Welcome to Black Sheep.
I love to research and tell family stories and am committed to helping tell yours in a way that is accurate, ethical, and accessible.
The idea of Black Sheep comes from my father, who was something of a black sheep in his family. The Wolfes were farmers—Dad’s father had farmed and so had his grandfather and great-grandfather, an Irish immigrant. In fact, going all the way back to his great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Dad was the first not to work the land. He taught history instead. As if that weren’t enough, he was also the first to leave the Catholic Church and the first to marry someone who wasn’t Irish.
And yet I think it’s because he was a black sheep that my dad so eagerly sought out family connections. He was a family historian in his own right and a first-rate storyteller. The work I do at Black Sheep is in his honor.
I have earned a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. In addition, I am a member of the Virginia Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the author of several books. I have an MFA in nonfiction writing from the University of Iowa, and for almost twelve years I edited Encyclopedia Virginia, a project of Virginia Humanities.
See my own family history work, then email me to talk more about how Black Sheep can help you tell your family’s stories: brendanwolfe@yahoo.com.
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Brendan Wolfe
Black Sheep Genealogy
