[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 83 (Friday, April 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25711-25713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10067]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-20709; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State Historical Society, 
Topeka, KS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Kansas State Historical Society has completed an inventory 
of human remains and associated funerary objects, 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 associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects should submit a written request 
to the Kansas State Historical Society. If no additional requestors 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or

[[Page 25712]]

Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Kansas State Historical Society at the 
address in this notice by May 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Robert J. Hoard, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 
SW. 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099, telephone (785) 272-8681 
extension 269, 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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Kansas State 
Historical Society, Topeka, KS. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Doniphan, Pottawatomie, and Shawnee 
Counties, KS.
    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 and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Kansas 
State Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Kaw Nation, Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from the Doniphan site, 14DP2, in Doniphan 
County, KS. The human remains were transferred in April 1990 to the 
Kansas State Historical Society by the Wallingford Historical Society 
of Wallingford, Connecticut. The Wallingford Historical Society 
acquired the human remains as a donation from Harold Stearns. Stearns 
had received the human remains around 1917 as a gift from George 
Remsburg, a well-known collector of Indian artifacts in the early 20th 
century. These human remains are identified by the designation UBS 
1989-19B. No known individuals were identified. No associate funerary 
objects are present.
    The human remains were packaged in a box with a paper museum label 
that indicated the human remains were from ``the Doniphan town site.'' 
This is almost certainly the well documented historic Kaw burial site 
known as the Doniphan site, 14DP2. The human remains are therefore 
interpreted as being affiliated with the Kaw Nation.
    In 1987, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed from the Doniphan site, 14DP2, in Doniphan County, KS, and 
designated UBS 1990-28. These human remains were exposed by erosion and 
excavated by Kansas State Historical staff, done with the agreement of 
Bill Mehojah, then Chairman of the Kaw Tribe of Oklahoma. No known 
individuals were identified. There are 132 associated funerary objects: 
1 Ceramic vessel, 18 beads, 1 pipe, 1 tablet, 2 Catlinite pieces, 1 
bone awl, 1 bivalve shell, 1 gunflint, 1 projectile point, 35 pottery 
sherds, 71 flakes, 1 peach seed, 1 vial of squash seeds, 9 black seeds, 
daub, 2 cinders, charcoal, 1 sack of fibers, 1 geode, 1 crockery sherd, 
2 abraders, both broken; and 1 vial rodent bones.
    In 1936, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from the Doniphan site in Doniphan County, KS, by A.T. 
Hill and John Champe of the Nebraska State Historical Society. The 
human remains were transferred to the Kansas State Historical Society 
in 1987 and designated UBS 1991-100. The human remains were identified 
as one adult and one juvenile of indeterminate sex. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In the 1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual was removed from the Doniphan site in Doniphan County, KS. 
The human remains consist of an adult cranium. The human remains were 
first taken to Atchison County Historical Society, and then further 
transferred to Kansas State Historical Society and designated UBS 1991-
104. The human remains were then sent to Kansas State University for 
analysis, and were returned to the Kansas State Historical Society in 
1998. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In or around 1949, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were found on the Ford farm, presumably the Doniphan site, 
in Doniphan County, KS. A note with the human remains states that they 
were found exposed. The human remains were originally in the 
collections of Benedictine College in Atchison, KS. They were 
transferred to the Kansas State Historical Society in 1992, designated 
UBS 1992-24-6 (24A) and analyzed by physical anthropologist Dr. Michael 
Finnegan in 1997. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from the Blue Earth Village site, site 14PO24, 
in Pottawatomie County, KS. The human remains were donated to the 
Kansas State Historical Society in 1881 by private collector William J. 
Griffing and designated UBS 1991-66. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1937, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from a site presumed to be the Blue Earth Village site in 
Pottawatomie County, KS. The human remains were collected by A.T. Hill 
of the Nebraska State Historical Society. In 1991 the human remains 
were donated to the Kansas State Historical Society and designated UBS 
1991-65. No known individuals were identified. The 9 associated 
funerary objects are 5 brass buttons, 1 lot of metal lace fragments, 1 
lot of wood splinters, 1 piece red pigment, 1 lot of unidentifiable, 
decomposing material, possibly leather.
    In 1986, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from site 14SH339, Shawnee County, KS. The human remains 
were unearthed as a homeowner was building an addition to their house. 
The human remains were brought to the Kansas State Historical Society 
in 1987 and designated UBS 1989-5.
    Osteological analysis was conducted by Dr. Eileen Burneau, chief 
pathologist, Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Dr. Kim Schneider, 
physical anthropologist, Wichita State University, and Dr. Michael 
Finnegan, physical anthropologist, Kansas State University. The 
associated funerary objects with the human remains date to the 1800s, 
and the site is on a high ridge overlooking the documented location of 
the American Chief Village, occupied by the Kaw during the period of 
A.D. 1832-1846. It is believed that these human remains and associated 
funerary objects are affiliated with the Kaw Nation of Oklahoma. No 
known individuals were identified. The 7 associated funerary objects 
are 1 bead, 1 railroad spike, 1 axe head, 1 piece of cloth with metal, 
1 piece of wood, 1 sack of hair or fibers, and 1 sack of fabric.

Determinations Made by the Kansas State Historical Society

    Officials of the Kansas State Historical Society have determined 
that:

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     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 17 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 148 objects 
described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed 
with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as 
part of the death rite or ceremony.
     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 associated funerary objects and the Kaw 
Nation, Oklahoma.

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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Dr. Robert J. Hoard, Kansas State Historical 
Society, 6425 SW. 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099, telephone (785) 
272-8681 extension 269, email [email protected], by May 31, 2016. After 
that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains the Kaw Nation may proceed.
    The Kansas State Historical Society is responsible for notifying 
the Kaw Nation, Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 24, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-10067 Filed 4-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P