International Genealogical Search

The Long Lost Grandson 

Objective: Find long-lost grandson who hadn’t been seen in 43-years

Year: 2005

Overview: IGS was contacted by a trust officer who needed help in establishing whether a recently deceased man called John *** had fathered any children. Before his death, John had lived in the northeast of America and was the beneficiary of a significant trust fund.

Challenges: Widow of deceased man reluctant to talk

• John’s widow, Nancy, did not want to speak about her family
• We eventually discover why; their son had been killed years earlier
• Nancy reveals she had a grandson but hadn’t seen him in years

It took a while for us to gain Nancy’s trust as it was still very painful for the 96-year old widow to talk about her past and the death of her son. Eventually, she told us that she had a daughter called Mary who lived in Canada. We contacted the daughter and found out that her nephew was called Maurice and may be living in Utah. It didn’t take us long to track him down thanks in part to his unusual surname.

Results: Maurice, our missing heir, is found! Rightful heirship is proven.
Maurice was truly overwhelmed to hear that he had a grandma and aunt who were both alive and well. After 43-years apart, the three were finally able to connect.  Maurice’s aunt Mary recalls the day IGS told her that we had found Maurice:
’Your call yesterday, asking about Maurice, was a call from God!’