In 2015\, when Allison Lawrentz Barnhart g ave her father an at-home DNA test\, she had no idea it would unravel ever ything she thought she knew about his side of the family. The results reve aled an alternate family story\, leading her on an unexpected journey to u nderstand the truth about her paternal grandmother and the hidden connecti ons that shaped their family&rsquo\;s past.
\nA decade later\, Allis on has turned this experience into \;The Record Keeper: The Unfolding of a Family Secret in the Age of Genetic Genealogy\, published in July 202 4 by Legacy Book Press. With the help of her newly discovered cousin Jenni fer\, extended family\, her late grandmother&rsquo\;s best friend\, and a collection of old keepsakes\, she pieces together a surprising truth: her father&rsquo\;s biological father was not who they believed\, but a siding salesman turned family friend with a complicated and shady past. Along th e way\, she also uncovers seven sisters her father never knew he had as we ll as learning about deep Scandinavian roots.
\nThis memoir explores themes of identity\, family secrets\, and generational memory\, reflectin g on how relationships can be shaped by both hidden truths and shared hist ory. Through her research and writing\, Allison works to better understand her grandmother&rsquo\;s life and the lasting impact of the choices made by previous generations.
\nAllison Lawrentz Barnhart grew up in Ashl and\, Ohio\, and graduated from Ashland University which included a year i ntensive at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Although she&rsquo\;s a full- time graphic designer\, genealogy research has been her constant love sinc e grade-school. With the encouragement of her relatives in all branches of the tree\, she has been on a decades-long mission to not only build her o wn family&rsquo\;s story and write about it\, but to help others find joy in discovering their origins and tell their stories.
\nHer first boo k\, a memoir entitled \;The Record Keeper: The Unfolding of a Family S ecret in the Age of Genetic Genealogy \;was published in July 2024 by Legacy Book Press and was featured on the Ohio Genealogical Society&rsquo\ ;s podcast Ohio Roots and in the Mar/Apr 2025 issue of Family Tree Magazin e. Allison is a member of the Ohio Genealogical Society as well as the Ash land County Chapter of the OGS\, residing in Ashland\, Ohio\, with her hus band\, their two children\, a rescue mini-dachshund\, and an orange tabby they found in their garage one day.
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