[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7407-7408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01897]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031388; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Geneva Historical Society, 
Geneva, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Geneva Historical Society 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 Geneva 
Historical Society. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer 
of control of the human remains 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 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
Geneva Historical Society at the address in this notice by March 1, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: Kerry Lippincott, Geneva Historical Society, 543 South Main 
Street, Geneva, NY 14456, telephone (315) 789-5151, 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 Geneva Historical Society, Geneva, NY. The human 
remains were removed from the Reed Farm, Ontario County, NY.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Geneva 
Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as 
Seneca Nation of New York).

History and Description of the Remains

    In the spring of 1969, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Reed Farm in Ontario County, NY. Two boys, 
James and Thomas Reed, discovered the human remains in a sand mound 
eight miles south of Geneva, NY, along Seneca Lake. They found the 
remains of one individual, possibly female, buried in a seated position 
with crossed arms and crossed legs, and facing east. In May 1969, the 
Reed family placed the human remains on loan with the Geneva Historical 
Society, and since 1995, the human remains have been under the 
Society's control. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects were present.
    A written description of the burial at the time of discovery stated 
that no artifacts were discovered with the human remains. In 1995, 
Peter Jemison, NAGPRA coordinator for the Seneca Nation of Indians, 
opined that the human remains were of pre-historic date, as a 
Haudenosaunee burial would have included a beaded necklace. Along the 
eastern shore of Seneca Lake seasonal settlements established for 
fishing marked the periphery of Seneca Nation territory. A few miles to 
the west of these settlements, archeological evidence exists for the 
associated Seneca towns. Based on the totality of the information, the 
Geneva Historical Society has determined that the human remains listed 
in this notice are ancestral to the Seneca people.

Determinations Made by the Geneva Historical Society

    Officials of the Geneva Historical Society 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.

[[Page 7408]]

     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 Seneca Nation of Indians (previously 
listed as Seneca Nation of New York).

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 Kerry 
Lippincott, Geneva Historical Society, 543 South Main Street, Geneva, 
NY 14456, telephone (315) 789-5151, email 
[email protected], by March 1, 2021. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains to the Seneca Nation of Indians 
(previously listed as Seneca Nation of New York) may proceed.
    The Geneva Historical Society is responsible for notifying the 
Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as Seneca Nation of New 
York) that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 14, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-01897 Filed 1-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P