I have experience in helping my own family do some research; one genealogy project even turned into a small book that was published for family members. I am more than happy to help you or to give you pointers in the right direction. Paid sites are good but sometimes you may just want to start with some free sites to help you get started. Here are a few of the great sites to get you started. If you wish to have me do further research, feel free and ask!
The U.S. GenWeb Project is one of the original genealogy websites and it is also free.
FamilySearch.org is organized and managed by the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints and is also free.
FindAGrave may sound like a morbid way to start, but it is a totally free and excellent resource for finding millions of graves around the world. You can find records, photos, and sometimes full obituaries that may help you find what you are looking for.
Ancestry.com is one of the top rated sites for a reason; it has multiple research tools and records to search through. It is a paid site.
AARP's 15 Great Websites for Genealogy Research is another great resource to help you find online genealogy sites.