Notice of Inventory Completion: St. Joseph Museums, Inc., St. Joseph, MO, 91192 [2016-30336]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 91192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30336]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22488; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: St. Joseph Museums, Inc., St. 
Joseph, MO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The St. Joseph Museums, Inc. 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 St. Joseph 
Museums, Inc. 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 St. 
Joseph Museums, Inc. at the address in this notice by January 17, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Trevor Tutt, St. Joseph Museums, Inc., P.O. Box 8096, St. 
Joseph, MO 64508, telephone (816) 232-8471, email 
trevor@stjosephmuseum.org.

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 St. Joseph Museums, Inc., St. Joseph, MO. The human 
remains were donated on April 27, 1928 by Mary S. McNeil.
    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 St. 
Joseph Museums, Inc. professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the 
Flathead Reservation.

History and Description of the Remains

    On April 27, 1928, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were donated to the St. Joseph Museums, Inc. by Mrs. Mary S. 
McNeil. These human remains were identified at the time of donation as 
a Flathead Indian skull over forty years old. The exact location of 
removal of the human remains and the means by which Mrs. McNeil 
acquired them were not documented. Based on the original documentation, 
the human remains most likely were removed in the late nineteenth 
century. Their identification as Flathead was made by Mrs. McNeil, and/
or the director of the St. Joseph Museum, Mrs. Orel Andrews, at the 
time of accession. Mrs. McNeil's collection spans Native American 
cultures from Alaska to New Mexico, across the plains and in the 
American Northeast. As she studied these cultures extensively, the St. 
Joseph Museums, Inc. believes her assignment of these human remains to 
the Flathead to be correct. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the St. Joseph Museums, Inc.

    Officials of the St. Joseph Museums, Inc. 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), no 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 the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes 
of the Flathead Reservation.

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 Trevor 
Tutt, St. Joseph Museums, Inc., P.O. Box 8096, St. Joseph, MO 64508, 
telephone (816) 232-8471, email trevor@stjosephmuseum.org, by January 
17, 2017. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Confederated 
Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation may 
proceed.
    The St. Joseph Museums, Inc. is responsible for notifying the 
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian 
Reservation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 29, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-30336 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P