Notice of Inventory Completion: Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex (Formerly Baylor Museum's Strecker Museum Complex; Formerly Baylor University Museum), 61783-61785 [2021-24314]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 213 (Monday, November 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61783-61785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24314]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032978; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Baylor University's Mayborn 
Museum Complex (Formerly Baylor Museum's Strecker Museum Complex; 
Formerly Baylor University Museum)

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex 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 no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any 
present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
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 Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex. If no 
additional requestors come forward, the human remains and associated 
funerary objects may be reinterred.

DATES: 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 Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex at the 
address in this notice by December 8, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita L. Benedict, Baylor University's 
Mayborn Museum Complex, One Bear Place #97154, Waco, TX 76798-7154, 
telephone (254) 710-4835, 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 Baylor 
University's Mayborn Museum Complex, Waco, TX. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from unknown locations in 
Texas, and an unknown geographic location.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.9(e). 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 and associated funerary 
objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Baylor 
University's Mayborn Museum Complex professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Jicarilla Apache Nation, 
New Mexico; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of 
the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; The Osage Nation [previously 
listed as Osage Tribe]; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Wichita 
and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, & Tawakonie), Oklahoma; 
and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo [previously listed as Ysleta del Sur 
Pueblo of Texas].
    An invitation to consult was extended to the Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribe of Texas [previously listed as Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of 
Texas]; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Cherokee Nation; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma [previously 
listed as Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma]; Comanche Nation, 
Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee 
Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Fort McDowell Yavapai 
Nation, Arizona; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of 
Choctaw Indians; Kialegee Tribal Town; Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of 
Texas; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; 
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Mississippi 
Band of Choctaw Indians; Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River 
Reservation, Wyoming [previously listed as Arapaho Tribe of the Wind 
River Reservation, Wyoming]; Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern 
Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; Poarch Band of Creek Indians 
[previously known as the Poarch Band of Creeks, and as the Poarch Band 
of Creek Indians of Alabama]; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Seminole Tribe of Florida [previously listed as 
Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood, & 
Tampa Reservations)]; Shawnee Tribe; The Chickasaw Nation; The Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; 
Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe; United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians 
in Oklahoma; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache 
Reservation, Arizona; and the Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde 
Indian Reservation, Arizona.
    The Tribes identified above are hereafter referred to as ``The 
Consulted and Notified Indian Tribes.''

History and Description of the Remains

    Prior to 1974, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in Central or North 
Central Texas. The human remains and an associated funerary object were 
collected by an amateur archeologist. On August 5, 1974, the human 
remains and funerary object were donated to the Star of the Republic 
Museum. On October 25, 1993, the Star of the Republic Museum 
transferred them to the Strecker Museum. The individuals (AR 20807; AR 
20917; AR 20918; AR 20919; AR 20920) are of indeterminate age and sex. 
No known individuals were identified. The one associated funerary 
object is a lot of shells, rocks, and pieces of chert (AR 20921).

[[Page 61784]]

    Prior to 1940, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual was removed from an unknown location in Texas. The human 
remains and associated funerary object were collected by H. Grady 
Moore. The individual (AR 16526) is a child of indeterminate sex. No 
known individual was identified. The one associated funerary object is 
one animal bone fragment (AR 16532).
    Prior to 1940, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in Texas. The human 
remains were collected by H. Grady Moore. The individuals (AR 20845; AR 
20925; AR 20846; AR 20923; AR 20924) are of indeterminate age and sex. 
No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    On unknown dates, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in Central Texas. The 
human remains were likely excavated by Frank H. Watt. In 1981, Frank 
Watt gave permission for the portion of his collection located at the 
Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory (TARL) to be transferred to 
Baylor University (under the care of Dr. John Fox), or Dr. Fox may have 
acquired them from the Watt's estate after Watt's passing in 1981. Dr. 
John Fox was a member of Baylor University's Anthropology Department 
faculty. In 1985, Dr. John Fox transferred the human remains to the 
Strecker Museum. The individuals (AR 20836; AR 20841) are of 
indeterminate age and sex. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On unknown dates, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in Central Texas. The 
human remains were likely excavated by Frank H. Watt. In 1981, Frank 
Watt gave permission for the portion of his collection located at the 
Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory (TARL) to be transferred to 
Baylor University where it would become part of Dr. John Fox's teaching 
collection. Dr. Fox was a member of Baylor University's Anthropology 
Department faculty. In 1991, Dr. Fox transferred the human remains to 
the Strecker Museum. The human remains were part of the Frank H. Watt 
collection, acquired from his estate or the TARL. The human remains are 
those of one male aged five to 13 years (AR 20837) and one female aged 
10 to 11 years (AR 20838). No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On unknown dates, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual, were removed from an unknown location in Central Texas. The 
human remains were likely excavated by Frank H. Watt. In 1995, they 
were transferred from the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory 
(TARL) to the Strecker Museum. The human remains (AR 20840) are of 
indeterminate age and sex. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On unknown dates, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals, were removed from an unknown location in Central Texas. 
The human remains were likely excavated by Frank H. Watt. In 1981, 
Frank Watt gave permission for the portion of his collection located at 
the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory (TARL) to be transferred 
to Baylor University (under the care of Dr. John Fox), or Dr. Fox may 
have acquired them from the Watt's estate after Watt's passing in 1981. 
Dr. Fox was a member of Baylor University's Anthropology Department 
faculty. On an unknown date, Dr. John Fox transferred the human remains 
to the Strecker Museum. The human remains are those of one sub-adult of 
indeterminate sex (AR 20827) and two individuals of indeterminate age 
and sex (AR 20831; AR 20842). No known individuals were identified. The 
two associated funerary objects are one lot of animal bone fragments 
(AR 20929) and one lot of shells (AR 20929).
    Prior to 1961, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown geographic location. According 
to accession paperwork, in 1983 children found a coffin, containing a 
partial skeleton, in the backyard of Mrs. Mary O'Neal, in Waco, Texas. 
Mrs. O'Neal said her deceased husband purchased the ``Indian'' bones 
and the old casket about 10-15 years prior to 1961. She put them in the 
backyard in 1961. She told the police she did not want them, so the 
police took them. The police called the Museum and asked if the 
Strecker Museum wanted them. Calvin Smith, then Associate Director, 
went to the police station to accept them and the coffin. The current 
location of the coffin is unknown. The individual (AR 12779-A-UU) is of 
indeterminate age and sex. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 20 
individuals were removed from an unknown geographic location by an 
unknown individual. The individuals (AR 20814; AR 20815; AR 20816; AR 
20817; AR 20818; AR 20819; AR 20820; AR 20822; AR 20824; AR 20826; AR 
20828; AR 20829; AR 20832; AR 20833; AR 20834; AR 20835; AR 20839; AR 
20848) are of indeterminate age and sex. Two of the individuals (AR 
20926; AR 20821) are sub-adults of indeterminate sex. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown geographic location by an 
unknown individual. The individual (AR 20823) is of indeterminate age 
and sex. No known individual was identified. The one associated 
funerary object is a lot of mixed materials including snail shells, 
freshwater mollusks, glass fragment, small limestone rock, fragments 
non-human bone, and 4 unidentified bones fragments (AR 20927).
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown geographic location by an 
unknown individual. The individual (AR 20825) is of indeterminate age 
and sex. No known individual was identified. The one associated 
funerary object is an animal bone (AR 20928).
    Based on the available information, the land from which these human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed is not the 
``tribal land'' of an Indian Tribe or a Native Hawaiian organization, 
or the ``aboriginal land'' of an Indian Tribe pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11.
    Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3006(c)(5) and 43 CFR 10.10(g)(2)(ii) and 
10.16(a), the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review 
Committee (Review Committee) may make a recommendation to the Secretary 
of the Interior (Secretary) for specific actions for disposition of any 
human remains and associated funerary objects not already addressed in 
43 CFR 10.11. In June 2021, Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex 
requested that the Review Committee consider a proposal for the 
reinterment according to State or other law of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice. The Review 
Committee carefully considered this request at its July 13, 2021 
meeting and recommended to the Secretary that the proposed reinterment 
proceed. An October 19, 2021 letter transmitted the Secretary's 
independent review and concurrence with the Review Committee that:
     Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex consulted with 
every appropriate Indian Tribe,

[[Page 61785]]

     none of The Consulted and Notified Indian Tribes objected 
to the proposed re-interment, and
     Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex may proceed 
with the proposed re-interment of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects.
    Reinterment is contingent on the publication of a Notice of 
Inventory Completion in the Federal Register. This notice fulfills that 
requirement.

Determinations Made by Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex

    Officials of Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on museum records, the 
collecting history of the Museum, and the scope of the collection.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3003(e), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 42 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the six 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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the human remains 
and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian Tribe.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11, the land from which these human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed is not the 
``tribal land'' of any Indian Tribe or a Native Hawaiian organization, 
or the ``aboriginal land'' of any Indian Tribe.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.10(g)(2)(ii) and 10.16, the human 
remains and associated funerary objects will be reinterred according to 
State or other law.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 Anita L. 
Benedict, Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex, One Bear Place 
#97154, Waco, TX 76798-7154, telephone (254) 710-4835, email 
[email protected], by December 8, 2021. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, the human remains and 
associated funerary objects may be reinterred.
    Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted and Notified Indian Tribes that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: October 29, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-24314 Filed 11-5-21; 8:45 am]
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