Elizabeth Drembus

As Genealogist, Elizabeth is leading efforts to identify and document — from the 18th through the 21st centuries — the genealogical lines of all known Williamsburg Bray School students. Employing best practices in genealogical research, she traces and documents the family lines of those associated with the Williamsburg Bray School. As part of this work, she engages and partners with known and potential descendants of Bray School students, supporting them in their own family history research through one-on-one collaboration, presentations, and genealogy workshops. 

Prior to joining William & Mary’s Bray School Lab, Elizabeth was a genealogist for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), specializing in patriots of color and the lineages to their descendants. She was also a member of the research team for the Virginia Theological Seminary’s Reparations Research Project, where she researched the antebellum period to find the names of enslaved persons who worked at the Seminary and searched for their descendants. 

Elizabeth earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and French from Indiana University. She is a member of the National Genealogical Society and holds a certificate from the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records.