The Madison County, Kentucky Giant
The Richmond Climax (Richmond, Kentucky) August 6, 1921
When our forefathers came to Kentucky, 130 years ago, they found scattered throughout the borders numerous earth mounds. The Indians who then hunted in Kentucky told the white people that they know nothing of who these mounds were built or who constructed them.
The Indians said that their fathers had told them that they had been built by a pale race, different from the Indians, with whom the Indians had fought and over whom they had finally prevailed. As these mounds were the only sure evidences of this former race, these people were called Mound Builders, and by this name, we knew them in the succeeding years.
Two miles south of Waco, on a high ridge, which is said to be the highest point in Madison County outside of the mountain spurs, on the property of Mr. John Moberly, I found a mound ninety feet in diameter, and although over its surface cultivation had gone on for twenty or thirty years, it was still twelve feet in height. This mound Mr. Moberly kindly consented that I might demolish. He himself had dug into it several years ago some three or four feet, but without discovering anything of consequence – a few arrowheads were his only finds.
I first ran a trench three feet deep through the mound, due north and south. From the top of the mound, on the north side, there was a peculiar white clay not known in the immediate locality covering a space a space about seven feet long and two or three feet wide; this clay was used from the top to the bottom of the mound. After following it all the way down to a level with the surface of the surrounding ground, we discovered a skeleton in a fair state of preservation. From all the surrounding conditions the body must have that of a man of eminence and renown. The column of white clay used to the bottom to the top of the mound would indicate that the body over which it had been packed in must have been one of more than usual importance, and the bones, which will be hereafter described, showed that the man was a person of tremendous stature, and was much larger than the other persons whose remains were interred in this mound.
Not being up in anatomy, I submitted the bones to Drs. Coomes, Cecil and others and they all concurred with me in the opinion that I had unearthed the bones of a man who in life must have been very tall and very large, and to be at least of the height indicated. Both the upper and lower teeth were greatly worn, and it was also evident that when this giant was interred he had lived out a long life.
