Anthropology Professor and Students Investigate Unmarked Settler Burials Discovered in LeRay, NY
When a local farmer in the Town of LeRay, New York began to prepare his field for the coming growing season, he discovered something unexpected: human skeletal remains. That’s when Mindy Pitre, Associate Professor and Chair of Anthropology, was called in as a bioarcheological consultant—charged with excavating and analyzing any human skeletal remains recovered.
Pitre and her students found themselves in a field next to a busy highway. Working with Lisa Anderson, Curator of Bioarchaeology at the New York State Museum, and local archeologists Tim Abel, Ph.D., and Murat O'Hara, they carefully unearthed the skeletal remains of at least three individuals. The work was monitored by a representative from the Oneida Indian Nation, as required by state protocol. The team recovered coffin hardware including screws and hinges which suggested a settler burial dating to the mid-19th century.
The remains are now being examined in Pitre’s lab, where she is carrying out skeletal analysis to build a biological profile including information such as sex, age, height, as well as to evaluate for evidence of cause and manner of death. The results of her analysis will be compared with historical records associated with possible individuals connected to the property.
The project has thus far involved eight St. Lawrence students: Luciana Postizzi ’26, Carlos Sanchez ’26, David Grzebyta ’26, Silas Roth ’26, Charlotte Hobbs ’26, Nikola Timmerman ’26, Andrew Chartrand ’27, Jenner Kittle ’28), all of whom have backgrounds in human osteology through taking Pitre’s courses.
“Students have been afforded a rare opportunity to experience anthropology in the field while at the same time engaging with various professionals from the New York State Museum, the Oneida Indian Nation, and consulting archeology firms.” —Professor Mindy Pitre
Luciana Postizzi ’26, an anthropology and studio art major, said the experience was transformative and really allowed her to hone the skills that she’s picked up in Pitre’s courses over the years.
David Grzebyta ’26, an anthropology and Hispanic studies major, relayed how the experience solidified his desire to pursue graduate study and a career in archeology in the future.
This is not the first time Pitre has led investigations of historical burials in the region. She and Abel previously worked with St. Lawrence University students on the recovery of individuals from the Old Burial Ground in Heuvelton, New York, a project that received a New York State Historic Preservation Award for Archaeological Stewardship.
