Human remains uncovered in upstate New York may help resolve a long-standing mystery dating back to the Revolutionary period, according to a local historian.
State police responded to a report of human remains discovered on October 14 in the Town of New Windsor, Orange County. The remains were found by Central Hudson Gas & Electric workers while excavating for a gas line installation project, officials said.
A state police spokesperson said the site is believed to be part of the old Murders Creek burial ground — now known as Moodna Creek — where the earliest recorded burials are thought to have occurred in the mid-to-late 1700s. The investigation is still ongoing, and no additional details about the remains have been released.
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Even so, town historian Glenn Marshall says the find could be significant. Speaking with the Times Union, Marshall noted that a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution documented possible Revolutionary-era burial sites in the region during the 1950s. The listings, however, lacked photos and precise locations, leaving several suspected gravesites unconfirmed for decades.
Marshall said he has been searching for a particular husband and wife, along with four or five relatives, who lived locally in the late 1700s. He now believes the newly discovered remains may belong to that missing family group.
“It’s very hard to put a finger on it,” Marshall said about the challenge of locating historic graves. “But once these popped up, it confirmed what I am looking for.”
He added that he doesn’t plan to name the family publicly until further research verifies the remains’ identity. Marshall also hopes universities will study the site more extensively after winter, when conditions allow for additional excavation that could reveal more graves.
