[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10505-10506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04058]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-17549; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kerr County Attorney's Office, 
Kerr County, TX

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Kerr County Attorney's Office has completed an inventory 
of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian 
tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of 
these human remains should submit a written request to the Kerr County 
Attorney's Office. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer 
of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, or Indian 
tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may 
proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the Kerr 
County Attorney's Office at the address in this notice by March 30, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Heather Stebbins, Kerr County Attorney, 700 Main Street, 
Suite BA-103, Kerrville, TX 78028, telephone (830) 792-2220, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains under 
the control of the County of Kerr, Kerr County Attorney's Office, 
Kerrville, TX. The human remains were removed from Kerr County, TX.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

[[Page 10506]]

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Kerr 
County Sheriff's Department Evidence Submission professional staff. 
Kerr County Justice of the Peace Precinct #4, Justice William Ragsdale 
has consulted with representatives of the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma, 
the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico, 
and the Lipan Apache Band of Texas, a non-Federally recognized Indian 
group.

History and Description of the Remains

    In May 2009, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from private property along a river bank in Kerr County, 
TX. Individuals clearing land along a dry river bank on private 
property discovered some fragmented bones in a niche. Believing the 
bones to possibly be human remains, the fragments were reported to the 
ranch manager, who advised that there had been other fragments removed 
from the same area in 2005. The Kerr County Sheriff's Department was 
notified, took photos, and removed additional fragments from the river 
bank in Kerr County, TX. The remains were then taken to the Kerr County 
Sheriff's Department secure evidence storage. The University of North 
Texas Center for Human Identification, Laboratory of Forensic 
Anthropology evaluated the bone fragments and prepared a report. The 
report concluded that the remains are historical/archeological in 
origin and are at least 100-200 years old. The remains were from one 
male individual, approximately 24 years of age, and most importantly, 
the remains are of Amerindian ancestry. No known individuals or 
specific tribal affiliation were identified. No associated funerary 
objects were present.
    According to anthropologist Harrell Gill-King, Ph.D., D-ABFA, the 
Lipan Apache inhabited the entire length of the Guadalupe River basin 
100 to 200 years ago. According to Daniel Castro Romero, Jr., General 
Council Chairman, Lipan Apache Band of Texas, the Lipan Apache have 
historically used this geographical area for traditional hunting and 
burial. Mr. Romero believes that the Apache affiliation has been 
verified through previous scholarship. NAGPRA affiliate, Randy Barnes, 
has advised Kerr County that the area in question is traditional 
hunting and burial area of the Lipan Apache. This particular area in 
the Texas Hill Country has had several known tribal groups that were in 
the area within the estimated time period. The Lipan Apache, the Payaya 
Indians, the Carrizo Indians, and possibly the Comanche utilized the 
niche methods of burial. The last tribe with historical affiliation in 
the area was the Lipan Apache Band under Chief Castro, whose sons were 
scouts for the Texas Rangers.

Determinations Made by the Kerr County Attorney's Office

    Officials of the Kerr County Attorney's Office have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma, and the 
Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Heather 
Stebbins, Kerr County Attorney, 700 Main Street, Suite BA-103, 
Kerrville, TX 78028, telephone (830) 792-2220, email [email protected], 
by March 30, 2015. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Comanche 
Nation, Oklahoma, and the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico, may proceed.
    The Kerr County Attorney's office is responsible for notifying the 
Comanche Nation, Oklahoma, the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico, and the Lipan Apache Band of Texas, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 23, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-04058 Filed 2-25-15; 8:45 am]
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