[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24876-24878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12256]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Oregon State University, 
Department of Anthropology, Corvallis, OR

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    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 in the control of Oregon 
State University, Department of Anthropology, Corvallis, OR. The human 
remains were removed from Fisher Mounds, Will County, IL.
    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.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Oregon State 
University, Department of Anthropology professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin 
and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. The Cheyenne River Sioux 
Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Citizen

[[Page 24877]]

Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Hannahville Indian Community, 
Michigan; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the 
Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Oglala 
Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Otoe-Missouria 
Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; 
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band 
of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas; Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in 
Iowa; Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; and 
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska were notified, but did not participate in 
consultation on the human remains described in this notice.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from Fisher Mounds, Will County, IL, by an 
unknown individual. In 1976, the human remains were donated to the 
Department of Anthropology by the son of Georg Karl Neumann. Dr. 
Neumann worked as a physical anthropologist for Indiana State 
University, Terre Haute, IN. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that the human remains are identified as 
``3EM.'' According to the culturally unidentifiable (CUI) database of 
the National NAGPRA Program in the CUI inventory for Indiana State 
University, ``3EM'' is used to identify human remains from the Fisher 
Mound group in Will County, IL (East Mound). Dr. Neumann's notes 
identify the human remains as 3EM108. Officials at the University of 
Oregon, Department of Anthropology reasonably believe that, based on 
these records, the individual is most likely from the Fisher Mounds 
site.
    The Fisher Mounds are located in northeastern Illinois, 60 miles 
southwest of Chicago, on the south bank of the Des Plaines River, 
approximately one mile north of the confluence of the Des Plaines and 
Kankakee Rivers. Formerly, the Fisher Mounds were part of the Cornelius 
Estate, also known as the Dan Fisher Farm. Excavation at the Fisher 
Farm took place during the early 20th century. The site comprises a 
large village with numerous house floors and pits, as well as 12 
mounds. Several mounds were found to contain burials of Native 
Americans along with native artifacts. Thousands of human remains and 
items were unearthed from the multiple layers of burials within the 
mounds, with each layer constituting a different occupational period. 
According to George Langford, Sr., who also excavated the area, the 
burials from the small east mound most likely date to the late 18th 
century.
    Native tribes in Illinois belonged to the Algonquian linguistic 
family. Tribes inhabiting northeast Illinois included the Miami, 
Mascouten and Illinois. During the latter half of the 1700s, the 
Winnebago and Shawnee lived in the area. Early 18th century migrations 
and forced relocation from the east brought the Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo and 
Potawatomi into the area. The Mascouten became part of the Kickapoo 
after 1800. In 1854, tribes associated with the Miami and the Illinois 
became associated with the Confederated Peoria, and by 1873 they became 
known as the United Peoria and Miamis. Later periods, the Miami tribe 
associated with the Potawatomi, Shawnee, and Delaware. Therefore, the 
tribes that occupied Illinois at the close of the 18th century are the 
Mascouten, Miami, Illinois, Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo, Shawnee, Potawatomi, 
and Winnebago.
    The Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas and 
Nebraska; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; and Winnebago 
Tribe of Nebraska have provided both written and oral history for their 
traditional occupation of Midwest areas east of the Mississippi and 
have demonstrated land claims in Illinois. In addition, published works 
cite the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas and 
Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, 
Oklahoma; and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, as having had villages 
in Illinois characterized by mound-building cultural practices.
    Based on the preponderance of the evidence, including the primary 
body of Dr. Neumann's work in Illinois, collection records, and oral 
history, officials of the Oregon State University Department of 
Anthropology reasonably believe that the descendants of these 
Mascouten, Miami, Illinois, Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo, Shawnee, Potawatomi, 
and Winnebago are members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma; 
Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin; Hannahville Indian 
Community, Michigan; Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas 
and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the 
Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Otoe-
Missouria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana; 
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation of Kansas; Sac & Fox Tribe of the 
Mississippi in Iowa; Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and 
Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma; Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; and 
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
    Officials of the Oregon State University, Department of 
Anthropology have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), 
the human remains described above represent the physical remains of one 
individual of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Oregon State 
University, Department of Anthropology also 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 Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma; Forest 
County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin; Hannahville Indian Community, 
Michigan; Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas and 
Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the 
Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Miami Tribe 
of Oklahoma; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe 
of Indians of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan 
and Indiana; Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation of Kansas; Sac & Fox 
Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa; Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in 
Kansas and Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma; Shawnee Tribe, 
Oklahoma; and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
David McMurray, Oregon State University, Department of Anthropology, 
238 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, telephone (541) 737-4515, before 
June 25, 2009. Repatriation of the human remains to the Ho-Chunk Nation 
of Wisconsin and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Oregon State University, Department of Anthropology is 
responsible for notifying the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the 
Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, 
Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi 
Community, Wisconsin; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Ho-Chunk 
Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in 
Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Oglala 
Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Otoe-Missouria 
Tribe of Indians,

[[Page 24878]]

Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band of Potawatomi 
Nation, Kansas; Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa; Sac & Fox 
Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation of 
Oklahoma; Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 11, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-12256 Filed 5-22-09; 8:45 am]
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