Caledonia Argus

Coroner seeks help solving Hokah bones mystery

Posted: 2/10/04

By David Heiller
Argus Newes Editor

Sex: female.

Height: 5í2î-5í8.î

Age at death: 35-45 years old.

Race: Not clear, but most likely American Indian.

Time since death: probably more than 50 years and possibly much older.

If this person sounds familiar, Dr. Lindsey Thomas would like to hear from you.

Thomas, the Houston County Coroner, is looking for assistance in solving the mystery of human bones found in Hokah on November 29.

The bones, including a skull, were found in the ground under a house which was being remodeled at 511 Ash Street. The coronerís office and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension concluded that the bones were too old to be the subject of a criminal investigation, so they contacted Susan Myster, a professor of anthropology and forensic science at Hamline University.

Myster determined the above information about the bones.

The coroner said on February 9 that her public inquiry is a shot in the dark. ìAt this point Iím not too optimistic, because it really does look like itís old, so I think it will be difficult to identify,î she said.

If no identification is made and it is concluded that the bones are Native American, the responsibility will go to the state archeologist, Thomas said.

If itís Native American, it probably was an old burial site and the house was built on it or next to it, and itís just a coincidence that the bones were found, Thomas said.

ìIf it wasnít Native American, then it might be someoneís ancestor from the last 100 years or something,î Thomas said.

She wasnít sure if carbon dating the bones would be possible to narrow down their age.

Mysterís analysis rules out conjecture that the bones could be those of Anna Vogel, a 68-year-old Hokah woman who disappeared on December 11, 1928, while walking to the cemetery in town. Her body was never found. But the bones cannot be hers because they are from a younger woman, Thomas said.

If you have information, contact Dr. Thomas at 651-480-4253. Thomas works out of the Minnesota regional Coronerís Office in Hastings, which covers Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, and Scott Counties.

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