Archaeological Investigation of the State Monument Frankfort, Kentucky
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE STATE MONUMENT FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY By M. Jay Stottman and David Pollack With Contributions by Peter E. Killoran, Sarah E. Miller, Phillip B. Mink, Christina A. Pappas, Eric Schlarb, and Lori Stahlgren KENTUCKY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY: UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY KENTUCKY HERITAGE COUNCIL KAS REPORT NO. 104 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE STATE MONUMENT FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY By: M. Jay Stottman and David Pollack With Contributions by Peter E. Killoran Sarah E. Miller Phillip B. Mink Christina A. Pappas Eric Schlarb Lori Stahlgren KAS Report No. 104 Report Prepared For: Division of Historic Properties 700 Louisville Road Berry Hill Mansion Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 (502)-564-3000 Contact: Paul Gannoe Report Submitted By: Kentucky Archaeological Survey Jointly Administered By: Kentucky Heritage Council University of Kentucky, Department of Anthropology 1020A Export Street Lexington, KY 40506-9854 (859) 257-5173 August, 2005 David Pollack Principal Investigator Kentucky Office of State Archaeology Permit Number: 2004-34 ABSTACT During November and December of 2004, Kentucky Archaeological Survey archaeologists excavated five graves that had been covered by a sidewalk in the late 1980s and attempted to relocate the remains of several individuals who were killed during the 1812 Battle of River Raisin. Analysis of the artifacts (e.g., coffins, coffin hardware, buttons, and textiles) and human remains recovered the State Monument generated new information on mid- to late nineteenth century mortuary patterns and the lives of five Kentuckians (Henry Edwards, Yves J. Thoreau, and W. C. Green who died in 1847 during the Mexican War Battle of Buena Vista, Edward F. Hogg who died in 1863 during the Civil War, and C. W. Gilmore a veteran of both the Mexican and Civil Wars who died in 1880 while a member of the Kentucky State Senate) who served their country. The three individuals who died in Mexico were buried in some of the earliest cast iron coffins used in Kentucky, with Green being packed in wood charcoal. Changes in the manufacture of military uniforms was documented with earlier uniforms being hand made and later uniforms being machine made and exhibiting greater standardization of buttons. Gilmore’s association with the Mason’s was reflected in his coffin hardware, and his relative high social and economic status was reflected in the quality of the clothing he was interred in and the recovery of a gold-gilded button. Analysis of the human skeletal remains indicated that several of the soldiers had led hard lives that involved a great deal of manual labor. Some were found to have suffered nutritional stress during the course of their lives and they may have joined the military to better their lives. Upon completion of the analysis of the human skeletal remains, they were reinterred at the State Monument on June 24, 2005. Unfortunately KAS archaeologists were not able to relocate the remains of the men who died during the Battle of River Raisin ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with any project, this study could not have been accomplished without the assistance of several individuals. Among them are Myrisa Bryd, Suzanne Witte, Ann Wilkerson, Lori Stahlgreen, Sarah Miller, Eric Schlarb, Bill Sharp, Gwynn Henderson, Brian Molbeltini, Aaron Nusz, Chris Lankford, Chris Chandler, Rebecca Anderson, Roslin Roser, Larry Lose, and Marilyn Lose who helped with the fieldwork. Tyler VonHandorf and Ned Morgan helped process and conserve the metal artifacts, wood, and textiles. George Crothers provided laboratory and storage space within the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology and Naoko Yokoyama-Crothers provided laboratory oversight and assistance. Alexandra ByBee provided constructive editorial comments on the drafts of the historic artifact chapters. The staff of Facilities Management were a pleasure to work with and greatly assisted us with the removal of the sidewalk, backfilling of the grave shafts, and landscaping. Roger Stapleton, Tom Fugate, and Scott Walters of the Kentucky Heritage Council helped with the retrieving of Hogg’s coffin and Tom also assisted with the fieldwork. Paul Ramey and Lori Sahlgren prepared the line drawings and maps, and David McBride took the photographs. John Trowbridge deserves thanks for not only providing oversight of the project, but for assisting in the field and for his willingness to share information with us. As always, Ed Winkle and Barbara Gortman handled all of the administrative details for the project. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract......................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... iii List of Figures................................................................................................................v List of Tables .............................................................................................................. vii Introduction....................................................................................................................1 Background....................................................................................................................4 Field Methods ..............................................................................................................26 Geophysical Survey - Phillip B. Mink.........................................................................27 Coffin/Casket Case Hardware, Personal Artifacts, and Nonmortuary Related Artifacts – Sarah E. Miller ........................................................................31 Textile Remains – Christina A. Pappas .......................................................................45 Human Skeletal Remains - Peter E. Killoran...............................................................55 Chipped Stone - Eric Schlarb......................................................................................80 Burials Investigated .....................................................................................................88 Veterans of the Battle of River Raisin .......................................................................108 Summary and Conclusions ........................................................................................116 References Cited ........................................................................................................118 Appendix A: Cranial Inventory ...............................................................................129 Appendix B: Post Cranial Inventory.........................................................................130 Appendix C: Post Cranial Measurements for Green.................................................134 Appendix D: Dental Inventory..................................................................................136 iv LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of Franklin County. .....................................................................................1 2. Location of the State Monument, Frankfort Cemetery, Franklin County, Kentucky (Frankfort East 7.5 minute USGS Quad)......................................2 3. Map Showing Original Land Grants in Frankfort (Jillson 1945) .............................12 4. 1854 Map of Frankfort Showing the New Frankfort Cemetery ...............................18 5. 1857 Site Plan for the New Frankfort Cemetery Constructed in 1844.....................18 6. State Monument........................................................................................................19 7. Battle of Buena Vista................................................................................................21 8. Grid One....................................................................................................................29 9. Grid Two...................................................................................................................29 10. Grid Three.................................................................................................................30 11. Grid Four...................................................................................................................30 12. Hogg’s Cast Iron Coffin............................................................................................34 13. Handles Recovered from the Gilmore Burial ...........................................................36 14. Similar Styled Handle Patented in 1882 ...................................................................36 15. Button Types 1 through 7 .........................................................................................40 16. Button Types 8 through 13 .......................................................................................40 17. Detail Drawing of Types 9 and 10 Uniform Buttons (Wychoff 1984:29, 88)..........41 18. Housewife Sewing Kit...............................................................................................42 19. Lead Shot ..................................................................................................................43 20. Simple Plaiting, 1/1 Interval in Purple Silk ..............................................................46 21. Coat Edge..................................................................................................................48 22. Coat Edge, Reverse...................................................................................................48