Archaeologists and historians have been digging deep (heh) to find out more about James Jackson (d. 1799), whose bones turned up in Washington Square Park last month. He seems to have been a watchman, grocer, or watchman-grocer with three or four children who rented a home at 19 East George Street. Cause of death: yellow fever, which banished him to the poor folks' cemetery even though he had money. Historians are still investigating. Said the city's records commissioner, Brian Andersson, "We'd love to, so to speak, flesh this fellow out." Double heh. [NYT; previously]
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