Farm of Gen. McKean - 1884

In 1822, while digging a cellar on the farm of General McKean, excavations came  to what was supposed to be "an impenetrable rock, but striking it with a crow  bar it gave forth a hollow sound." They re-doubled their efforts, and at last  the stone broke and fell into a vault. And now, with visions of long-buried  treasure flitting through their minds, they carefully removed the earth from the arch, speculating the wile as to the probable extent of the "treasure-trove," and the amount of salvage the General would be likely to claim. On removing the cap they found "not what they sought," but a sepulchre. A careful examination of the sarcophagus reveled it flagged at the bottom, the sides artistically built up, and a flat stone laid on the top. The sarcophagus measured nine feet in
length, two and a half feet in width, and ten feet deep. In it was found a skeleton measuring as it lay, eight feet and two inches in length. The teeth were sound, but the bones were soft and easily broken. There were ten of these sepulchres within the space of the cellar, one of which had a pine growing over it three feet in diameter.

Source: BRADFORD REPORTER, Towanda, Pennsylvania Aug 14, 1884 - article on Burlington Township.


Here is another account of the same incident, with a variation.

In 1822, while digging a cellar on the farm of Gen. McKean, the excavators came to what was supposed to be an "impenetrable rock, but striking it with a crow, it gave forth a hollow sound." They redoubled their efforts, and at last the stone broke and fell into a vault. And now, with visions of long-buried treasure flitting through their minds, they carefully removed the earth from the arch, speculating, the while as to the probable extent of the "treasure-trove," and the amount of salvage the General would be likely to claim. On removing the cap they found "not what they sought," but a sepulchre. A careful examination of the sarcophagus revealed it flagged at the bottom, the sides, artistically built up, and a, flat stone laid on the top. The sarcophagus measured nine feet in length,
two feet six inches in width, and two feet deep. In it was found a skeleton, measuring, as it lay, eight feet two inches in length. * The teeth were sound, but the bones were soft and easily broken. There were two of these sepulchres within the space of the cellar, one of which had a pine growing over it three feet in diameter.

*This measurement being made by Dr. Williams late of Troy, now deceased.

History of Bradford County 1770 - 1878 by The Reverend Mr. David Craft - History of The Townships, Burlington Township

This information was provided by:
J. Kelsey Jones
Bradford County Historical Society
President Elect

Use the following links to read more about the giant skeletons that were found:

• Towanda Daily Review - 1897 - "The Grave of a Giant"

• Aboriginal Sites in and  Near "Teoga," Now Athens, Pennsylvania, 1921

• History Of Waverly, Chapter IV, page 7

• Moorehead - Susquehanna River Expedition 1918 - page 49

• Louise Welles Murray -"History of Old Tioga Point and Early Athens -"1908.

• Pennsylvania Archeologist, Volume 61  No. 2  September 1991

• Captain John Smith's Account of the Susquehannocks

• 1882 - Sepulchre Discovered with Giant Skeleton

• Why do we care about these skeletons and the location of the burial sites?
• Author's Note Concerning the Giant Skeletons found in the Area of Tioga Point
• The Story and the TRUTH Surrounding  the "Horned Skeletons"