[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 138 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38759-38760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15564]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032318; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Pennsylvania Museum 
of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology 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 University of Pennsylvania 
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. 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 
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at 
the address in this notice by August 23, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Christopher Woods, Williams 
Director, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6324, telephone 
(215) 898-4050, 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 University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA. The human remains were removed from 
unknown sites in Muskogee County, OK; Philadelphia County, PA; 
Burlington County, NJ; Madison County, IN and other areas in the United 
States.
    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 
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; and the Stockbridge Munsee 
Community, Wisconsin (hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Sometime prior to 1839, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual [catalog number 97-606-568] were removed from an unknown 
location in the United States by Mr. Witmer or an unknown 3rd party. 
Mr. Witmer transferred the human remains to Dr. Samuel G. Morton (b. 
1799-d. 1851) who, by 1839, had accessioned them into his collection. 
The human remains belong to a female individual between 30 and 40 years 
of age. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Between 1832 and March of 1834, human remains representing, at 
minimum, one individual [catalog number 97-606-40] were obtained by Dr. 
Zina Pitcher (b. 1797-d. 1872) who, at that time, was serving as the 
Army surgeon at Fort Gibson, in Muskogee County, Oklahoma. Dr. Pitcher 
transferred the human remains to Dr. Samuel G. Morton who, by 1839, had 
accessioned them into his collection. The human remains belong to a 
female between 35 and 50 years of age. Archival documents indicate that 
she was from a ``little colony on the Neosho River, near Fort Gibson.'' 
No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Between 1838 and 1843, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual [catalog number 97-606-1264] were removed from an unknown 
location in Indiana by Dr. Edwin Fussell [b. 1799-d. 1851], while he 
was living in Pendleton, Madison County, Indiana. By 1849, Dr. Fussell 
had transferred the human remains to Dr. Samuel G. Morton, who 
accessioned them into his collection. The human remains belong to a 
female between 40 and 50 years of age. Historical, published documents 
indicate she had been ``massacred by the whites at a settlement on 
White River, Indiana.'' No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1847, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
[catalog number 97-606-1263] were removed from a Native cemetery in the 
Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, by 
Mr. Isaac Paschall Morris [b. 1803-d. 1869]. By 1849, Mr. Morris had 
transferred the human remains to Dr. Samuel G. Morton, who accessioned 
them into his collection. The human remains belong to a probable female 
between 30 and 40 years of age. No

[[Page 38760]]

known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Sometime prior to 1839, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual [catalog number 97-606-418] were found near the bank of the 
Delaware River in New Jersey, about four miles above Burlington. 
According to historical, published information, the decedent had been 
buried in a seated position together with other individuals and 
associated objects. By 1839, Dr. Edward Swain (d. 1839) had transferred 
the human remains to Dr. Morton, who accessioned them into his 
collection. The human remains belong to a female about 50 years of age. 
No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Sometime prior to 1852, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals [catalog numbers 97-606-205 and 97-606-206] were removed 
from an unidentified street in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, 
by Dr. George P. Olivier [b. 1824-d. 1884]. The human remains were 
transferred to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (today 
the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University) on November 9, 
1852, where they were added to Dr. Samuel G. Morton's collection. The 
human remains belong to female between 25 and 35 years of age and 
female about 50 years of age. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1853, Dr. Morton's collection, including the human remains of 
the seven above listed individuals, was purchased from his estate and 
formally presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.
    Sometime prior to 1857, human remains representing, at minimum, 
three individuals [catalog numbers 97-606-115, 97-606-118, and 97-606-
1265] were removed from unknown locations by unidentified individuals. 
The human remains belong to a female individual between 25 and 30 years 
of age, a female individual about 50 years of age, and a female 
individual between 40 and 50 years of age. By 1857, the human remains 
had been transferred to the Academy of Natural Sciences and added to 
the Morton collection.
    In 1966, the Morton collection, including the human remains of all 
ten above listed individuals, was loaned to the University of 
Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. In 1997, it was 
formally gifted to the University of Pennsylvania.
    The human remains have been identified as Native American based on 
specific cultural and geographic attributions contained in the museum's 
records. Collector records, museum documentation, and published sources 
(Morton 1839, 1840, 1844, 1849; Meigs 1857) all identify the human 
remains as Lenape or Delaware. The Lenape (Delaware) are represented by 
The Tribes.

Determinations Made by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of 
Archaeology and Anthropology

    Officials of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology 
and Anthropology have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 10 individuals 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 Tribes.

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 Dr. 
Christopher Woods, Williams Director, University of Pennsylvania Museum 
of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 
19104-6324, telephone (215) 898-4050, email [email protected], by 
August 23, 2021. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains to The Tribes may 
proceed.
    The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: July 14, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-15564 Filed 7-21-21; 8:45 am]
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