History never stays buried.
Dead ends. Silenced stories. Forgotten graves. When the paper trail goes cold, I step in.
I investigate unresolved family history and unseal stories lost to time using archival analysis, specialized technology, and boots-on-the-ground fieldwork.
If your search has gone cold or you’ve hit a dead end in the archives, I don't just search—I dig deeper.
It starts with The Grave Survey—a free 20-minute case review where you share what you know, and I help you map the next step.
Stories UnEarthed.
The Case Files of The Grave Guy™
Through fieldwork, forgotten burial records, and genetic genealogy, I uncover the stories that refuse to stay buried. This is the journal of my ongoing work—from cold cases to historical recoveries.
Case Files & Evidence
The truth is usually hiding in the overlooked details.
From DNA breakthroughs to Civil War casualties, these aren’t just names on a chart — they’re cold cases solved. This is the standard I apply to your family history when the trail runs cold.
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![Close-up of DNA double helix strands with a dark background.]()
The 50-Year Silence.
My journey began with my own cold case. After five decades of unanswered questions, I used advanced genetic genealogy to identify my biological father. Today, I use those same forensic methods to untangle the strands in your DNA results.
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![A military cemetery with white headstones on green grass, an American flag, and trees in the background under a partly cloudy sky.]()
The Silent Witness.
A name on a spreadsheet isn't enough. From overgrown rural churchyards to sprawling national cemeteries, I have photographed over 2,000 stones to verify locations, document conditions, and ensure the forgotten are finally found.
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![Snow-covered trees in a foggy mountainous landscape]()
Survival in the Storm.
The family story said he was a soldier. The records proved he was a survivor. Buried in Colorado and Wyoming Civil War files, I uncovered the near-fatal ordeal of my 2nd great-grandfather trapped in a Rocky Mountain blizzard—a dramatic history nearly lost to time.
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![Civil war reenactors dressed in blue uniforms firing muskets in a grassy field with trees in the background.]()
Killed in Action: Resaca.
The regimental histories held the truth. By correlating battlefield reports with muster rolls, I pinpointed the exact land where my 3rd great-grandfather fell during the 1864 Battle of Resaca, turning a missing ancestor into a documented casualty of war.
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![A vintage newspaper clipping with an illustration of a child's face with curly hair, surrounded by text promoting helping children find homes, with contact information for the home office in Columbus, Ohio.]()
The Lost Children
They were "adopted out" and erased from the family narrative. Through deep archival work and newspaper analysis, I reconnected generations of separated children, proving that even when names change, the paper trail remains.
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![Historical hand-drawn map of Township N XV, Range N XIV, showing divisions, coordinates, and water features, with grid lines and handwritten notes.]()
The Missing Signature.
History is often hidden in what remains unsigned. Investigating an 1813 land patent for Bennett Suttles revealed a 213-year-old clerical error that left a property title imperfect for over a century. By digging beyond the digital index, I unsealed the forensic evidence that standard databases missed.
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![Various antique ceramic and clay jars and pots outdoors on grass.]()
The Potter’s Trail.
History is often written in the objects we leave behind. By tracing a migration of rustic potteries from Ohio to Texas, I reconstructed a family legacy of craftsmanship, trade routes, and the clay that bound them together.
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The Forgotten 250.
A major historical recovery. Combining 1938 aerial imagery with infirmary records, my investigation into a Clinton County obscure lot helped identify the resting place of at least 250 unmarked individuals. My 4th-great-grandfather, an early settler of the county, was among the lost.
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![A wooden marker sign with the name Samuel Suttles, showing the years 1833 and 1864, and the text 'Muskingum to Clinton County, Ohio', placed on a wooden surface with a dark background.]()
Written in Wood.
Sometimes the best records aren't on paper. I located an 1858 contract dispute that preserved a rare whiskey barrel maker’s signature—transforming a legal footnote into a tangible family heirloom.
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![University of Cincinnati campus with a green lawn, trees, historic buildings, and a sign reading 'University of Cincinnati' in the foreground during a cloudy day.]()
Deep Archive Recovery.
The internet only scratches the surface. From University special collections to the Ohio History Connection, I physically pull the workhouse ledgers, military rolls, and county court packets that digitization left behind.
Ready to open the file on your family?
It starts with The Grave Survey — a free 20-minute consultation where we review what you have and plot the course forward.
Meet The Grave Guy™
Genealogist • Field Researcher • Historical Investigator
I don’t just study history—I go where it happened.
While most research happens behind a screen, the truth is often found in a missed clue or out in the field. I bridge the gap between digital databases and the physical landscape your ancestors inhabited.
With decades of experience in investigative research and data analysis, I bring the precision of a specialist and the persistence of an investigator to every case.
Whether it’s a forgotten soldier, a lost record, or a mystery passed down for generations, I examine the evidence to unseal the stories that others miss.
There is an obscure lot on the southeast edge of Wilmington, Ohio that most people drive past without a second look. At least 250 people are buried there — in a cemetery the county has never officially recognized. That investigation is what finally pushed me to go professional.