Could a Native American Benefactor Be Buried Alongside Father Hamilton? By Diana Vice There has been a decades-long mystery about who is entombed in a second burial vault in the church basement of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Lafayette, Indiana. The Reverend R. A. Hamilton, a local pioneer priest, is buried in one of the vaults, but the identity of a second person buried alongside the pioneer priest has been the subject of speculation since 1951 when the vaults were re-discovered during remodeling. A 1956 Journal and Courier news article revealed that during a remodeling and redecorating phase of the church building, the floor of the sanctuary was torn out, and it was then that the sealed vaults, side by side, were visible. Church officials were not certain in which vault Father Hamilton was buried as the contents of the remains were not marked. February 15, 1956, Journal & Courier News Father Hamilton, a pioneer missionary, was responsible for the erection of St. Mary’s Cathed...