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191-1: Accounts of Giants in US Newspapers (Part 1)
This will be in four parts over 4 weeks.
Pre- 1870
1870 - 1890
1891 - 1910
1911- 1922
Those that come from primary sources are marked with a star (*)
Many of those who believe in a lost race of giants often refer to old newspaper accounts from the nineteenth century, reporting the discovery of large skeletons in North America, suggesting that such creatures once existed. Although there is little confirmation that any of these stories are true, innumerable books and websites are based on such claims. The following articles are a sampling of nineteenth century "giant" reporting. These reports come from various sources and compiled elsewhere.
Not one of these stories can be verified of course. And some stories were edited to remove inconvenient information. (The "Chicasawba" article (part 2) is an example of deceptive editing.) It is of particular interest to us that comparatively little news coverage of giant bones being found exists prior to the Cardiff Giant hoax. The Cardiff Giant had been uncovered on October 16, 1869, and its creator, George Hull, confessed it was a hoax on December 10, 1869. The number and frequency of stories of giant bones increases markedly afterward. This suggests many of the finds were hoaxes or misidentified bones.
We can all argue semantics about what constitutes a "giant" but I think it's safe to say that to any normal 5'6" person in the 1800's, any skelton over 7'5" would be worthy of the title.
The last thing to consider before you continue, is this... a lot of reports were obviously of mistaken identity, ranging from misidentified mastodon bones, mammoth bones and even outright hoaxes. A human being of 8-9ft is highly plausible, as we can prove, but 12ft is a stretch due to the natural laws. Anything above that is pure fabrication. If in doubt about that, then read this first - https://tangatawhenua16.wixsite.com/the-first-ones-blog/single-post/2016/06/08/57-a-giant-sized-problem
Before 1870
HONOLULU, KINGDOM OF HAWAII POLYNESIAN, JANUARY 2, 1841 RUINS AND TRADITIONS. On the eastern shore of Pascagoula bay in Jackson county, Mississippi, near its mouth, are the ruins of an ancient fortification, built apparently many centuries ago. It appears to have been constructed chiefly of sea-shells. Within this ruin, several feet below the surface, have been found charred coals, and fragments of a peculiar kind of earthenware, together with many human bodies. Among them were discovered parts of a human skeleton of gigantic proportions. The upper part of the skull was said to be sufficiently large, to fit loosely over the largest modern heads.
CLEVELAND HERALD, SEPTEMBER 10, 1845 A GIANT EXHUMED. We are informed on the most reliable authority that a person in Franklin county, Tennessee, while digging a well, a few weeks since, found a human skeleton, at the depth of fifty feet, which measures eighteen feet in length. The immense frame was entire with an unimportant exception in one of the extremities. It has been visited by several of the principal members of the medical faculty in Nashville, and pronounced unequivocally, by all, the skeleton of a huge man. The bone of the thigh measured five feet; and it was computed that the height of the living man, making the proper allowance for muscles, must have been at least twenty feet. The finder had been offered eight thousand dollars for it, but had determined not to sell it any price until first exhibiting it for twelve months. He is now having the different parts wired together for this purpose. These unwritten records of the men and animals of other ages, that are from time to time dug out of the bowels of the earth, put conjecture to confusion, and almost surpass imagination itself.—Madison Banner.
STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA JEFFERSONIAN REPUBLICAN, OCTOBER 2, 1845 A STORY OF A GIANT. In exhuming of late the remains of so many wonderfully large animals unknown to the present age, it has been supposed that the ancient race of men must have been correspondingly large. At length we have something to sustain the doctrine. The Madison Banner states on the most reliable authority, that a person in Franklin county, Tennessee, while digging a well, a few weeks since, found a human skeleton, at the depth of fifty feet, which measures eighteen feet in length. The immense frame was entire with an unimportant exception in one of the legs. It has been visited by several of the principal members of the medical faculty in Nashville, and pronounced unequivocally, by all, the skeleton of a huge man. The bone of the thigh measured five feet; and it was computed that the height of the living man, making the proper allowance for muscles, must have been at least twenty feet. The finder has been offered eight thousand dollars for it, but had determined not to sell it at any price until exhibiting it for twelve months. He is now having the different parts wired together for this purpose. These unwritten records of the men and animals of other ages, that are often from time to time dug out of the bowels of the earth, put conjecture to confusion, and almost surpass imagination itself. History informs us that the Emperor Maximum was 8 feet 6 inches in height. In the reign of Claudius, Pliny the Elder -a philosopher interested in natural phenomena - reported that a man was brought from Arabia, called Gabbara, who was 9 feet 9 inches tall. John Middleton, of Lancashire, England, was 9 feet 3 inches, and Cotter, the Irish Giant, 8 feet 7 inches. But our American skeleton, if we have really found such a one, will throw all other Giants in the shade.
FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE WESTERN WEEKLY REVIEW, NOVEMBER 11, 1845 GIANTS BONES There have been recently dug up in Williamson county, Tennessee, seven miles from Franklin, the bones of a giant and no mistake. We have conversed with an intelligent and enterprising gentleman of our city, who has seen, examined, and purchased an interest in the skeleton. From him we derive the following facts: A Mr. Shumate was boring for water near his residence, upon a hill of considerable extent and eminence, situated in a rocky, mountainous section country, where the bones were discovered about 60 feet beneath the surface. They were immediately exhumed, and were found embedded in a strata of the hardest kind of clay which had apparently filled an extensive cavern or opening in the rock. The position of the skeleton was that of a recumbent, making an angle of the horizon. The bones are not at all petrified as in the case with most of the skeleton monsters of animals which have been discovered in our country, but are, nevertheless, in a most perfect state of preservation, and weigh in the aggregate about 1500 pounds! No doubt rests in the minds of any who have seen or examined them, that these bones belong to the genus homo. All the larger and characteristic bones are entire, and the skull, arms and thigh bones, knee pans, shoulder sockets and collar bones remove all skepticism as to their humanity. The whole skeleton, we are informed, is about 18 feet high , and must have stood full 19 feet ‘in his stockings’ (if he wore any.). The bones of the thigh and leg measure 6 feet 6 inches, so that our friend, ‘the General,’ could have marched erect, in full military costume, between the giant’s legs. The skull is described as being about 2-3 the size of a flour barrel, and capable of holding in its cavities near two bushels; a coffee cup of good size could be put into the eye sockets—and the jaw teeth, which are all perfect even to the enamel, would weight from 3½ to 6 pounds, some of the smaller ones which were loose have been weighed—the front teeth are missing.—These teeth bear the evidence of extreme age, from their cavities are apparent diminution from use in wearing away. An eminent physician and anatomist, properly assisted, is engaged in having the skeleton put together and the small deficiencies supplied by art. We are further informed by our fellow citizen, who has purchased an interest of one fourth in this interesting and wonderful curiosity, that it will be ready for exhibition in about one month’s time, when it will start on its tour thro’ the civilized world, and proceeding from New Orleans will shortly be among us here. Our fellow townsman keeps the price he paid for his interest a secret, but says that $50,000 has been offered and refused for the whole of this curiosity.
NEW YORK HERALD, DECEMBER 12, 1845 THE GIANT SKELETON. The skeleton discovered in Williamson county in this State, and supposed to be that of a human being, has frequently been referred to, within a few days past, in the House of Representatives. Notwithstanding the description given of it, as Wouter Van Twiller would say, “we have our doubts about the matter.” This skeleton was found about sixty feet beneath the surface of the earth, embedded in a stratum of the hardest kind of clay. The bones are said to be in a perfect state of preservation, and weigh in the aggregate fifteen hundred pounds. All the large and characteristic bones are entire, and the skull, arms, and thigh bones, knee pans, shoulder sockets and collar bones remove all doubts, and the animal to whom they belonged has been decided “to belong to the genus homo.” This gentleman, when he walked the earth, was about eighteen feet high, and when clothed in flesh must have weighed not less than 3000 pounds. “The bones of the thigh and leg measure six feet six inches; his skull is said to be about two-thirds the size of a flour barrel, and capable of holding in its cavities near two bushels. (He must have had a goodly quantity of brains, and if intellect be in proportion to the size of the brain, he must have possessed extraordinary intellectual powers). The description further states, that “a coffee cup of good size could be put in the eye-sockets.” The jaw teeth weight from 8 ½ to 6 pounds. It is stated that an eminent physician and anatomist is engaged in putting the skeleton together, and that is will shortly be ready for public exhibition.—Nashville Orthopolitan.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, MARCH 1846 ART. XII. Remarks on some Fossil Bones recently brought to New Orleans from Tennessee and from Texas ; by William M. Carpenter, M.D., Prof. in the Med. Coll. of Louisiana. I. Fossils from Tennessee—the “gigantic Fossil Man,” (being the skeleton of a young mastodon.) Much interest has been recently excited by the announcement of the discovery in Tennessee of the remains of a man eighteen feet high. The papers teemed with accounts of the prodigy, and public confidence was secured by the assertion that the distinguished physicians of the west had testified that they were human remains. About the last of December these remains reached this city; and on the first of January I was requested by a distinguished surgeon here to go with him on the invitation of the proprietor to examine them, and give an opinion. They had been erected in a high room; the skeleton was sustained in its erect position by a large upright beam of timber. At a glance it was apparent that it was nothing more than the skeleton of a young mastodon, (one of Godman’s Tetracaulodons, with sockets for four tusks.) The bones of the leg and ankle were complete, the metatarsal bones wanting. Most of the vertebrae were present; the ribs mostly of wood. The pelvic arrangement was entirely of wood; the scapulae were present, but somewhat broken, and were rigged on with a most human-like elevation; pieces of ribs supplying the want of clavicles. The osseous parts of the head were portions, nearly complete, of the upper and lower jaws. Some of the molars were quite complete; of the tusks, only one little stump remained, but the four alveoli of the upper jaw had large incisive looking wooden teeth fitted into them, and the lower jaw supplied to correspond. The cranium was entirely wanting from the lower margin of the orbits, back; but a raw-hide cranium was fitted o, which was much more becoming to the animal in his new capacity than the old one would have been. The artificial construction was principally in the pelvis and head; and take it as thus built up, with its half human, half beast-like look, and its great hooked incisive teeth, it certainly must have conveyed to the ignorant spectator a most horrible idea of a hideous, diabolical giant, of which he no doubt dreamed for months. To one informed in such matters it really presented a most ludicrous figure. The person who had it for exhibition was honest, I believe, in his convictions as to its being the remains of a man, having been confirmed in them by numerous physicians, whose certificates he had in his possession; and having asked and received my opinion, he determined to box it up, never to be exhibited again as the remains of a human being.
THE OTTAWA FREE TRADER, APRIL 10, 1846. UNTITLED NOTICE The great skeleton giant, nineteen feet high, which was dug up in Tennessee, proves to be the imperfect skeleton of a young mastodon set upright on its hind legs, and, by the aid of artificial substitutes for some of the principal bones, which were wanting, made to assume a moderately human appearance.—Boston Post.
MECHANIC’S ADVOCATE, FEBRUARY 25, 1847 HUMBUG-CREDULITY We saw it announced last year in "the papers" that a human skeleton, 18 feet in height had been dug up in Tennessee. It was shortly after exhibited through the Mississippi Valley, and found its way to New Orleans, in the hands of a man who had purchased it on speculation. Thousands had seen it; and the owner exhibited hundreds of certificates of Doctors, Surgeons, Clergymen, Lawyers, Gentlemen &c., to the effect that it was a bona fide human skeleton. At New Orleans, Prof. Carpenter of the Louisiana Medical College, was requested to call and examine it, which he did; and at the first glance pronounced it—a man?—no, but the bones of a young mastodon!—It was standing upright, supported by a beam; the pelvis was artificial, and human of course, in appearance; and as the greater part of the cranium was missing when found, it was no hard matter for the ingenious rogue to fit what was left of it to look like man’s, which he accomplished with the aid of a piece of raw hide. When told of the hoax by the Professor; the owner declared he would never exhibit it again; and he probably has not, for its fame has not reached our ears of late, through the columns of the press.
NILES NATIONAL REGISTER, JULY 3, 1847 MISCELLANEOUS DISCOVERIES “There were giants in those days”—Wonderful fossil remains.—The New Orleans papers speak of a gigantic skeleton of some animal not yet classed, as being now exhibited in that city. We learn from the Times that it stands 16 feet high, and was discovered at a depth of 55 feet below the surface of the earth, in Tennessee. The question is, whether these antediluvian remains belong to a class of animals, homogeneous with the present race of man, or not. No fossil remains of man have yet, we believe, been found; although there is no doubt, according to geologists, that the globe of the earth, since it first became habitable, after losing its incandescent state, has always been the abode of intellectual as well as animal life.
OSWEGO COMMERCIAL TIMES, AUGUST 8, 1851 SKELETON OF A GIANT. Recently gentlemen in the neighborhood of the ancient city of Reims, in making an excavation for some purpose, discovered a human skeleton, well-preserved, which was four metres (13 ft.) long.
GRAND RIVER TIMES, NOVEMBER 15, 1854 [P. T.] BARNUM'S SPEECH ON HUMBUGS. Delivered at Stamford, on the occasion of the Agricultural fair, Fairfield County. It seems to be a most unfortunate circumstance that I should be selected to speak on Humbug, as looking on the ladies, whose profession it peculiarly is, I find it hard to express myself in their presence. Everything is humbug; the whole state is humbug, except our Agricultural Society that alone is not. Humbug is generally defined, "deceit or imposition." A burglar who breaks into your house, a forger who cheats you of your property, or a rascal, is not a humbug, a humbug is an imposter; but in my opinion the true meaning of humbug is management tact to take an old truth and put it in an attractive form. I have not the vanity to call myself a real scientific humbug, I am only an humble member of the profession. My ambition to be the prince of Humbugs I will resign, but I hope the public will take the will for the deed; I can assure them that if I had been able to give them all the humbugs that I have thought of, they would have been amply satisfied. Before I went to England with Tom Thumb I had a skeleton prepared from various bones. It was to have been made 18 feet high; it was to have been buried a year in Ohio, and then dug up by accident, so that the public might learn there were giants of old. The price I was to pay the person who proposed to put the skeleton together was to have been $225. But finding Tom Thumb more successful than I tho't, I sent word not to proceed with the skeleton. My manager who never tho't as highly of the scheme as it deserved, sold the skeleton for $50 or $75. Seven years afterwards I received from the south an account of a gigantic skeleton that had been found. Accompanying it were certificates of scientific and medical men as to genuineness. The owner asked $20,000 or $1,000 a month; I wrote to him if he brought it on I would take it if I found it as represented or would pay his expenses if not; I found it was my own old original humbug come back to me again; of course I refused it, and I never heard of it afterwards.
* THE BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL, JUNE 19, 1856 MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE Western Giants in their Slumber.—The Burlington (Iowa) State Gazette says that while some workmen were engaged in excavating for the cellar of Governor Grimes’s new building, on the corner of Maine and Valley streets, they came upon an arched vault some ten feet square, which, on being opened, was found to contain eight human skeletons of gigantic proportions. The skeletons are in a good state of preservation, and we venture to say are the largest human remains ever found, being a little over eight feet long.--Calendar (Hartford).
* THE NEW YORK TIMES, NOVEMBER 21, 1856 SKELETON OF A GIANT FOUND. A day or two since, some workmen engaged in subsoiling the grounds of Sheriff WICKHAN, at his vineyard in East Wheeling, came across a human skeleton. Although much decayed, there was little difficulty in identifying it, by placing the bones, which could not have belonged to others than a human body, in their original position. The impression made by the skeleton in the earth, and the skeleton itself, were measured by the Sheriff and a brother in the craft locale, both of whom were prepared to swear that it was ten feet nine inches in length. Its jaws and teeth were almost as large as those of a horse. The bones are to be seen at the Sheriff’s office. – Wheeling Times.
* BALLOU’S MONTHLY DOLLAR MAGAZINE, AUGUST 1860 “THERE WERE GIANTS IN THOSE DAYS.” The theory that humanity of the antediluvian period existed in forms which would now be considered colossal, has found many adherents among scientific men. A fossil skeleton of enormous size, recently discovered near Abbeville, France, was regarded as a proof of this theory. A Dr. Fullratt, of Berlin, has more recently found other remains of some antediluvian giant in the village of Guiten, near the junction of the Rhine and Dussal. The discovery has created quite a flutter among the wise men of Germany, and a commission has been formed for digging in divers places of the same geological formation as that wherein the giant skeleton was found.
* THE NEW YORK TIMES, DECEMBER 25, 1868 REPORTED DISCOVERY OF A HUGE SKELETON. From the Sank Rapids (Minn.) Sentinel, Dec. 18. Day before yesterday, while the quarrymen employed by the Sank Rapids Water Power Company were engaged in quarrying rock for the dam which is being erected across the Mississippi, at this place, found imbedded in the solid granite rock the remains of a human being of gigantic status. About seven feet below the surface of the ground, and about three feet and a half beneath the upper stratum of rock, the remains were found imbedded in sand, which evidently had been placed in the quadrangular grave which had been dug out of the rock to receive the last remains of this antediluvian giant. The grave was twelve feet in length, four feet wide, and about three feet in depth, and is to-day at least two feet below the present level of the river. The remains are completely petrified, and are of gigantic dimensions. The head is massive, measuring thirty-one and one-half inches in circumference, but low in the asfrontis, and very flat on top. The Femur measures twenty-six and a quarter inches, and the Fibula twenty-five and a half, while the body is equally long in proportion. From the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, the length is ten feet nine and a half inches. The giant must have weighed at least 900 pounds when covered with a reasonable amount of flesh. The petrified remains, and there is nothing left but the naked bones, now weigh 304¼ pounds. The thumb and fingers of the left hand, and the left foot from the ankle to the toes are gone; but all the other parts are perfect. Over the sepulchre of the unknown dead was placed a large, flat limestone rock that remained perfectly separated from the surrounding granite rock.
