I'm a genealogist & historian based in Columbus, Ohio.

I'm the author of A Colossal Hoax: The Giant from Cardiff that Fooled America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008), which received a starred review from Booklist. My articles on American history have appeared in publications and journals such as New York Archives, TIMELINE (Ohio), The Readex Report, West Virginia History, Western Pennsylvania History, and Patriots of the American Revolution. I've appeared on the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum series as a subject matter expert. I graduated with honors in American history from Harvard College and have a master's degree in American Civilization from Brown University.

My first true genealogical forays came while writing my book. While trying to shed light on some very ordinary (and mysterious) figures who left behind very little of their own history, I ultimately unlocked their life stories through census and voting records, court records, vital records, land deeds, contracts, wills, and more.

In the later context of my own family research, I spent countless hours tracing my ancestors from New England back to the United Kingdom & Ireland, along the way becoming intimately familiar with the historical records, geographical nuances, as well as immigration/emigration patterns of the British Isles.

I've since helped more than 100 clients from all over the world reach their family history goals.

I would love to shed light on your ancestors and solve your nagging family mysteries. I love a good historical puzzle. Get in touch and let's talk about your project!
 

Geographic Specialities

• United States
• England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)
• Ireland
• Canada
• Germany
• Switzerland
• Poland
• Austria
• Ukraine
• Italy
• Denmark
• Sweden
• Norway

Testimonials

"I highly recommend Scott's work. Scott was super responsive, took the time to clearly understand what I was hoping to "unravel.” I was so thrilled to receive my report from Scott. It was such a lovely story about my family — much more information than I was finding. The end result was a lovely narrative of my family tree, one that all my family members enjoyed reading and learning from!" – Lisa, Washington, USA

"Working with Scott on my family tree back into the 1600s' first immigrant into America has indeed been a pleasure. I am continually amazed at his thoroughness and skill at digging into previously unknown sources. And beyond that, his genuine enthusiasm has enhanced my genealogical journey." – Bob, California, USA

"Choosing a genealogist to 'unravel the past' can come with some uncertainties. However, we found our choice to go with Scott to be an excellent fit for our family! From the start, Scott exhibited an impressive dedication to his profession. Superb follow-through as well. Such a precious gift it is to honor our loved ones with long-awaited answers to questions we were unable to answer on our own. What an amazing journey! Many thanks to Scott for making it happen!" – Elizabeth, Kansas, USA

"I found Scott's research to be outstanding, professional and very inclusive. I am very pleased to say that Scott's work was so satisfying to me, that I have [engaged him for] further research on this line of my family. I fully anticipate that I will use [Scott] to research several additional lines of my family heritage." – Larry, Maryland, USA

"After hitting a brick wall in attempts to determine my Irish great-grandfather’s family, I asked Scott for help. I needed someone who had access to documents in the 1800s in the U.S. and Ireland. Scott set a scope of work that fit the next steps for research and my budget. His reports described in detail his work completed. I look forward to continuing with him in the near future." – Barbara, Missouri, USA

"As a gift for our father, we three children enlisted Scott to research our family ten generations ago prior to leaving Scotland for America. Scott provided in-depth detailed information based on historical records and genetic testing. Genetic tests can be confusing to interpret but Scott easily translated the data. We will continue to periodically engage Scott because he has been a wonderful resource for our family." – The Gordons, Ohio, USA

Publications/Media

• A Colossal Hoax: The Giant from Cardiff that Fooled America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008)
• Various entries, St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, eds. Tom & Sara Pendergast, St. James Press (2000)
• Various entries, Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, ed. Theodore Baker, Schirmer Books (2007)
• My articles on American history have appeared in publications and journals such as New York Archives, TIMELINE (Ohio), The Readex Report, West Virginia History, Western Pennsylvania History, and Patriots of the American Revolution.

Research Time Periods

• 20th Century
• 19th Century
• 18th Century
• 17th Century

Degrees

• M.A. in American Civilization, Brown University
• B.A. in History, Harvard University