Brad Quinlin
Brad Quinlin is a professional historian, author and film advisor.
Brad is well known for his genealogical research, Civil War tour guide experience, military research and volunteer work. He is in particular well regarded for his volunteer service with Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Kennesaw, Georgia and Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, GA. He is also known for his volunteer service with the non-profit association Wreaths Across America. Brad has been the volunteer Historian for Marietta National Cemetery since 19**
Early Life
Brad grew up in Massachusetts and during his early childhood would gather with friends doing baseball statistics, research and history of baseball. This passion would eventually lead him to other projects.
Career
Brad spent much of his life working in the management, retail grocery and vending arena. He began his historical research career after researching his family tree in which he was to discover that his 6th Great Grandfather, Landren Eggers, was a Revolutionary War veteran. (Which unit?).
Brad also discovered his 7th Great Grandfather, Nathaniel Greene (where served?). Brads 3rd Great Grandfather, John J. James was father to brothers Frank & Jessed James and served in the 93rd Indiana Infantry during the Siege of Vicksburg in the American Civil War. John J. James is buried in and “Unknown” grave, along with 13,000 other unknown soldiers, in Vicksburg National Cemetery in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
By word of mouth people started contacting Brad, asking him to do genealogical research for their family history. Researching for his book “Duty Well Performed” about the 21st Ohio Infantry during the Civil War he met with over 400 descendants of the regiment who were thankful for his research. Brad describes it as an opportunity that offers “mutual admiration”.
Brad was approached by Edna Hendrick, descendent of 21st Ohio solder David Huffman who offered to show him her ancestors Civil War memorabilia such as *****. Brad described seeing the memorabilia, and meeting Edna Hendrick as a “life changing moment to become friends with her”.
Through research Brad discovered letters from David Huffman’s who served with him at the Battle of Chickamauga. David, who was only ** at the time, lied about his age in order to enlist in the Union Army, and since he was shorter than his fellow soldiers, purchase a tall hat in order to make himself look older.
In the letter his friend would write “Young David was standing next to me on line. September 20th the Rebels attacked and I heard a thud. Young David fell to the ground and I thought we had lost him forever. Then he stood back up, loading and firing, shouting at the Rebs. The only injury young David was he was missing his new hat, had a crease down his hairline. We never heard young David complain about being short again because if he would have been 3 inches” taller he would have been killed”.
Film Career Gettysburg as a background actor Glory
After completing work on these two films Brad began receiving multiple invitations and in 1994 was offered his first speaking part in Perfect Tribute. Who Do You Think You Think You Are In 2009 Brad was contacted by Lisa Kudrow, famous for her portrayal of Kim on the hit television series “Friends”. According to Brad, she contacted him because help was needed on this project she had been working on and had been told “Brad Quinlin knows more about dead Yankees in the Atlanta Campaign than anyone else”.
Who Do You Think You Think You are is a series about finding celebrities family genealogies. Brad was tasked with finding information about Robert Martindale who served in the Atlanta Campaign with the 20th Connecticut Infantry and was killed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1864. Robert Martindale is the Great, Great Grandfather of actor Matthew Broderick.
During his research through over 10,000 documents Brad was able to determine Robert Martindale was killed during the Battle of Peachtree Creek and is buried in Marietta National Cemetery, Section D2469. Brad was able to take Matthew Broderick to within 100 yard of where his grandfather was killed. Brad also took Matthew to the site where his body was buried after the battle, then where he was later reinterred in Marietta National Cemetery. Brad described this day with Matthew as “very emotional”. After the Who Do You Think You Think episode aired Brad received, in an hour and a half, over 900 emails from people wanting him to research their family history.
Volunteer Work Confederate Cemetery Monuments 2013 Andersonville Calvin H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Center 2001
Ongoing Research
This Wikipedia page is currently being updated to reflect Brads successful efforts to earn two Civil War soldiers the Medal of Honor. They both were part part of the Great Locomotive Chase in Kennesaw, Georgia. The families of George Davenport Wilson and Philip "Perry" Gephart Shadrach will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in Washington D.C. on July 3rd, 2024