[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22576-22577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08121]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0033704; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Big Hole National Battlefield, Wisdom, MT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Big Hole National Battlefield 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 Big Hole National Battlefield. 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 
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 Big Hole National Battlefield at the address 
in this notice by May 16, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Thede, Superintendent, Big 
Hole National Battlefield, P.O. Box 237, Wisdom, MT 59761 or Nez Perce 
National Historical Park, 39063 US Hwy. 95, Lapwai, ID 83540, telephone 
(208) 843-7011, 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 U.S. Department of 
the Interior, National Park Service, Big Hole National Battlefield, 
Wisdom, MT, and in the physical custody of Nez Perce National 
Historical Park, Lapwai, ID. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Big Hole National Battlefield, Beaverhead 
County, MT.
    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 
Superintendent, Big Hole National Battlefield.

[[Page 22577]]

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by National 
Park Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation [previously listed as 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon]; and the Nez 
Perce Tribe [previously listed as Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho] (hereafter 
referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date between 1915 and 1923, human remains 
representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from Big Hole 
National Battlefield in Beaverhead County, MT, by Thomas C. Sherill, 
summer caretaker of the Battlefield. The human remains are a partial 
braid of human hair. When Mr. Sherrill passed away in 1927, the human 
remains were transferred to his nephew, Theodore E. Sherill. In 1966, 
they were purchased from Theodore Sherill by the National Park Service. 
No known individual was identified. The 60 associated funerary objects 
are 56 blue glass trade beads and four red glass trade beads.
    At the time of acquisition park managers were under the belief that 
the human remains were those of a young Euro-American female who was 
allegedly living among the Nez Perce during the battle at Big Hole on 
August 9, 1877. This belief was based on a story perpetuated by Thomas 
C. Sherrill and his nephew of the presence of a young, blonde or light-
brown haired female who perished during the battle at Big Hole and was 
intentionally buried by the Nez Perce.
    National Park Service professional staff conducted a thorough and 
detailed analysis of the partial braid of hair and have determined that 
it is in fact dark brown to black in color, not light brown. It seems 
likely the lighter color is the result of eumelanin pigment in the hair 
breaking down over time, which is consistent with inhumation in the 
wet, oxidizing conditions found where the braid was collected. The 
texture of the hair in the interior portions of the braid is also very 
coarse. The dark color, taken in context with the very coarse and thick 
texture of the hair, make it very unlikely to be representative of a 
young, blonde-to-light-brown-haired female of Euro-American descent.
    The first and only known reference to the presence of a young 
female of Euro-American descent at the Big Hole battle is from Thomas 
C. Sherrill himself. National Park Service professional staff have 
conducted a thorough and complete review of all known historical 
documentation (including first-hand accounts of both military and Nez 
Perce participants) relating to the battle at Big Hole and the larger 
Nez Perce War of 1877 and all archeological investigations conducted at 
Big Hole National Battlefield and has concluded that there is no 
credible evidence for the presence of a young female of Euro-American 
descent at the battle of Big Hole in 1877.
    Based on the review of all known historical and archeological 
evidence, an analysis of the hair, the age and style of the beads found 
with the hair, and the provenance of the finds, the human remains are 
most likely that of an individual of Native American descent. The 
origin of the find, eroding out of the riverbank adjacent to the 
location of the 1877 Nez Perce encampment, is in keeping with the 
historical and archeological documentation. There are numerous 
historical accounts and Nez Perce oral tradition that the Nez Perce 
buried their dead along the riverbank following the battle.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National 
Park Service, Big Hole National Battlefield

    Officials of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park 
Service, Big Hole National Battlefield 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 60 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 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Stephen Thede, Superintendent, Big Hole 
National Battlefield, P.O. Box 237, Wisdom, MT 59761 or Nez Perce 
National Historical Park, 39063 US Hwy. 95, Lapwai, ID 83540, telephone 
(208) 843-7011, email [email protected], by May 16, 2022. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The 
Tribes may proceed.
    The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Big 
Hole National Battlefield is responsible for notifying The Tribes that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 7, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-08121 Filed 4-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P