[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13837-13838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05093]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22931; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: St. Joseph 
Museums, Inc., St. Joseph, MO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The St. Joseph Museums, Inc., in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items 
should submit a written request to the St. Joseph Museums, Inc. If no 
additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural 
items 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 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., at 
the address in this notice by April 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Trevor Tutt, St. Joseph Museums, Inc., P.O. Box 8096, St. 
Joseph, MO 64508, telephone (816) 232-8471, 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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., St. Joseph, MO, that meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    In 1942, seven unassociated funerary objects were donated to the 
St. Joseph Museums, Inc., by William M. Wyeth, having been removed from 
the King Hill site (23BN1) in Buchanan County, MO. The site was known 
to be a burial mound. The seven unassociated funerary objects are 2 
celts; 1 stone implement; 1 projectile point; 1 knife; 1 hoe; and 1 
shell necklace.
    In 1951, three unassociated funerary objects were donated to the 
St. Joseph Museums, Inc., by Claude Madison, having been removed from 
the King Hill site (23 BN 1) in Buchanan County, MO. The site was known 
to be a burial mound. The three unassociated funerary objects are 1 
scraper or knife and 2 axe heads.
    In June of 1981, four unassociated funerary objects were donated to 
the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., by Lester Watkins, having been removed 
from the King Hill site (23 BN 1) in Buchanan County, MO. The site was 
known to be a burial mound. The four unassociated funerary objects are 
4 shell tempered pot sherds.
    In May of 1982, 97 unassociated funerary objects were donated to 
the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., having been removed from the King Hill 
site (23 BN 1) in Buchanan County, MO. The site was known to be a 
burial mound. The 97 unassociated funerary objects are 8 stone 
artifacts, 1 shell, 8 scrapers, 19 pottery sherds, 26 projectile 
points, 4 grind stones, 3 handles, 28 animal bones.
    In September of 1992, four unassociated funerary objects were 
donated to the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., by Bobby Sipes, having been 
removed from the King Hill site (23 BN 1) in Buchanan County, MO. The 
site was known to be a burial mound. The four unassociated funerary 
objects are 3 projectile points and 1 drill.
    In 1995, four unassociated funerary objects were donated to the St. 
Joseph Museums, Inc., having been removed from the King Hill site (23 
BN 1) in Buchanan County, MO. The site was known to be a burial mound. 
The four

[[Page 13838]]

unassociated funerary objects are 4 stones.
    In 1999, 105 unassociated funerary objects were donated to the St. 
Joseph Museums, Inc., as part of the Shippee Collection, having been 
removed from the King Hill site (23 BN 1) in Buchanan County, MO; site 
23 CP 1 in Cooper County, MO; and sites 23 PL 1, 23 PL 20, 23 PL 21 A, 
23 PL 25, 23 PL 29, 23 PL 30, 23 PL 38, 23 PL 4, and 23 PL 6 in Platte 
County, MO. The sites were known to be burial mounds, but no human 
remains were donated in affiliation with these sites. The 105 
unassociated funerary objects are 9 stones, 31 pottery sherds, 5 
scrapers or knives, 1 pumice, 25 projectile points, 16 pieces of rock 
and plant samples, 1 lead nugget, 2 metate, 2 manos, 1 bag of hammer 
stones, 1 chopper, 5 boxes and 1 sack of pottery sherds, 1 bag of 
bones, 2 artifacts, 2 abraders.

Determinations Made by the St. Joseph Museums, Inc.

    Officials of the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 224 cultural items 
described above 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and 
Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in 
Kansas and Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; and The Osage Nation 
(previously listed as the Osage Tribe).

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Trevor Tutt, St. Joseph Museums, Inc., P.O. 
Box 8096, St. Joseph, MO 64508, telephone (816) 232-8471, email 
[email protected], by April 14, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; 
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and 
Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; and The Osage Nation (previously 
listed as the Osage Tribe) may proceed.
    The St. Joseph Museums, Inc., is responsible for notifying the Iowa 
Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Sac & Fox Nation 
of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; and The 
Osage Nation (previously listed as the Osage Tribe) that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: February 14, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-05093 Filed 3-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P