▁began ▁dig ging ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁after ▁he ▁purchased ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁he ▁informed ▁King ▁George ▁VI ▁about ▁develop ments ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁Further ▁exc av ations ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁not ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁successful . ▁ ▁Rest all ▁family ▁and ▁Robert ▁Dun field ▁( 1 9 5 9 – 1 9 6 6 ) ▁▁ ▁Robert ▁Rest all , ▁his ▁ 1 8 - year - old ▁son , ▁and ▁work ▁partner ▁Kar le ▁Gra es er , ▁came ▁to ▁Oak ▁Island ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁after ▁signing ▁a ▁contract ▁with ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁property ▁own ers . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁they ▁tried ▁to ▁se al ▁what ▁was ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁storm ▁d rain ▁in ▁Smith ' s ▁C ove ▁and ▁d ug ▁a ▁sh aft ▁down ▁to ▁. ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 7 , ▁Rest all ▁was ▁overcome ▁by ▁hydro gen ▁sul f ide ▁f umes . ▁His ▁son ▁then ▁went ▁down ▁the ▁sh aft , ▁and ▁also ▁lost ▁conscious ness . ▁Gra es er ▁and ▁two ▁others , ▁Cy ril ▁H ilt z ▁and ▁Andy ▁De Mont , ▁then ▁attempted ▁to ▁save ▁the ▁two ▁men . ▁A ▁visitor ▁to ▁the ▁site , ▁Edward ▁White , ▁had ▁himself ▁lower ed ▁on ▁a ▁ro pe ▁into ▁the ▁sh aft ▁but ▁was