[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 159 (Friday, August 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56655-56656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17781]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0036383; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Mercyhurst University, Erie, PA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Mercyhurst University has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Crawford, Fayette, and Mercer 
Counties, PA.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after September 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Anne Marjenin, Mercyhurst University, 501 E 38th Street, 
Erie, PA 16546, telephone (814) 824-2012, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of 
Mercyhurst University. The National Park Service is not responsible for 
the determinations in this notice. Additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in the inventory or related records held by Mercyhurst 
University.

Description

    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from the Conneaut Ossuary in Crawford County, PA. These human remains 
(PA-CW-TIN-0001) were removed on an unknown date by an unknown person. 
No known individual was identified. The one associated funerary object 
is a lot of faunal elements.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were 
removed from Campbell Farm (36Fa26) in Fayette County, PA. These human 
remains (36FA26-TIN-0001; 36FA26-TIN-0002; 36FA26-TIN-0003) were 
removed on an unknown date by an unknown person. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from Custaloga Town (36Me57), located on the 19th century Heydrick Farm 
near Carlton, in Mercer County, PA. These human remains (PA-ME-TIN-
0001) were removed from Native American burials by Harry Schoff and 
several field assistants in the spring of 1938, during archeological 
testing conducted in association with the western Pennsylvania Frontier 
Forts and Trails Survey and with supporting funds from the Works 
Progress Administration. No known individual was identified. The two 
associated funerary objects are one lot of metal (PA-ME-AFO-0001) and 
one lot of white and (possibly) black beads (PA-ME-AFO-0002).

Cultural Affiliation

    The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice 
are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, 
peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity 
between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures 
and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The 
following types of information were used to reasonably

[[Page 56656]]

trace the relationship: geographical and other authoritative 
information.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, Mercyhurst University has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The three 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.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Seneca Nation of Indians; 
Seneca-Cayuga Nation; and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 18, 2023. 
If competing requests for repatriation are received, Mercyhurst 
University must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. Mercyhurst University is responsible for sending a 
copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, Sec.  
10.10, and Sec.  10.14.

    Dated: August 9, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-17781 Filed 8-17-23; 8:45 am]
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