[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 217 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77608-77609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24891]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0036903; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas Historical Society, 
Topeka, KS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS) 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 Atchison, Doniphan, and 
Leavenworth Counties, KS.

[[Page 77609]]


DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after December 13, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Nikki Klarmann, State Archeologist, Kansas Historical 
Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615, telephone (785) 272-
8681, Ext. 269, 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 KSHS. 
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 KSHS.

Description

    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from Atchison County, KS. These human remains (number 1992-24C) were 
transferred to KSHS by Father Felix Nolte of Benedictine College on 
September 25, 1992, under the State of Kansas Unmarked Burial Site 
Preservation Act (UBS). According to Father Nolte, in the 1930s or 
1940s, these human remains had been excavated after they were exposed 
by roadwork and erosion in a cutbank on the south side of a road 
leading to the Missouri River that lay on the north end of Benedictine 
College. The one associated funerary object is a charred piece of wood.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were 
removed from Leavenworth County, KS. These human remains (number 1992-
24D) were transferred to KSHS by Father Felix Nolte of Benedictine 
College on September 25, 1992, under the State of Kansas UBS Act. 
According to Father Nolte, the human remains were removed from the Mark 
Aaron farm in Kickapoo, KS, and were likely excavated circa 1929. 
Associated funerary objects and presence of possible copper staining on 
the human remains indicate they are likely from the historic period. 
The 163 associated funerary objects are 162 small white glass beads and 
one piece of metal, possibly from a pot.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual was removed 
from an unknown county in Kansas. These human remains (1992-24E) were 
transferred by Father Felix Nolte of Benedictine College to KSHS on 
September 25, 1992, under the Kansas UBS Act. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals were 
removed from Doniphan County, KS. These human remains (1992-24F) were 
transferred by Father Felix Nolte of Benedictine College to KSHS on 
September 25, 1992, under the Kansas UBS Act. At the time of transfer, 
these human remains were wrapped in a newspaper dated 1948. A 
handwritten note in the box indicates that, per Father Colman Ferrell 
Order of Saint Benedict (O.S.B.) in 1949, these human remains were 
removed from Ford Farm in Doniphan. That location is likely the 
Doniphan site (14DP2), a historic period habitation site of Kaw Nation, 
Oklahoma, relatives. The five associated funerary objects are five 
chert flakes.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual was removed 
from Doniphan County, KS. These human remains (2001-08) were exposed 
when an agricultural terrace was being built. They were collected by 
landowner John Rush and his friend Paul Roberts, and were conveyed to 
KSHS June 13, 2001, under the Kansas UBS Act. On this date, additional 
collections were made by Randall Thies of KSHS at the site, which was 
recorded as 14DP432, and is believed to be related to a nearby, 
historic period Native American farmstead, likely of Kaw Nation, 
Oklahoma relatives. The 483 associated funerary objects are four worked 
pieces of stone; four white glazed pottery sherds; two glass shards; 
five rusted metal fragments; two small, white beads; seven blue glass, 
tubular beads; one red, faceted bead; one faceted, blue bead; 427 
small, tubular shell beads; one shell hair pipe; one shell gorget; 
three bells; eight bell fragments; two brass discs; one pendant; one 
shell and metal button; one brass bracelet fragment; one small, round 
metal ornament; one large, perforated 1849 penny; two lead balls; two 
pieces of cloth; four pieces of wood; and two pieces of leather.

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 trace the 
relationship: archeological, biological, geographical, and historical.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, the Kansas Historical Society has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of eight individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 652 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 Kaw Nation, Oklahoma.

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 December 13, 2023. 
If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Kansas 
Historical Society 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. The Kansas Historical Society is responsible for 
sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribe 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: November 1, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-24891 Filed 11-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P