Notwithstanding all the efforts of various collectors, the first Indian burials to be discovered on the Island were due to the activities of Messrs. Bolton and Calver in 1904. The improvement of Seaman Avenue, Upper Manhattan, at that time, uncovered many relics of the long extinct Indian inhabitants among which Mr. Bolton saw unmistakable signs of Indian graves. To quote from this gentleman:

"It thus became evident that there were human interments in the vicinity, and in August, 1907, the first burial was discovered under a shell pit in Corbett's garden. The grading process had been extended only about eighteen inches below the sod, but had sufficed to destroy the jaw of the skeleton which extended upwards, as did also the foot bones. The bones lay in and upon a close mass of ouster shells, some of which were unopened, the skeleton reclined on its right side, facing west. The arms were flexed and crossed, the knees bent and the head thrown back. No traces of weapons were found, nor were there any other objects found, save a fragment of an animal bone.

The location and position led to further exploration, which, early in 1905, led to still more interesting discoveries. Sunday, March 22nd, being the first day in the field for exploration for the season for 1908, W. L. Calver and the writer met at Seaman Avenue and Hawthorne Street, Manhattan, to discuss plans for further excavations on this Indian village site. The rains of the winter 1907-8 had washed the west bank where the laver of oyster shells and black dirt lay along the hill, and a patch of red burnt earth was observed, which on digging out, disclosed a fireplace, evidently of the period of the Revolution, having some large burnt stones, ashes, wood charcoal, brick, broken rum bottles, a wine glass nearly complete, a large open clasp-knife with bone handle, a hoop-iron pot-hook, various forged head nails and a curious folding corkscrew. Gold buttons of Revolutionary pattern and an officer's silver button of the Royal Mariners, together with pewter buttons of the 17th Regiment disclosed who had occupied the spot.

At one part of this fireplace, we came upon a pocket of oyster shells, evidently Indian, about two feet deep, and on removing some of these, had the good fortune to uncover a human thigh-bone. We worked carefully into the shells and under the pocket, gradually disclosing the complete remains of a full-grown man (Fig. 19) lying on its right side, feet to the north, head facing east, knees doubled up, the left arm extended down through the thighs. The feet had been within the area of the hole in which the Revolutionary fireplace had been made, and only one or two foot bones were found. At a later period other foot bones were found on the opposite side of the Revolutionary fireplace, evidently having been displaced in its construction. The right arm was flexed, and the hand was under the head, the latter was intact and every tooth was in place. Shells had been packed over the body, and some around it. We were much puzzled by a number of human bones, lying compactly together by the skeleton, in a position that would have been in its lap had it been upright.

We removed the skull, covered the remains, and on Sunday, March 29th, renewed the work. We went carefully to work upon the cluster of mixed bones in front of the large skeleton, and soon found them to be rather compactly arranged in a rectangular form about 14 by 26 inches, the long bones parallel. The vertebrae abruptly ended parallel with the head of the larger skeleton, and after working some time, we found a skull placed below, beneath the pile of bones in a vertical position, facing north, the lower jaw of which was disengaged, and was placed sideways in front of the face. The back of the skull was broken in, and was black with marks of burning. The lower jaw was burned, and some of the teeth split by fire. The arm and leg bones were charred at the joints. Inside the skull was a burned toe bone. Some oyster shells were among the charred remains.

A significant fact was that the right arm bones of the large skeleton were below the pile of burned bones. This feature, and the compact arrangement of the latter within the space in front of and at the same level as the large skeleton, seem to point strongly towards an intentional arrangement of these bones, in front of the large corpse and to indicate the simultaneous burial of the two bodies. On examination, the large skeleton proved to be that of an adult male, and the dismembered remains those of a female of about 35 years of age. No implements were found with the remains, hut a part of a stone pestle and a rude colt lay under the sod among the oysters above the large skeleton.

On Sunday, June 14, 1908, another burial was found about 20 feet north of the above. This burial consisted of an adult skeleton doubled up and its back mach curved, and was apparently that of a female of mature age. Between the knees, the remains of a small infant were laid, the skull of the latter being fragmentary. The right hand of the adult was below the infant and the left hand around the throat. The skull was intact and had nearly all the teeth. One finger bone lead grown together at the joint in a crooked position apparently clue to disease. On lifting the ribs of the right side, an arrow-bead of flint fell out between the fourth and fifth bones. These skeletons lay about two and a half feet below the grass, and a pocket of oyster shells was over the head. The woman's remains lay within a space about 31 inches long by 50 inches wide, flat in the hard red sand bed facing cast.

Shortly after these remains were discovered, Mr. Chenoweth extended the excavation previously made bv the explorers at the side of a large oyster shell pit in the same bank of sand, and uncovered a reale skeleton of which he preserved the skull. Some small fragments of the skeleton were afterwards found by the writer on this spot. Contractors for the sewer in Seaman Avenue also uncovered the remains of a young female close to the position of several of the shell pits previously described.

These interments have some curious features. The position of the remains facing east, sometimes west, the absence of weapons or other objects and the oyster shells packed with or above them are subjects for interesting discussion on which future finds may throw much light, as also upon the peculiar double burial and the burnt state of the female remains.

Location of Burials, Pits and Shell-Beds Near Inwood

The Indians of Manhattan Island and Vicinity

Featured Link

Featured Listing Advertising Program
Business name, Web Site Link and a brief description or motto – runs for one month in the Page (or Pages) of your choice. Rates are as low as $15 per listing. GET NJ serves over 4,000 visitors each day!

Liberty Self Storage in Jersey City
The Best in Self Storage! Open 7 Days A Week - 201-451-6939 - At Liberty State Park in Jersey City - Very close to Hoboken, Newport & Bayonne - Convenient to Manhattan, Just 5 minutes from the Holland Tunnel at NJ Turnpike Exit 14b - Great rates! Over 25% lower than New York City self storage - Free move-in service - Truck and driver included!

Short Stories and Social Commentary

Jersey City / Hoboken Real Estate Ads