STURGIS, Mich. (AP) — Officials say skeletal remains of two children and three adults unearthed in southwestern Michigan may be those of early settlers of an area community.

The recently unearthed remains in Sturgis have been collected are being evaluated by forensic anthropologists at Western Michigan University. Geoff Smith, the director of public safety for Sturgis, says research is ongoing to determine whether there’s a connection to an old burial site.

Local historians want to know whether the remains may be those of a Revolutionary War veteran who later settled in the area just north of the Indiana state line and died in the 1830s.

The remains were found along with what appeared to be hardware from a coffin during a retention pond excavation. They were found about 6 feet underground.