Smithsonian Took Possession of Prehistoric Bones Found in Tippecanoe County

Prehistoric Giant Bones Found Near Granville Bridge by William DeHart

An article published in the May 27, 1911, edition of the Journal and Courier reports on the discovery of large prehistoric bones by Dr. William H. Dehart, a Civil War veteran and brother of Colonel R. P. DeHart. The discovery reportedly occurred during Dr. Dehart's youth, placing the event prior to the Civil War. The bones were found near Granville in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the ancient relics were ultimately transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. There have been recent claims that many giant human skeleton artifacts were destroyed by the government in an effort to conceal certain aspects of history from the American public. The status of the local artifacts is unknown. Is there truth to these types of cover-up claims, or is it just a conspiracy theory?

Journal & Courier - May 27, 1911

Here's the original story if anyone wants to dig into what became of the DeHart bones:

(Lafayette, IN) - “Dr. William H. DeHart, a Civil War veteran and dentist of Logansport, who is a brother of Col. R. P. DeHart, recently furnished the Smithsonian Institute with three valued relics picked by him when a boy and the officials at the national museum are enthusiastic over the acquisition, which they consider the most important in years. The three relics are the lower jaw of an Indian or some other ancient inhabitant, presumably of giant proportions, a pierced tablet and a hat-shaped formation of stone and clay. There is quite a history connected with all three.

A good many years ago, when Dr. DeHart was practicing dentistry in this city, he had a friend, Captain Conners, in charge of an old scow working on the Wabash River, hauling a peculiar run of crushed stone and flint secured from a pit near Granville. This pit seemed to be a load of old arrowhead flints and chips and produced the finest material in the world for building roads. It was the only pit of its kind in the country and was patronized by all states. It was located on the edge of the river. In the course of working this pit, Captain Conners uncovered the skeletons of an Indian, which he managed to keep intact until DeHart could make an examination. The skeleton had probably been there for many years and indicated the man to have been easily seven feet in height. The bones crumbled away though, and it was impossible to preserve this phenomenal skeleton.

Major DeHart did manage; however, to preserve the lower jaw taken from the skeleton and it was kept by means of incasing it with plaster of Paris. It was this jaw which the local man turned over to the national museum and which has caused such a sensation by reason of the peculiar construction of the jaw and the evidence of it having belonged to a giant of the earlier days. This variance in the arrangements of the giant’s jaw is an unheard-of thing, and it is a fact that is causing the comment at the Smithsonian Institute. At the time the skeleton was discovered, the matter was given the greatest publicity throughout the country.

Captain William DeHart had an illustrious career as a Civil War soldier. He died on May 23, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, and is buried at the Spring Vale Cemetery in Lafayette, Indiana.

(Part 3 of 3 in the DeHart series)