James A. McQuiston, FSAScot
I have appeared on The Curse of Oak Island and The Curse of Oak Island: Drilling Down TV shows about a dozen times and have continued to work very closely with the Oak Island team. I feel very honored to have my quote on their museum wall, and my books on their shelves, but mostly to be able to stay in constant contact with them and have my theories so well respected.
I am shown here holding two of my latest books, Oak Island And New Ross and Oak Island Curses, Codes And Secret Societies. Like all of my books, these two reveal even more hidden history connected to Oak Island. They were followed closely by my ninth and last Oak Island book Oak Island Knights Templar and Freemasonry. I have been researching and writing about Scotland for most of my life. Due to my authorship of books, magazine articles and websites, I was nominated as a Fellow with the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 2014. This organization was established in 1780 and works closely with the National Museums of Scotland and the National Records of Scotland. This is perhaps the highest honor an independent researcher of Scottish history could achieve. My letter of acceptance is shown below. I have redacted a few items for privacy for both me and the Society, but the letter does show my December 2014 acceptance into this group of Scottish historians. Being honored with this fellowship has also allowed me much easier access to the British Museum, the National Archives of the UK, and several other historical organizations. I have done research in Scotland and Nova Scotia, including at the Nova Scotia Archives and the College of Geographic Sciences. |
The photos above show me standing below my quote which appears in the Oak Island Interpretive Centre, and next to that is me and my friend Rick Lagina.
In 1965, like many other young people, I read the Reader's Digest article on Oak Island. Although I was fascinated with the mystery, it wasn't until October of 2016 that I realized that my extended family's title of Premier Knight Baronet of Nova Scotia might have something to do with the Oak Island story.
I contacted the folks on Oak Island with a small amount of information, which was met by requests for further research that continue even today.
Along the way, it was suggested that I write first one book, and then another.
After being invited back, in 2018, to discuss my second book, so much new information was found that I decided on my own that I needed to write my third book on Oak Island. This book, Oak Island Knights, tells what I believe to be the Who, What, When, and Why of the Oak Island mystery.
After my visit to the war room in 2019 my theory ranked #6 out of the top 25 theories.
At the end of the 2021 season, Rick stated on-air: "When you ask the who, what, when, where, why and how, I think James, above all the others, really deals with that… I can tell you what, James is not giving up."
I have now written six more books, all non-fiction, that reveal some amazing facts, and one historical novel based on my findings.
I carry out regular, ongoing research for the team, which actually happens almost weekly. You can read the bulk of that research in my nine Oak Island books.
In 1965, like many other young people, I read the Reader's Digest article on Oak Island. Although I was fascinated with the mystery, it wasn't until October of 2016 that I realized that my extended family's title of Premier Knight Baronet of Nova Scotia might have something to do with the Oak Island story.
I contacted the folks on Oak Island with a small amount of information, which was met by requests for further research that continue even today.
Along the way, it was suggested that I write first one book, and then another.
After being invited back, in 2018, to discuss my second book, so much new information was found that I decided on my own that I needed to write my third book on Oak Island. This book, Oak Island Knights, tells what I believe to be the Who, What, When, and Why of the Oak Island mystery.
After my visit to the war room in 2019 my theory ranked #6 out of the top 25 theories.
At the end of the 2021 season, Rick stated on-air: "When you ask the who, what, when, where, why and how, I think James, above all the others, really deals with that… I can tell you what, James is not giving up."
I have now written six more books, all non-fiction, that reveal some amazing facts, and one historical novel based on my findings.
I carry out regular, ongoing research for the team, which actually happens almost weekly. You can read the bulk of that research in my nine Oak Island books.