THE BRICK WALL
PROTOCOLGENEALOGY · BEYOND THE SEARCH BOX
An open archival ledger, a map and a microfilm reel in warm library light
A FIELD GUIDE TO GETTING UNSTUCK

Stop searching
the same place.

Find overlooked family-history records, learn who holds them, and plan your next research step. Use practical guides and document examples to separate a promising clue from a supported conclusion.

LOOK BEYOND THE INDEX.
Practical steps. Original records. Better questions.13 research protocols   /   One new direction
MEET YOUR GUIDE

Start with who kept the record.

I’m Jeremy VanMeter. Ten years of municipal clerk experience shape how I approach family history: who created a record, why it exists, and where it might be kept. Here, I turn that perspective into practical research steps.

Meet Jeremy and see the approach
WATCH A REAL EXAMPLE

A name search missed these records.

A 1926 Ohio fence dispute reveals names, addresses, and neighboring property in township minutes.

See what changed when AI read the same census twice.

Watch the 5-minute example
FREE RESEARCH GUIDES

Find a collection worth opening.

Explore 485 county guides covering every county in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Michigan, plus Philippines, Volga German and Jewish genealogy starting guides. Find selected collections, practical access notes and questions to ask before requesting a record. Sources and unresolved access details are identified in each guide.

Browse research guides
THE BRICK WALL CASE FILE

Keep your research
ready to continue.

When a family-history question takes months or years to answer, keep track of what you found, what remains uncertain, and what to try next.

Editable Word worksheets, printable PDFs, a fictional worked example, and an optional AI companion. Use it for any family line.

One-time purchase through Gumroad or Etsy. Applicable taxes may be added. The repository guides above remain free.

Brick Wall Case File toolkit preview, showing the case overview and Where I left off worksheets
Keep the evidence, the gaps, and your next step together.
THE BRICK WALL PROTOCOL ON YOUTUBE

A short video. A new direction.

Watch the Short. Open the protocol. Follow the evidence.