Hannon Farm Skeleton

The Hannon Farm Skeleton was an alleged giant skeleton that was claimed to have been excavated from the bank of a ravine on the farm of John W. Hannon near Barnard, Missouri during 1883, described in a newspaper report of the St. Joseph Gazette, based on information provided by a J. H. Hainly, as being measured at some 12 feet (3.66 m.) in height with four foot long ribs that "stood up high enough to enable a man to crawl in and explore the interior of the skeleton." It was reportedly on display at Barnard and it was suggested that unnamed "medical men" were interested. No further information has been found regarding the claim at this time.

Press Coverage

• "MUST HAVE BEEN GOLIATH", The Sun (Fayetteville, NC), 26 Sept. 1883, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91068129/1883-09-26/ed-1/seq-1/, "Hon. J. H. Hainly, a well-known and reliable citizen of Barnard, Mo., writes to the St. Joseph Gazette the particulars of the discovery of a giant skeleton four miles south west of that place. A farmer named John W. Hannon found the bones protruding from the bank of a ravine that has been cut by the action of the rains during the past years. Mr. Hannon worked several days in unearthing the skeleton, which proved to be that of a human being, whose height was twelve feet. The head through the temple was twelve inches; from the lower part of the skull at the back was fifteen inches, and the circumference forty inches. The ribs were nearly four feet long and one and three quarter inches wide. The thigh bones were thirty inches long and large in proportion. When the earth was removed the ribs stood up high enough to enable a man to crawl in and explore the interior of the skeleton, turn around and come out with ease. The first joint of the great toe, above the nail, was three inches long, and the entire foot eighteen inches in length. The skeleton lay on its face, twenty feet below the surface of the ground, and the toes were imbedded in the earth, indicating that the body either fell or was placed there when the ground was soft. The left arm was passed around backward, the hand resting on the spinal column, while the right arm was stretched out to the front and right. Some of the bones crumbled on exposure to the air, but many good specimens were preserved and are now on exhibition at Barnard. Medical men are much interested. The skeleton is generally pronounced a valuable relic of the prehistoric race."