Notice of Inventory Completion: Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Iliff School of Theology 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.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54758-54759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17177]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7423; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043529; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Iliff School of Theology, Denver, 
CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Iliff School of Theology 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.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after September 23, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Caran Ware Joseph, 
Iliff School of Theology, 2323 E. Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO 80210, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ff9c889e8d9a95908c9a8f97bf9693969999d19a9b8a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4c2f3b2d3e2926233f293c240c2520252a2a62292839">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

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 the 
Iliff School of Theology, and additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified. The one associated funerary object is a book of Christian 
History, written in Latin. The book is entitled, Lavrentii Moshemii 
Institvtionvm historiae Christianae compendivm. Its accession number is 
18098443. Its catalogue number is BR143.M674 1752. The skin of a 
murdered Lenape man covered the book until 1974, when the American 
Indian Movement removed the skin and took it to the Wind River 
Reservation for burial. The site name for the book is Iliff School of 
Theology, Denver, CO. Acquisition History: Around April 1, 1779, David 
Morgan (1721-1813), a euro-christian colonialist, murdered two Lenape 
Indian men in Virginia. It is ``surmised'' that David Morgan bound a

[[Page 54759]]

book of Christian history in the flayed skin of a murdered Lenape man. 
It is also suspected that David Morgan gave the book to William Barnes. 
William Barnes is the father of Colorado methodist minister Rev. Rezin 
Monroe Barnes. Rev. Barnes inherited the book. In 1893, Rev. Rezin 
Monroe Barnes, gave the book to the Iliff School of Theology. The 
flayed skin was taken by the American Indian Movement to the Wind River 
Reservation for burial there in 1974.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
the cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information 
available about the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice.

Determinations

    The Iliff School of Theology has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> The one object described in this notice is reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; and the Stockbridge Munsee 
Community, Wisconsin.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
authorized representative identified in this notice under 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 
23, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the 
Iliff School of Theology 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 Iliff School of Theology is responsible 
for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native 
Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any other 
consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: August 17, 2026.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17177 Filed 8-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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