Originally from Syracuse, Utah, Connell has lived in half a dozen states as well as France and Brazil, so he speaks French and Portuguese, and is also competent in reading Spanish and Latin. He took his first classes in genealogical research when he was 12 and has continued to document his own family history until the present. He has been working as a professional genealogist since 2013 and in the past has specialized in African American genealogy (both in New England and the South) but now focuses on the southern states, colonial New England, and Canada (including Loyalist and French-Canadian records). Connell also has solid experience with records in early California, colonial New Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, the Azores, Mexico, and Germany. One of his genealogical strengths is paleography – reading and transcribing old handwriting. A US history buff, he loves visiting museums, archives, and libraries. And yes, he plays a Victorian Father Christmas during the Holidays!