1428 Elm
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19th century vampire in Connecticut is finally identified

By Susan Leighton

KASSEL, GERMANY - JANUARY 25: Two skeletons lie in a mass grave containing the remains of approximately 60 bodies discovered earlier in the week at a construction site on January 25, 2008 in Kassel, Germany. A factory producing tanks for the Nazis occupied the site during World War II, though forensic examiners say initial investigations lay doubt to the claim that the bodies are of slave labourers who worked at the factory. One examiner said that initial observations of the dental characteristics of the skeletons indicate the bodies date older than from World War II. He also said the cause of death was likely from disease, possibly tuberculosis. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
KASSEL, GERMANY - JANUARY 25: Two skeletons lie in a mass grave containing the remains of approximately 60 bodies discovered earlier in the week at a construction site on January 25, 2008 in Kassel, Germany. A factory producing tanks for the Nazis occupied the site during World War II, though forensic examiners say initial investigations lay doubt to the claim that the bodies are of slave labourers who worked at the factory. One examiner said that initial observations of the dental characteristics of the skeletons indicate the bodies date older than from World War II. He also said the cause of death was likely from disease, possibly tuberculosis. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) /
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A vampire discovered in an unmarked cemetery during the 1990’s in Connecticut has finally been identified through a DNA test.

A vampire was discovered in 1990 in Griswold, Connecticut by some children. According to Arstechnica, skulls were found near a gravel pit. Apparently, they were unearthed from their graves in an undiscovered, unmarked 19th century cemetery.

Shortly thereafter, the ground was excavated and the bones of a man known only by the initials of JB55 spelled out on his coffin were uncovered along with 26 other grave sites. What made this particular find interesting is the manner in which his bones were displayed in the coffin.

His skull and his femur bones were laid out in the familiar skull and crossbones shape. This arrangement clued the archaeologists into the fact that he was considered to be a “vampire” by the members of his community.

In the 90’s, a bone analysis was performed and the results showed JB55 to be a man in his 50’s who was more than likely a manual laborer. There was also one more important condition gleaned from the work on his skeleton. He died from consumption or tuberculosis. This was determined by the appearance of lesions on his ribs.

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During the 1800’s, this disease once contracted was lethal. Because the infection spread to acquaintances and family members, people automatically assumed that the deceased had risen from their grave to prey upon the people left in their villages and towns.

This is why the Great New England Vampire Panic occurred. In the 19th century, Rhode Island, Vermont and eastern Connecticut were swept up in this phenomenon.

Families who had deceased loved ones that died from tuberculosis, would look for specific signs that would indicate that their former relatives were among the immortals. A bloated stomach, blood in the heart and if the corpse appeared to be “fresh” it was automatically assumed that he or she was a creature of the night.

Because JB55 suffered lung damage and he was decapitated, this alerted archaeologists to the fact that he was considered to be a vampire. To obtain his identity, scientists extracted DNA from one of his femurs.

They ran that sample using Y-chromosomal DNA profiling and then cross-referenced genetic markers with a genealogy database. After locating an obituary of a young boy named Nathan Barber, it was noted that his father was John Barber. Near JB55’s grave was another coffin with brass tacks and the initials NB13.

More than likely, JB55 is John Barber. Now, he can rest in peace and his memory will no longer be synonymous with being a vampire.

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Were you familiar with the Great New England Vampire Panic? Let us know in the comments.

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