So a couple of months back over the summer, I got into digging into the online preserved archives of the New York Times (they had quite a good deal going on for a monthly web subscription). While going way back into the 1800's/early 1900's, I was quite surprised when I began uncovering archaeological reports of giant skeletons (some well over 9ft. tall) being uncovered. With winter looming in here in the States, I may start investing more into this research project.
In the meantime, feel free to check out these screen captures I made of the various newspaper reports, in question.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Newspaper Reports
II. American Indian Tribes
I. NEWSPAPER REPORTS
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New York Times: Nov. 21, 1856
SKELETON OF A GIANT FOUND
Summary: Originally sourced from the Wheeling Times, decayed human skeletal remains were discovered in East Wheeling on the property of one Sheriff Wheeler (at his vineyard). Both the Sheriff and "a brother in the craft locale" reportedly measured the skeleton and were prepared to stand by claims that it measured 10 feet 9 inches in length. Its jaws and teeth were also claimed to be "as large as those of a horse".
The bones were then reportedly kept at the Sheriff's office.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: The published archives of The Wheeling Times could possibly provide follow-up information on this report...
New York Times: Dec. 25, 1868
Reported Discovery of a Huge Skeleton.
Summary: Originally sourced from the Dec. 18th edition of the Sank Rapids Sentinel, city quarrymen allegedly found the petrified remains of a giant human skeleton embedded in solid granite rock (with the remains, itself, further embedded in sand). The length of the skeleton was measured to be 10 feet, 9 1/2 inches, with the skull measuring 31 1/2 inches in circumference, and the femur 26 1/4 inches, etc. Estimated weight, when alive, was stated to be 906 lbs. The petrified bones, themselves, reportedly weighed 304 1/4 lbs.
No follow-up institution was named to confirm or archive the finds.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research archives of the Sank Rapids Sentinel (Minn.) for possible follow-up reports
New York Times: May 25, 1882
THE BONES OF A GIANT FOUND.
Summary: Allegedly discovered in the Red River Valley region of St. Paul, Minn., a perfectly preserved skull of "heroic size" was uncovered in a burial mound amongst the bones of male, female, and animal skeletal remains. "Abnormally large" body bones were found near the skull, as well (who was evidently deemed a giant, in the report).
A thorough investigation of the burial mound was reportedly scheduled by the Historical Society.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research possible follow-up sources with St. Paul's historical newspaper archives.
Research the archives of The Historical Society
New York Times: Nov. 12, 1883
FORTY INCHES AROUND THE SKULL.
Summary: A rather brief report emanating from Wheeling, West Virginia, where a human skull allegedly measuring 40 inches in circumference around the skull was uncovered in the process of road construction. No other bones where reportedly found nearby. The height of the skeleton was estimated to be 14 feet high.
No follow-up institution was named to confirm or archive the find.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Wheeling, or Preston County,
might have some historical archives available online...
New York Times: Oct. 3, 1892
A Race of Giants in Old Gaul.
Summary: Originally sourced from the London Globe, human bones of allegedly "double the ordinary" enormous size were found in Castelnau (Herault), and were reportedly confirmed by one Professor Kieger. While admitting they were of a "very tall race", he nonetheless found their dimensions to be abnormal and of apparent "morbid growth".
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research archives of the London Globe, as well as look into any available published notes from Professor Kieger.
New York Times: Dec. 20, 1897
WISCONSIN MOUND OPENED.
Skeleton Found of a Man Over Nine Feet High with an Enormous Skull.
Summary: Found within (at the time) one of three recently discovered mounds in Maple Creek, Wisconsin, was a human skeleton of "gigantic size". The fairly preserved bones reportedly measured over 9 ft. high, with the skull being the size of a "half bushel" measure.
Although no follow-up institution was named, it was reported that the other two mounds were soon scheduled for future excavation.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research Maple Creek newspaper archives...
New York Times: Feb. 11, 1902
GIANT SKELETONS FOUND.
Archaeologists to Send Expedition to Explore Graveyards in New Mexico Where Bodies Were Unearthed.
Summary: Antiquarians and archaeologists have announced plans of preparing an expedition in the region of Guadalupe, New Mexico, where an old burial ground reportedly yielded human skeletons of "enormous size". The bones of a frame allegedly of at least 12 feet in length were discovered in an ancient burial mound located on a local rancher's property. Among other measurements, the forearm was reportedly four feet long, while the chest had a circumference of seven feet. The rancher, Luciana Quintana, is claimed to have uncovered many other burial places and stated that "perhaps thousands" of such giant skeletons would be found. He bases this supposition on traditional stories of the early Spanish Invasion, which reportedly gives detailed knowledge concerning a race of giants who once existed in the region.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Many areas can be further researched here, included archives of Los Angeles newspaper reports, the local archives of Guadalupe and Meso Rico, as well further looking into the written historical accounts of the early Spanish Invasion.
New York Times: May 4, 1908
GIANT SKELETONS' FOUND.
Cave in Mexico Gives Up the Bones of an Ancient Race.
Summary: One Charles C. Clapp, involved in a mining business in Mexico, reportedly discovered a cave containing 200 giant skeletal remains of men, each exceeding eight feet in height. Upon arranging one of these skeletons, Clapp alleged the length of it to be 8 feet 11 inches, with a skull measurement of 18 inches (from front to back), molars big enough to "crack a coconut", and a femur bone reaching up to his thigh.
Clapp reported these finds to one Professor Agassiz. The report concluded that the remains belonged to a race of giants who predated the Aztecs.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research further into the published works of Professor Agassiz, and see whether or not there are any other published accounts of Charles Clapp's testimony.
New York Times: July 14, 1916
GIANTS' BONES IN MOUND.
Scientists Unearth Relics of Indians Who Lived 700 Years Ago.
Summary: Prof. Alanson B. Skinner (American Indian Museum), Prof. W.K. Morehead (Phillips Andover Academy) and Dr. George Donahue (Pennsylvania State Historian) allegedly discovered an Indian burial mound located on Tioga Point, outside of Sayre, Pennsylvania, containing the skeletal remains of 68 men. The average height of these skeletons were stated to be 7 feet, with many being "much taller". Giant stown-hewn axes were also found alongside their graves.
A skull, along with a few bones, were reportedly sent to the American Indian Museum.
(Sayre, Pennsylvania, is located at
the junction of the Chemung and Susquehanna rivers, and was once home to the American Indian tribe of the Susquehannock)
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research American Indian Museum archives, as well as the published works of the three men identified in the article.
New York Times: March 17, 1924
FIND SKELETON OF GIANT
Idaho Road Men Dig Up Bones of Prehistoric Herbivorous Woman
Summary: Members of the state highway dept. allegedly uncovered a "huge skeleton" measuring over 8 feet in height. Curiously, the upper and lower jaws reportedly contained only 10 teeth each; all intact. Three physicians were reported to have pronounced the gender to be female.
The lower jaw and vertebrae were reportedly sent to the Smithsonian institute, for further analysis.
Screen capture within source
TO DO: Research archives of the Smithsonian Institute...
II. AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES
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SUSQUEHANNOCKS
(cross-reference NY Times Report: July 14, 1916)
Captain John Smith's Journals:
Smith's Second Voyage (July 24, 1608)
[SMITH AND HIS MEN MEET THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS NEAR HAVRE DE GRACE]
Hatchets from the Sasquesahanocks.
"Many hatchets, knives, peeces of iron, and brasse, we saw amongst them, which they reported to have from the Sasquesahanocks, a mightie people and mortall enemies with the Massawomeks. The Sasquesahanocks inhabit upon the chiefe Spring of these foure branches of the Bayes head, two dayes journey higher then our barge could passe for rocks, yet we prevailed with the Interpreter to take with him another Interpreter, to perswade the Sasquesahanocks to come visit us, for their language are different. Three or foure dayes we expected their returne, then sixtie of those gyant-like people came downe, with presents of Venison, Tobacco-pipes three foot in length, Baskets, Targets, Bowes and Arrowes."
[modern English translation]
"Many hatchets, knives, pieces of iron, and brass, we saw amongst them, which they reported to have from the Susquehannocks, a mighty people and mortal enemies with the Massaomeks. The Susquehannocks inhabit upon the chief Spring of these four branches of the Bayes head, two days journey higher than our barge could pass [due to the] rocks, yet we prevailed with the Interpreter to take with him another Interpreter, to persuade the Susquehannocks to come visit us for their language are different. Three or four days we expected their return, then 60 of those giant-like people came down, with presents of venison, tobacco pipes three foot in length, baskets, targets, bows and arrows."
Henry W. Shoemaker Tales of the Bald Eagle Mountains in Central Pennsylvania (1912)
Chapter XI. THE GIANTESS (Story of McElhattan Mountain) [
pp. 208-11]
"When the great flood of St. Patrick's Day, 1865, laid bare, in the bed of McElhattan Creek, the gigantic statue of a giantess carved out of black flint, the old settlers, and the few Indians who remained at Nichol's Run, predicted a series of disasters to the neighborhood...the figure was carved from the stone during the last years of the sixteenth century. When it was uncovered by the flood of 1865, the accounts which appeared in the Clinton County newspapers heralded it as a relic of remote antiquity, and it would have been generally accepted as such, had it not been for the "old timers" who knew the legend of its comparatively recent origin. For once in its career it was only a seven days wonder. The paragraphs in the papers attracted a few antiquarians to the scene and the native mountaineers marvelled and brought their families, but the closing events of the Civil War and Lincoln's assassination soon overshadowed it.
A freshet in September broke the drift pile which had diverted the stream from its original course, and the "Giantess of McElhattan", as she was called, was covered once more by the rushing current. For a few weeks those who passed over a prostrate beech tree which served as a footbridge nearby, could see the angry, revengeful features of the giantess peering up at them through the clear water, but sand, and pebbles and branches of trees drifted across it, and were giving it a brand new shroud. With the Spring of the next year, the face was entirely covered, and only the sable outlines of the breasts were reflected through the limpid depths. In another year these were covered, and with it went the last memory of the Giantess, to rest until Destiny sends her forth again..."
