West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-05-22
OLDER THAN INDIANS
Bones OF Prehistoric Mem Unearahed
by Tennessee Floods.

0OMSs Oh Rk0nh9t0FAC MEM UM0mF1mwM
by Tennessee Floods.
After noticing the more material
destruction wrought by the recent
food, there are interest and fascina-
ton In studying some of Its freaks
which appeal more to sentiment
and the student. Anciena graves
were washed up at several places.
The editor visited one of these
Monday. On Dave Wade's farm,
between his residence and Rich
land Mills the food washed up
what Is called an old Indian grave
yard" The burying place was
located on a knoll rising gently
from the creek and evidently sup
posed 10 be above high water by
the prehistoric people who buried
their dead there with such care.
But all trace of a graveyard had
long since disappeared and not
even a tradition remained among
the old negros In the neighborhood
The field was worth 500 an acre
before the food and last year I6
acres. including the graveyard, pro
duced ID bales of cotton. The land
has been In cultivation lorg before
1t came into possession of MIR. Wade
and, as stated, there was neither
trace nor tradition of a graveyard.
But when the creek spread over
the bottom as never before, this
knoll extending down into the
bend Of the creek suffered great de-
struction by the swift current fow-
Ing across 1t. The soil was swept
away and when the food receded
the graves were exposed. We can
not tell how deep the bodies were
originally buried, nor how many
graves are yet uncovered, nor how
many were swept away, leaving no
trace. About a dozen graves were
left exposed. Some of these were
evidently graves of adults and
some are graves of small children.
The vaults were formed some
what similar to vaults In graves
today. Thin slabs of limestone,
evidently brought from some dis
lance, perhaps across the creek ARE
placed edgeways along the sides
and ends. The graves are about 2
feet to feet In length and 10 to I6
inches wide, indicating that the
bodies were buried on the side as
they are too narrow to permit a
body to lie fat on the back as we
bury; and persons who first looked
into the graves say the skeletons
were lying on the side. The body
had been placed In the vault which
was covered by other fat rocks, and
thus 1t was expected by the
mourners and loved ones who
placed 1t there that the body would
rest undisturbed to the end of time,
But when the food exposed these
carefully prepared vaults. they were
soon opened and In the absence of
other souvenirs, the bones of these
ancient people were carried away.
A seashell was found In one grave,
but the others contained nothing
but decayed bones.
The Indians who occupied this
country up to about 100 years ago,
did not usually bury their dead
with such care. They simply
opened grave, wrapped blanket
about the dead body, laid 1t In the
shallow grave and filled In the
earth. Students of ethnology claim
this county was inhabited by
race of idol-worshipping people,
commonly called the Mound
Builders" who were driven out by
the Indians. These mound build
ers are believed to have been su-
perior to the Indian In many re-
spects, but they worshipped the
Great Spirit"
The graves recently washed up
on the Wade farm may have some
connection with a discovery made
about 80 years ago 10 the bluff o"
the opposite side of the creek.
Dave Imam, who then lived at
the Mrs. Hays place, went to some
dogs that had chased a rabbit into
the rocks on the bluff. Among the
rubbish he found two small clay
figures, one the form of a man, the
other a woman. They were In
sitting posture, perhaps four or five
Il