Boone County Recorder 5 Dec 1900 page 4 col. 1
Editor's Note: Now-a-days such excavations as Mr. Portwood was conducting would amount to little more than grave-robbing. Certianly archaeologists would be interested in finding such sites. It should be remembered, however, that most of these graves would have disappeared under the cultivator's plow. At least we have here an account of what he found, which is better than nothing. Note the phrase "any good Indians near", an indication that in those days they still thought that the only good Indian was in fact under the ground instead of above it, though this seems to have been at least a little tongue in cheek.
Charles Portwood, son of Milton Portwood, of Locust Grove neighborhood, is distinguishing himself as a locator of Indian graves, of which there a great many in his neighborhood on the steep bluffs overlooking Gunpowder creek and its tributaries. He has exhumed several large skeletons of the Red Men, taking from the graves numerous relics, many of which he prizes highly. He recently located one of these ancient burying grounds on the farm of his neighbor, Owen Conner, and last Monday he opened one of the graves in the presence of Albert Conner, son of the owner of the land. This burying ground, as are several others in that neighborhood, is located where the land has been cleared and under cultivation, and the earth has gradually disappeared from over the graves until the stones covering the bodies are only a few inches below the surface.
The grave young Portwood investigated Monday was opened with very little labor. The removal of less than twelve inches of dirt exposed a layer of flat stones that constituted the top of the receptacle for the body. The sides, bottom and ends of the receptacle were made of flat stones also, the sepulcher thus formed being rather a neat and comfortable looking resting place for the occupant. The skeleton in this grave was well preserved, and the tomahawk and scalping knife lay by the side of the skeleton. These were taken by Portwood, and after the stone lining was torn out of the grave, the skeleton was tumbled into the excavation, which was filled again with dirt. Mr. Portwood says there are as many as seven more at that point; and Mr. Conner has given him permission to explore them at his pleasure.
Mr. Portwood has a novel way of locating these burying grounds. He has an iron rod with which he walks, and coming upon a spot he thinks might be an Indian cemetery he begins probing the earth with the iron rod, and if strikes a stone he continues to probe, and in few minutes he can tell whether or not there are any good Indians near. By this means the young man has located a great many of the last resting places of the noble Red Men, who use to flourish in this part of the country where nature was so generous in its contributions to their every want. On the farm of the late E. A. Hughes, near Burlington, are several Indian graves and to these Mr. Portwood will shortly turn his attention. He has recovered several relics for which he expects to receive good prices. One skeleton he has measures over seven feet in height.
Typed by Kyla Friesen, 2003
Edited by James Duvall, M. A.
Recorder