About Us

In 2007, Cafi Cohen and Cheryl Storton founded Bridge To Yesterday to create one-stop- shopping for professional genealogy research and heritage book layout and publishing. “We do the Research – We make it Beautiful.”

Cafi Cohen

Cafi Cohen earned degrees in chemistry (UCLA) and medical technology (University of North Dakota), and spent many years in a variety of professional pursuits – from laboratory research and piano teaching to promoting home education as an author and nationwide speaker.

In 1995, Cafi began researching her family to learn about her maternal grandmother. Within a year, she was hooked on growing her family tree. She has followed her ancestral lines from California, the Midwest, the old south, and New England to Scotland, France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy. Researching her husband’s Jewish family – immigrants from Poland, Romania, and Russia to New York City and Texas – broadened her experience.

Since 2007, Cafi has completed more than 40 family history books and dozens of research projects for Bridge To Yesterday clients, whose ancestors hailed from diverse locations, including New York City, St. Louis, Houston, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Hawaii, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ireland, England, and Germany.

Cafi specializes in post-1800 United States genealogy. Drawing on a trusted network of professional researchers nationwide, she prefers large multi-location genealogical research projects. Her geographic specialties include New York City, California, Texas, and the Midwest.

As Education Chair of the San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society for 12 years, Cafi has presented sessions on research techniques, organization, immigration, and genealogy on the Internet. She has volunteered hundreds of hours as a principal organizer of the semi-annual San Luis Obispo County Genealogy Seminar. In 2003, she received the California State Genealogical Alliance Distinguished Service Award.

Genealogy Education Highlights

National Genealogical Society (NGS) American Genealogy Home Study Course
National Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR), Washington, DC
Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR), Birmingham, Alabama
- “Advanced Methodology”
- “Land Records: Using Maps”
Salt Lake Institute of Genealogical Research (SLIG), Salt Lake City, Utah
- “Advanced Methodology”
Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston, Massachusetts
ProGen Study Group
National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) Study Group

Professional Affiliations

Cheryl Storton

Cheryl Storton started researching her family history over 30 years ago and has been passionate about genealogy ever since. For the last ten years she has been expanding her research capabilities by attending many classes, institutes, and conferences. She is currently working towards BCG certification.

She is a graduate of the National Institute of Genealogical Research (NIGR) in Washington, D.C., the “Advanced Methodology” course at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and “Intermediate Research” at the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Studies (IGHR) at Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama. Cheryl completes ProGen, an 18 month professional genealogy cooperative study group, in September, 2011.

Cheryl’s professional research subjects include Jewish immigrants, early Spanish settlers of California, and Canadians, in addition to midwesterners and other U. S. groups.

Her experience at research repositories includes:

National Archives and Record Administration (NARA), Washington DC
Arkansas History Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas
DAR Library, Washington, DC
Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Los Angeles Public Library and Los Angeles County Archives, Los Angeles, California
Sutro Library, San Francisco, California
Regional National Archives, San Bruno, California, and Laguna Niguel, California
Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee
Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah
Somerset Archives, Taunton, England

Cheryl also lectures for local genealogical societies. Her topics range from case studies to conducting effective census research. She presented her talk on successful adoption research, “Anything’s Possible,” at the National Genealogical Jamboree in Southern California.

Cheryl graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a B.A. in Social Science and has done graduate work at the University of California at Santa Barbara, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and the University of Northern Iowa. She has a lifetime California teaching credential and taught Junior High and High School for over ten years.

She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, lineage no. 814947, Association of Professional Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, the Saline County History and Heritage Society (Arkansas), the Utah Genealogical Association, and the San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society (SLOCGS).