19th-Century Ship Captain Identified Through DNA From Beach Remains
Decades after skeletal remains, dubbed “Scattered Man John Doe,” were discovered on New Jersey beaches, Ramapo College students used investigative genetic genealogy to identify them as Henry Goodsell, the captain of the 1844-sunk schooner *Oriental*. Their research, involving DNA matching and historical records, linked the remains to Goodsell’s Connecticut family and corroborated accounts of the *Oriental*’s demise and the recovery of one crew member’s body. This identification, confirmed by DNA comparison with a descendant’s sample, marks a significant advancement in solving long-unsolved cold cases using this innovative technique. The successful identification highlights the collaborative power of law enforcement and academic institutions in providing closure to families and resolving historical mysteries.
John Q. Hosedrinker