Tobias History Research is a premier provider of history research and archive management services. We conduct exceptional history and genealogy research for individuals, organizations, content creators, educators, and others. We also provide consultation services for families and organizations interested in collecting, managing, sharing and/or preserving their archival collections.

With 20+ years of professional research experience, founder Vicki Tobias guides and provides clients with thorough results. Her time working for leading historical organizations, supporting a wide range of clients and projects, and teaching graduate-level courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison iSchool has given her a deep and varied research toolbox and a fresh perspective on genealogy inquiries.

Founded in 2016. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, but conducts research throughout North America.

About Vicki Tobias

She/Her

Vicki Tobias is passionate about genealogy and historical research, and sharing her expertise with students and clients alike. Over 25+ years of professional experience, she’s gained a reputation for a thoughtful and enthusiastic approach to research, and a breadth of knowledge acquired through years of work for and with libraries, archives, and local history organizations. Tobias History Research was born out of a desire to share this knowledge and excitement for genealogy with a larger audience, but also to help her clients better understand the research process and the time and skills necessary to provide quality results.

Vicki's expertise is backed by a master's degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She's put her education and experience to work for esteemed organizations like the Wisconsin Historical Society, University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center, UW-Madison Archives, and WiLS/Recollection Wisconsin. Since 2016, Vicki has mentored the next generation of knowledge workers, teaching graduate-level courses in genealogy, preservation, and archives management for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School.

Through Tobias History Research, Vicki has worked on a wide range of projects, including helping families build family trees, consulting on DNA genealogy test results, researching community history for publications and tours, researching manuscript collections for documentarians and scholars, digitizing photos and artifacts for community and family celebrations, and more. More recent projects include in-depth archives research supporting a documentary about the history of housing inequity in the United States, family and local history research for a publication about a pioneer settler in northern Wisconsin, researching a family’s Polish origins for their dual citizenship application, and research to document property history for a historic building designation.

Vicki is active in the genealogy community. She’s a member of the National Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Norwegian-American Historical Association.

An appreciation for history blossomed in Vicki at a young age. As a ten-year-old, a friendly group of seniors invited her to join their informal genealogy group at a local library. Their passion for research and story-telling was infectious, as they patiently introduced her to microfilm machines and census records, obituaries and family group charts. Vicki was hooked.

Vicki carries this appreciation into her work today, treating each project as an opportunity to build a more meaningful, personal pathway for learning about the past and understanding the present. She conducts her work with passion, empathy, and respect.

From her research and like many of us, Vicki comes from complicated and fascinating lines of families, farmers, factory workers, and soldiers; immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Pomerania, and Wales who settled throughout the Upper Midwest in the 1800s. In her free time, Vicki enjoys hiking, biking, and other outdoor shenanigans, and, no surprise, seeking out obscure local history museums. Dogs, gardening, and musical endeavors fill out her days in Madison, Wisconsin.

Learn More About Vicki on LinkedIn

"Some people can be described as Swiss Army Knives; maybe they have a saw and a spoon and a pair of tin tweezers. If Vicki was a knife, she'd have the full complement of sharp tools, plus a satellite dish, a USB thumb drive, the complete works of Shakespeare and a couple of winter hats.

She isn't well-rounded or a generalist so much as she's curious enough for four people."

Values

Best Effort: While I cannot guarantee answers to every research question, I do my best by the APG Code of Ethics and Professional Practices and NGS Guidelines. In the face of a difficult research question, I problem-solve to find the answer. If I cannot answer your specific research question, I'll follow up with suggestions for continuing the quest.

Creativity: I employ creative, client-specific research methods.

Compassion: Digging into the past can uncover unpleasant or unexpected information. I deliver research results thoughtfully and with empathy.

Respect for Privacy: I value my clients' trust. I will never share sensitive project information without your explicit permission.

Belief in the Importance of History: I'm passionate about this work because learning about the past can help people live with more respect and empathy in the present.