Identified! OH - Fem, bones, found in garage, 13-20, New London, Sept 2016 - Hallie Armstrong, died in 1881

[Legally Bland]

I may have messed up searching, but I can't find a thread for this Jane Doe or a Namus page.
_______________

UPDATED SEP 19, 2016

“At approximately 11 a.m. (Saturday,) the police department received a call from a village resident stating he found bone fragments and teeth in the upper level of a garage he had recently purchased,” the department’s nightly Facebook post said.

Police said the remains seem to have been in the garage upper level “for a number of years,” but gave no further description.

After the remains were determined to be human, the New London Police Department turned over the investigation to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation(BCI), which then processed the scene.

[...]

New London Police Chief Mike Marko said his department believes the remains found in the upper level of a garage are from a female. The bones likely have been in the garage’s upper level for “at least 30 years,” he added.

Marko noted only 79 bones were found, so more than 100 bones are missing if the remains came from one person. An adult human has 206 bones.

Human remains found in New London


21 JANUARY 2020

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat analyzed the remains in his lab at Mercyhurst University in 2016 and determined the bones were likely from a young woman between the ages of 13 and 20, who stood between 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6 tall. There were no signs of dental work, suggesting the remains may be quite old. Portions of the skull and sacrum appear to have been cut by a power saw.

[...]

“Was she a victim of an unsolved crime? Is she a missing person? Using genetic genealogy, we can finally give her a name,” Renner said.

DNA testing and genetic genealogy will be conducted by Bode Technology, a leading provider of forensic DNA services.

New London's mystery bones to be tested again

 

[faithx]

72 Bones Found in New London Barn Connect to Schoolteacher Who Died in 1881 – May Be Oldest Genetic Genealogy Case to Date. - Providing a new chance at closure for cold cases

New London, OH – In the fall of 2016, 72 human bones were discovered under weathered newspaper inside a garage at 118 E. Main Street, New London. The property was the former residence of New London mayor Dar Anderson but it’s possible the bones were never found by Anderson as the garage was in disrepair.

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat analyzed the remains in his lab at Mercyhurst University in 2016 and determined the bones were likely from a young woman between the ages of 13 and 20, who stood between 4’10” and 5’6” tall. There were no signs of dental work, suggesting the remains were quite old.

Earlier this year, the Porchlight Project contacted New London Chief of Police Mike Marko to offer its services to identify the remains. It was believed at the time that the bones may be evidence of a homicide. Chief Marko allowed the Porchlight Project to have the bones transferred to the labs at Bode Technology, in Lorton, Virginia, where DNA was extracted and analyzed.

The DNA information generated by the lab then went to Bode’s genealogist, Melinde Lutz Byrne, who uploaded the data into multiple DNA databases, including GEDMatch, an open, online database for genetic profiles. A potential familial match was found that suggested the bones were much older than we thought. This familial link pointed to a young woman named Hallie Armstrong, who died in 1881, at the age of 18.

Hallie Armstrong was a young teacher, unmarried, and the cause of her death was listed as “unknown,” which was uncommon for that time. Her father was the superintendent of an infirmary. And though Ms. Armstrong came from a well-to-do family, she was reportedly buried in a lone grave at Sugar Grove Cemetery, in Wilmington, Ohio.

Hallie Armstrong is the only member of her extended family, which was linked to the bones by DNA, who fits the age range of the decedent. If it is her, our investigation has led to another mystery – if Ms. Armstrong’s bones ended up in New London, who is buried in her plot in Wilmington?

Dr. Dirkmaat offered the opinion that the bones found in New London could be a medical specimen, noting that one of the former owners of the barn was a local chiropractor. Also, her skull appeared to have been cut by a power saw. However, some power tool was also used on the subject’s sacrum and pelvis. Only conjecture would offer a possible explanation for this.

The Porchlight Project has spoken with curators from Sugar Grove Cemetery. The old plot is in a location that would make exhumation difficult – the ground is hardened and a large tree has sunk its roots around her grave. A caretaker probed the ground but could not reach deep enough to make contact with a casket, if there is one.

So what is to be done? We will wait. Every day, more people, curious about their heritage, purchase DNA kits from Ancestry.com and 23&Me and then upload their unique genetic markers into databases that allow investigative access, like GedMatch. As they do, our vast, collective family tree forms out of the data. In the last few weeks, several people across the U.S. have matched to the remains found in New London, but none are close enough relatives to tell us definitively that we have solved this case. Hopefully, one day soon, someone closer to Ms. Armstrong’s branch of that tree will log on and find out that they are the missing piece of this hundred-and-forty-year-old mystery.

“I’m happy to say we’ve helped the New London Police rule out a potential homicide in their town,” says Porchlight Project Founder, James Renner. “And in the process of solving one mystery, we’ve uncovered a much older one – who was Hallie Armstrong, really, and how did her remains end up in a barn in New London, a hundred years after her death? Hopefully, one day, we can provide an answer.”

“I am extremely grateful to James Renner and the Porchlight Project along with Bode Technology for their assistance in this mystery,” says New London police chief, Mike Marko. “We have closed a cold case and ruled out a homicide. As one door is closed, another opens in the continuing mystery of how her remains ended up here in New London.”

“Forensic genealogy has quickly become an incredibly powerful tool to provide answers in cold cases like this,” says a Bode spokesperson. “After 140 years, we are honored to work to restore this young woman’s name. We will continue to provide this cutting-edge technology to agencies across this country. This case shows that almost no case is too cold.”

The Porchlight Project was founded in 2019. For its first case, the Porchlight Project assisted the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department by funding new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for the 1987 unsolved murder of Barbara Blatnik. Thanks to the Porchlight Project’s involvement, James Zastawnik was arrested for Blatnik’s murder in May, 2020. He is currently awaiting trial. The Porchlight Project is funded by donations from the public. For more information, and to donate online, please visit Our Mission - Providing a new chance at closure for cold cases

If you have information about the identity of the young woman found in New London, please contact police at 419-929-3504.

 

[LadyL]

fascinating!

 

[Pseudonymph]

What a great start to a novel...

 

[Tattarattat]

Wow. Ditto on fascinating. Hope more can be learned of this woman and why she was in a barn(garage?) attic.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Grave robbing comes to mind.

 

[Al Ka]

I may have messed up searching, but I can't find a thread for this Jane Doe or a Namus page.
_______________

UPDATED SEP 19, 2016

“At approximately 11 a.m. (Saturday,) the police department received a call from a village resident stating he found bone fragments and teeth in the upper level of a garage he had recently purchased,” the department’s nightly Facebook post said.

Police said the remains seem to have been in the garage upper level “for a number of years,” but gave no further description.

After the remains were determined to be human, the New London Police Department turned over the investigation to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation(BCI), which then processed the scene.

[...]

New London Police Chief Mike Marko said his department believes the remains found in the upper level of a garage are from a female. The bones likely have been in the garage’s upper level for “at least 30 years,” he added.

Marko noted only 79 bones were found, so more than 100 bones are missing if the remains came from one person. An adult human has 206 bones.

Human remains found in New London


21 JANUARY 2020

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat analyzed the remains in his lab at Mercyhurst University in 2016 and determined the bones were likely from a young woman between the ages of 13 and 20, who stood between 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6 tall. There were no signs of dental work, suggesting the remains may be quite old. Portions of the skull and sacrum appear to have been cut by a power saw.

[...]

“Was she a victim of an unsolved crime? Is she a missing person? Using genetic genealogy, we can finally give her a name,” Renner said.

DNA testing and genetic genealogy will be conducted by Bode Technology, a leading provider of forensic DNA services.

New London's mystery bones to be tested again

Strangely I do remember conversation here and even photos of barn when bones were found in 2016. I searched too but thread is definitely not under Ohio ones.

So fascinating this has been solved and with such a unexpected outcome.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Mystery solved! Bones found in Ohio barn identified as remains of teacher who died in 1881 | WAVY.com

 

[bettyboop]

Following. I love these cases solved by genealogy. I have
been interested in genealogy since I was introduced to it by one of my teachers in the eighth grade or so. I have a cousin who is a professional genealogist. So proud of her.

 

[dotr]

 

[azure]

I wonder if she could have committed suicide? Perhaps due to stigma around that, the death was labeled "undetermined", and the body was donated to science? Then the cemetery burial in a far off place was made up? Probably far-fetched.

 

[Richard]

A young woman named Hallie Armstrong died in 1881 at the age of 18.

Hallie Armstrong was a young teacher, unmarried, and the cause of her death was listed as “unknown,” which was uncommon for that time. Her father was the superintendent of an infirmary. And though Ms. Armstrong came from a well-to-do family, she was reportedly buried in a lone grave at Sugar Grove Cemetery, in Wilmington, Ohio.

Hallie Armstrong is the only member of her extended family, which was linked to the bones by DNA, who fits the age range of the decedent. ...

LINK:

72 Bones Found in New London Barn Connect to Schoolteacher Who Died in 1881 – May Be Oldest Genetic Genealogy Case to Date. - Providing a new chance at closure for cold cases

 

[Richard]

It appears that this is the same person mentioned in some of the previous links as being the deceased girl whose remains were found and identified with DNA.

Note that this means that she had a twin brother, Almer.

Why would she be buried separately from her family, and why no headstone?

Does a photo exist of her?

Allie F Armstrong
BIRTH 19 Sep 1862
Hamilton County, Ohio, USA
DEATH 29 Aug 1881 (aged 18)
Clinton County, Ohio, USA
BURIAL
Sugar Grove Cemetery
Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio, USA
PLOT Sec 6 Lot 320
Parents

• 
  Hamilton Armstrong
  1820–1899
  
  
• 
  Ipatia Smith Armstrong
  1826–1894
  

Siblings

• 
  Almer Corey Armstrong
  1862–1932
  

 

[amandab]

With the "uncommon" cause of death, I wonder if she might have been pregnant and died in childbirth or shortly thereafter? Would explain the need to secret away the remains, for shame and whatnot.

 

[Rosegold68]

powersaw? in 1881?

also bones were wrapped in newspaper? was that dated i wonder

 

[summergirl1]

72 Bones Found in New London Barn Connect to Schoolteacher Who Died in 1881 – May Be Oldest Genetic Genealogy Case to Date. - Providing a new chance at closure for cold cases

New London, OH – In the fall of 2016, 72 human bones were discovered under weathered newspaper inside a garage at 118 E. Main Street, New London. The property was the former residence of New London mayor Dar Anderson but it’s possible the bones were never found by Anderson as the garage was in disrepair.

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat analyzed the remains in his lab at Mercyhurst University in 2016 and determined the bones were likely from a young woman between the ages of 13 and 20, who stood between 4’10” and 5’6” tall. There were no signs of dental work, suggesting the remains were quite old.

Earlier this year, the Porchlight Project contacted New London Chief of Police Mike Marko to offer its services to identify the remains. It was believed at the time that the bones may be evidence of a homicide. Chief Marko allowed the Porchlight Project to have the bones transferred to the labs at Bode Technology, in Lorton, Virginia, where DNA was extracted and analyzed.

The DNA information generated by the lab then went to Bode’s genealogist, Melinde Lutz Byrne, who uploaded the data into multiple DNA databases, including GEDMatch, an open, online database for genetic profiles. A potential familial match was found that suggested the bones were much older than we thought. This familial link pointed to a young woman named Hallie Armstrong, who died in 1881, at the age of 18.

Hallie Armstrong was a young teacher, unmarried, and the cause of her death was listed as “unknown,” which was uncommon for that time. Her father was the superintendent of an infirmary. And though Ms. Armstrong came from a well-to-do family, she was reportedly buried in a lone grave at Sugar Grove Cemetery, in Wilmington, Ohio.

Hallie Armstrong is the only member of her extended family, which was linked to the bones by DNA, who fits the age range of the decedent. If it is her, our investigation has led to another mystery – if Ms. Armstrong’s bones ended up in New London, who is buried in her plot in Wilmington?

Dr. Dirkmaat offered the opinion that the bones found in New London could be a medical specimen, noting that one of the former owners of the barn was a local chiropractor. Also, her skull appeared to have been cut by a power saw. However, some power tool was also used on the subject’s sacrum and pelvis. Only conjecture would offer a possible explanation for this.

The Porchlight Project has spoken with curators from Sugar Grove Cemetery. The old plot is in a location that would make exhumation difficult – the ground is hardened and a large tree has sunk its roots around her grave. A caretaker probed the ground but could not reach deep enough to make contact with a casket, if there is one.

So what is to be done? We will wait. Every day, more people, curious about their heritage, purchase DNA kits from Ancestry.com and 23&Me and then upload their unique genetic markers into databases that allow investigative access, like GedMatch. As they do, our vast, collective family tree forms out of the data. In the last few weeks, several people across the U.S. have matched to the remains found in New London, but none are close enough relatives to tell us definitively that we have solved this case. Hopefully, one day soon, someone closer to Ms. Armstrong’s branch of that tree will log on and find out that they are the missing piece of this hundred-and-forty-year-old mystery.

“I’m happy to say we’ve helped the New London Police rule out a potential homicide in their town,” says Porchlight Project Founder, James Renner. “And in the process of solving one mystery, we’ve uncovered a much older one – who was Hallie Armstrong, really, and how did her remains end up in a barn in New London, a hundred years after her death? Hopefully, one day, we can provide an answer.”

“I am extremely grateful to James Renner and the Porchlight Project along with Bode Technology for their assistance in this mystery,” says New London police chief, Mike Marko. “We have closed a cold case and ruled out a homicide. As one door is closed, another opens in the continuing mystery of how her remains ended up here in New London.”

“Forensic genealogy has quickly become an incredibly powerful tool to provide answers in cold cases like this,” says a Bode spokesperson. “After 140 years, we are honored to work to restore this young woman’s name. We will continue to provide this cutting-edge technology to agencies across this country. This case shows that almost no case is too cold.”

The Porchlight Project was founded in 2019. For its first case, the Porchlight Project assisted the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department by funding new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for the 1987 unsolved murder of Barbara Blatnik. Thanks to the Porchlight Project’s involvement, James Zastawnik was arrested for Blatnik’s murder in May, 2020. He is currently awaiting trial. The Porchlight Project is funded by donations from the public. For more information, and to donate online, please visit Our Mission - Providing a new chance at closure for cold cases

If you have information about the identity of the young woman found in New London, please contact police at 419-929-3504.

It sounds like she was the victim of grave robbers at some point- before the large tree grew roots around her grave. I don't really know what other explanation there would be. It may have been noticed, but if far enough back, that would likely explain why there's no record of it. Maybe the chiropractor knew something? The power tools cutting her remains are very odd. Maybe someone else who found them in the garage did that, though, to try to dispose of them? And then they found it tougher going than they expected?

 

[?!?]

They found 72 bones -- are the other 134 what is buried in her grave?

Don't see any rationale for the statement that homicide has been ruled out -- anyone?

Power saw not invented until 1895:

The Invention of Power Tools

Power tools such as the heavy drill were invented and helped overcome the limitations of human strength and endurance.

www.sparkenergy.com

 

[Richard]

This certainly is a strange case. Hallie Armstrong, born 12 September 1862 and died at age 18 had a twin brother named Almer Corey Armstrong.

The rest of her family is interred in expensive vaults or graves marked with large marble headstones at Sugar Grove Cemetery. Yet Hallie (listed in cemetery records as Allie F. Armstrong) was supposedly buried in an unmarked grave separate from the others - and cemetery officials today cannot even state with any certainty that the "grave" contained anything.

These remains, found in an old Ohio barn, show the marks of power tools? What was the date of the newspaper covering them?

Obviously, since she was identified through genetic DNA research, she has living relatives. What can they say about it?

 

[MarziPanda]

I'm thinking maybe she died in a way that was considered 'shameful' - such as suicide, or in childbirth (whilst unmarried). Or even after an abortion. It sounds like some in the family might have wanted to pretend she never existed.