MARIANNA — Researchers have identified two more individuals who were buried in unmarked graves at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, according to a news release.
According to an email from University of South Florida anthropologist Dr. Erin Kimmerle, one of the individuals was Sam Morgan, who entered the school at age 18. The school’s ledger entry states he first arrived on Sept. 23, 1915, was paroled on Jan. 1, 1918, and was then brought back to the school 23 days later, on Feb. 10.
Under the ledger column “how released,” it states that Morgan was “indentured," according to the email news release. Because of the indentured status, the research team believes he may have died in the custody of the business or farm that had acquired him. Morgan was buried on the Boot Hill grounds of the school’s property, but his exact burial location was unknown; the school’s records do not list him as deceased and they do not provide information about him, his death or his burial.
Also identified was Bennett Evans, an employee of the school who died in the dormitory fire of 1914, according to the USF team. No DNA was obtained from the burned bone samples, so his identification is based on his age at death and burial context and is considered a presumptive match.
Only 51 percent of the children the USF team is looking for, excluding the dorm fire incident in 1914, were recorded in the school’s records as being buried at the school.
The USF team's research began in 2012 to establish the number, location and identity of children who died in state custody and were then buried in unmarked graves on the school grounds. Kimmerle and her colleague Dr. Antoinette Jackson met with representatives for several members of the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday to present a status report., which is required by the Florida Cabinet as part of its approval to allow Dr. Kimmerle to conduct research on the school grounds.
So far, the USF team has ID'd five individuals.
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