[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 105 (Friday, June 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25624-25625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11447]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-23289; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Allen County-Fort 
Wayne Historical Society, Fort Wayne, IN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 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 Allen County-Fort 
Wayne Historical Society. 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 Allen County-Fort Wayne 
Historical Society at the address in this notice by July 3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Walter Font, Curator, Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical 
Society, 302 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, telephone (260) 
426-2882, 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 Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, Fort Wayne, 
IN, 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

    On an unknown date, two cultural items were removed from a grave in 
the Lakeside District of Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN. At some time 
prior to 1947, the funerary objects were acquired from Mr. W.T. Angel 
by the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society. No other provenience 
information is available. The 2 unassociated funerary objects are 1 
animal tusk and 1 hatchet head.
    In 1928, one cultural item was removed from a grave on Prospect 
Avenue in Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN. In 1933, the funerary object 
was acquired from Mr. Theodore Waldo by the Allen County-Fort Wayne 
Historical Society. No other provenience information is available. The 
1 unassociated funerary object is a stone pipe bowl.
    On an unknown date, five cultural items were removed from a grave 
in the Spy Run District of Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN. At some time 
prior to 1947, the funerary objects were acquired from an unknown 
source by the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society. Catalog 
records state that the funerary objects were found in an ``Indian grave 
in the Spy Run District, Fort Wayne.'' The 5 unassociated funerary 
objects are 4 silver brooches and 1 brass button.
    On an unknown date, two cultural items were removed from a grave on 
West Washington Street in Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN. In 1934, the 
objects were acquired from an unknown source by the Allen County-Fort 
Wayne Historical Society. Catalog records state that the funerary 
objects were found in a grave at ``1415 W. Washington Street.'' The 2 
unassociated funerary objects are 2 steel strikers.
    On unknown dates, seven cultural items were removed from graves in 
``the Miami burial ground'' in the Spy Run District of Fort Wayne, 
Allen County, IN. In about 1928, the funerary objects were acquired 
from Mr. Jacob M. Stouder, a local collector, by the Allen County-Fort 
Wayne Historical Society. The 7 unassociated funerary objects are 1 set 
of pistol fragments, 1 tomahawk, 1 stone pipe, 2 clay pipes, and 2 
stone tools.
    On an unknown date, one cultural item was removed from a grave at 
Lawton Place in Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN. In 1932, the funerary 
object was acquired from Mrs. George Gillie by the Allen County-Fort 
Wayne Historical Society. No other provenience information is 
available. The 1 unassociated funerary object is an iron hoe blade.

[[Page 25625]]

    In May of 1933, 10 cultural items were removed from a grave on 
Prospect Avenue in Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN. In 1935, the funerary 
objects were purchased from Mr. Orville Smith by the Allen County Fort 
Wayne-Historical Society. No other provenience information is 
available. The 10 unassociated funerary objects are 1 set of musket 
fragments, 1 clay pipe, 1 metal tack hammer, 2 metal files, 2 metal 
harpoon tips, 1 copper tube bead, 1 pair of scissors fragments, and 1 
whetstone.
    In about 1910, one cultural item was removed from Lawton Place in 
Fort Wayne, Allen County, IN, by Vernon Ferguson. Mr. Ferguson removed 
the funerary object from a grave exposed during excavation for a house 
basement. In 1984, the funerary object was acquired from Mr. Ferguson 
by the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society. The 1 unassociated 
funerary object is a copper pot with iron bail.
    In 1907, one cultural item was removed from the grave of Miami 
Indian Chief Coesse in Huntington County, IN. At some time prior to 
1947, the funerary object was acquired from Mr. Charles More by the 
Allen County Fort Wayne-Historical Society. No other provenience 
information is known. Chief Coesse was a Miami Indian who resided in 
northeast Indiana. He died in about 1853, and was buried near Roanoke, 
IN, and has no known descendants. Evidence from Society records and 
secondary sources indicate that the unassociated funerary object is 
affiliated with a Miami Tribal chief. The 1 unassociated funerary 
object is a small glass vial containing beads.
    The above listed sites are estimated to date from the late 1700s to 
the early 1800s. The evidence available indicates that the sites are 
related to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, whose tribal lands were located 
in northeast Indiana from about 1710 to the early 1800s. Their villages 
were at or near the present location of Fort Wayne, IN, primarily north 
of the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Mary's Rivers which, 
together, form the Maumee River. These areas include the Spy Run 
District, including Prospect Avenue and Lawton Place, and the Lakeside 
area of Fort Wayne. The assessment that these unassociated funerary 
objects should be attributed to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma was 
confirmed by the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 
Indians, Michigan and Indiana, during consultation.

Determinations Made by the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society

    Officials of the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 30 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 specific burial sites of Native 
American individuals.
     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 Miami Tribe of 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 claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Walter Font, Curator, Allen County-Fort 
Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, 
telephone (260) 426-2882, email [email protected], by July 3, 2017. 
After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer 
of control of the unassociated funerary objects to the Miami Tribe of 
Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society is responsible for 
notifying the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 
Indians, Michigan and Indiana, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 21, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-11447 Filed 6-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P