[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52505-52506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24591]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Ohio Historical Society, 
Columbus, OH

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 
3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and an 
associated funerary object in the possession of the Ohio Historical 
Society, Columbus, OH. The human remains and associated funerary object 
were removed from Lucas County, OH.
    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 and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Ohio 
Historical Society's professional staff in consultation with Dr. G. 
Michael Pratt of Heidelberg University and the Lucas County Coroner's 
Office. The Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand 
Traverse Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa 
Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; and Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, were notified and sent the 
inventory records.
    On May 23, 2007, human remains representing a minimum of three 
individuals were removed from along the eastern end of Indian Island in 
the Maumee River, Lucas County, OH, by a staff member of the Lucas 
County Coroner's Office, and Dr. G. Michael Pratt. Prior to removal, 
the Ohio Highway Patrol had received a report that human remains had 
been discovered. Indian Island is owned by the State of Ohio. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
knife.
    Dr. Pratt identified the human remains as Native American based on 
the presence of the cranial vault configuration, the presence of 
Wormian bones in the lambdoid cranial suture, and the attrition present 
on the teeth. The associated funerary object and other artifacts found 
in the vicinity indicate that these human remains probably were buried 
during the period from A.D. 1760 to 1833.
    Archeological and historical information indicate that Ottawa bands 
began to settle in the lower Maumee valley beginning in A.D. 1740 to 
1750. Ottawa occupation of this region continued until August 1794 when 
the principal villages were burned by Anthony Wayne's expedition in the 
days following the Battle of Fallen Timbers. In the following summer of 
1795, the Ottawa Tribe was one of the signatories of the Treaty of 
Greenville under the terms of which they ceded their claim to much of 
the land in this region. More land was ceded in treaties signed between 
1807 and 1817, but four small reservations were retained for the Ottawa 
in the lower Maumee valley. Indian Island was part of the Roche de 
Boeuf reservation established in the Treaty of Detroit in 1807. In 1831 
to 1833, the four reservations were ceded to the United States in 
return for lands in present-day Franklin County, KS. In 1867, the 
Kansas reservation organization was dissolved and the Ottawa sold their 
individual allotments and moved to Oklahoma, and are represented by the 
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma.
    Officials of the Ohio Historical Society have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of at least three individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the Ohio Historical

[[Page 52506]]

Society also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), 
the one object described above is 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. Lastly, officials of the 
Ohio Historical Society have determined that, 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 
associated funerary object and the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
object should contact James Strider, Acting Executive Director, Ohio 
Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave., Columbus, OH 43211, telephone 
(614) 297-2350, before November 12, 2009. Repatriation of the human 
remains and associated funerary object to the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Ohio Historical Society is responsible for notifying the Forest 
County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa 
Indians, Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; and Ottawa Tribe 
of Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 15, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-24591 Filed 10-9-09; 8:45 am]
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