Dossier
John Pumphrey
Coverage of John Pumphrey in the Nexus archive.
- DNA from bones on a Revolutionary War battlefield solves the case of ‘America’s oldest John Doe’
Pvt. John Pumphrey, a Maryland teenager who died in the 1780 Battle of Camden, was identified after 246 years using DNA testing and historical research. His remains, one of 14 sets discovered during an archaeological survey in 2020, were reburied with military honors, ending his status as 'America’s oldest John Doe'.
- DNA from bones on a Revolutionary War battlefield solves the case of 'America's oldest John Doe'
DNA testing and forensic investigation identified Pvt. John Pumphrey, a Maryland teenager who died in the 1780 Battle of Camden, as 'Camden 9B' after 246 years. Forensic teams extracted DNA from a temporal bone to solve the case, reuniting the remains with history ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary.