package by clicking here; Use of this CD allows members to detect many relationships through marriage and bloodlines, which may have been previously unknown. Review important details and restrictions about CD usage by clicking here;

A Certificate of Membership is mailed, see sample, which identifies the new Member's Founding Group Connections, with the name and dates of the earliest immigrant ancestor. There may be more than one group which the member has previously identified. The new Member may simply choose to be identified as a descendant of a broader group, such as 'National Founders of America', or 'National Founders of Canada', or other broad generic cluster, or may choose the group, according to his or her research, which is the preferred group or this Member's ancestors. This might be, for example, a particular family surname. The group or cluster designation will be negotiated by the member. NFFG will accept any genealogically sound designation, which is provided by the new Senior Member or Affiliate Member.

The new Member's submitted records will be posted online by NFFG, for no extra cost to the new member. This will open the possibility of contact from lost or unknown cousins who browse to the information, and may help establish new, unknown, family lines. As is necessary for this type of service, Senior and Forensic Members will provide genealogies from an identified Founder to themselves. As many details as possible, will be provided for each step of ancestry: parents' names and vitals; places, dates, and known events of interest, etc. NO identifiable or sensitive information should be submitted for living persons.

Senior Membership is a high level of Membership.

The above ten benefits describe the main benefits associated with Senior Membership. Senior Members, by joining NFFG, are indicating a belief in the core concept of Founding Family Genealogy, as expressed by NFFG. Senior Members will receive the Certificate and CD by mail, after the records which they submit, are checked and entered into the main NFFG database. (Review details and restrictions of use of the family CD by clicking here). This process of verification, called 'startup time', will be less than the amount supplied to Forensic Members, and will not exceed three hours of genealogical research - this three free hours of startup time, is in addition to the free research request time. If desired, the CD and/or Certificate may be omitted, upon request, and the new Senior or Forensic Member may receive instead an EXTRA HOUR of free research request time. The process of integrating the new Member's family tree into the NFFG database, will generate a unique ID number for the new Senior (or Forensic) Member, which will be shown on the Member's Certificate. The new Member's information will be retained in the NFFG archives and posted at the NFFG online website. No information, even names, will be shown for living persons. For reasons of privacy, do not submit any significant or identifiable information on living persons. If you do, such information will not be retained by NFFG. If you ever see any information on living or recently deceased persons at the NFFG online Family Tree, which is offensive to you for reasons of privacy invasion, please advise with reasons, and we will investigate, and may remove such information. Senior Members are entitled to three hours of free genealogical research request time, and such requests may be submitted at any time during the year of membership. The Senior Membership may be renewed annually, and the right to copy will continue, but the right to submit free Research Requests is NOT renewed; a unit of Help must be purchased after the first membership year expires. See more information on Help at the main website page. The price of a Senior Membership with NFFG, is a one-time cost of $125.00, and optional annual renewal fee of $25.00.

Caution: If you will be providing a set of family records which has many areas of uncertainty or missing details, or if you will be expecting NFFG to provide considerable help, then you should choose Forensic Membership, with its higher amount of NFFG intervention. If you are involved in a major dispute or 'grey area' about certain points in your family tree, and expect NFFG to help resolve matters, then you should choose Forensic Membership. If the set of records which you will be sending is in good order, then Senior Membership will be sufficient.

Senior Members will be advised when the one-year renewal time approaches. If a Senior Member does not renew, he or she remains a Past Member, but loses all copy and use rights, and all rights to submit genealogical requests. Senior Members may upgrade to Forensic Status at any time, by paying the difference between the two levels, which are in use at the time of upgrade. Ready to order? Click here to go to the Order area.

Forensic Membership is the highest level of membership.

Forensic Members, by joining NFFG, are indicating a belief in the core concept of Founding Family Genealogy, as expressed by NFFG. As implied by the name, Forensic Members may expect to gain a higher degree of detail, research and certainty from membership with NFFG.

Forensic Members also receive, in addition to the above ten benefits:

A higher degree of research is provided by NFFG, of the ancestral records which the new Member provides to NFFG, including research on maternal lineages which are often ignored in the common quest for surname genealogy.

A wider range of sources will be consulted in this forensic process. This process of verification will be MORE EXTENSIVE than that supplied to Senior Members, and will exceed three hours of genealogical research, up to a maximum of eight hours - this eight hours of startup time is in addition to the free research request time. All information discovered by NFFG will then become a part of the new Forensic Member's family tree. All information will be shown at the NFFG Online Family Tree, and the new Forensic Member will be cited as the source (if so preferred by the new Member). This is the real benefit of Forensic Membership. Just the research on the submitted records, may amount to ten hours of work, which is not deducted from the new Forensic Member's research total. Also, the new Member may SPECIFY which individuals or situations are to be researched.

Forensic Members are entitled to eight hours of free genealogical research request time, and such requests may be submitted at any time during the year of membership.

The Forensic Membership may be renewed annually, and the right to copy will continue, but the right to submit free Research Requests is NOT renewed; a unit of Help must be purchased after the first membership year expires. See more information on Help at the main website page.

The price of a Forensic Membership with NFFG, is a one-time cost of $175.00, and optional annual renewal fee of $25.00. Forensic Members will be advised when the one-year renewal time approaches. If a Forensic Member does not renew, he or she remains a Past Member, but loses all copy and use rights, and all rights to submit genealogical requests. Ready to order? Click here to go to the Order area.

NFFG is the genealogical arm of DFNW, Descendants of the Founders of the New World, registered copyright,

simply the name on our business registration form.

Members of NFFG are also members, without charge or obligation, of DFNW.

Sample of CD cover - - Sample of Certificate for Senior and Forensic Members.

Click here to see details and restrictions of use of a Family CD.

Both items may be omitted by request, and replaced by additional free research time.

Membership Options

Note about payments for Memberships: you will see below, hot links in blue, where you may click to go to Pay Pal to make payment. If there is any problem with any of these links, or if you prefer to avoid Pay Pal and join by regular postal mail, please send us a message by clicking here.

An Important Tip to New Members who use Pay Pal: when you finally choose a level of membership, make the decision to join, and submit payment, we will receive a notice of your payment from Pay Pal. We will then contact you, within 24 hours. In your first reply to that message from us, please indicate EXACTLY which person or family, from the NFFG online family tree, is connected to your family tree. Include the names and dates. Indicate ALL information of which you are aware, and advise of ANY disputes or controversies may surround the family tree which you are developing with NFFG. (There are a few disputes out there). After this first message from you, following your PayPal payment, we will let you know how to best proceed.

All Pay Pal payments are in U.S. dollars.

Once payments are made, there are usually no refunds. Review the information on refunds.

Option 1: Join as an Affiliate Member. Click here to review the description of an Affiliate Membership. The fee for NFFG Affiliate Membership is $45.00. Please click here to make this payment online at PayPal. We will follow up with an email message, which will show you how to proceed, upon our receipt of the payment.

Option 2: Join as a Senior Member. Click here to review the description of a Senior Membership. The fee for NFFG Senior Membership is $125.00 Please click here to make this payment at PayPal. We will follow up with an email message, which will show you how to proceed, upon our receipt of the payment.

Option 3: Join as a Forensic Member. Click here to review the description of a Forensic Membership. The fee for NFFG Forensic Membership is $175.00 Please click here to make this payment at PayPal. We will follow up with an email message, which will show you how to proceed, upon our receipt of the payment.

Note about the Family CD which is provided with Senior and Forensic Memberships: Click here to see a sample of the package. The CD is provided for the member's personal use only, and information on it may not be shared with anyone. The family CD represents thousands of hours of private research and assembly by NFFG. Your CD is guaranteed to work perfectly with your FTM software, version 4.4 or later, or we will replace the CD, free, at once. The CD includes a copy of the full family database in FTM format, and a second copy in gedcom format. The gedcom version does not contain images, but may be used with any genealogical software. If you choose the CD, you should carefully follow the instructions which come on the CD, to exchange and mix files successfully. The cost includes two free updates of the CD within two years (payment for postage is required), if there are changes in your ancestry which appear on the web site, due to new information which arrives. Simply request it when you see changes to your family line at the web site, if any should appear.

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