The Past Lane

The Past Lane is a genealogy research service based in Wayne County, Ohio, specializing in family history in the county and nearby Ashland, Holmes, Medina, Stark, and Summit Counties. The region lies along a westward migration route from Pennsylvania, and families may have settled there for generations or stayed only temporarily before moving on. Researcher Cheryl Brown Abernathy helps clients investigate ancestors’ births, deaths, marriages, and other details of their lives.

Her services include in-depth research, specific record look-ups, lineage society paperwork, and consultations. The Past Lane encourages people to begin by speaking with relatives and tracing their family one generation at a time, then seek outside research when they need help finding further answers. While the main focus is the Wayne County area and its neighboring counties, Cheryl may travel to other Ohio counties as research needs arise.

The service offers a focused way to explore family connections and local history through records and research, helping clients build on what they already know about their ancestors