Shawnee Forest Sets Claim Deadline for Ten Native American Ancestors
Published Date: 3/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The Shawnee National Forest plans to return the remains of at least ten Native American individuals found on federal or tribal lands to their rightful descendants or tribes. This process starts April 17, 2025, and if no one claims the remains by March 18, 2026, they’ll be considered unclaimed. This affects Native communities connected to these remains and ensures respectful handling without any cost to claimants.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Planned repatriation of 10 Native remains
The Shawnee National Forest has determined the human remains represent the physical remains of 10 Native American individuals removed from federal or tribal lands in Jackson, Pope, and Johnson Counties, Illinois. The Forest intends to carry out disposition of these remains and disposition may occur on or after April 17, 2025.
Eight tribes have priority to claim remains
The notice lists eight groups with priority for disposition: Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Quapaw Nation; Shawnee Tribe; and The Osage Nation. These groups have priority to submit written claims for the remains described.
Claim deadline, submission, and resolution rules
Written claims for disposition must be sent to Heather Carey, Heritage Program Manager/Tribal Liaison, Shawnee National Forest (501 N Main Street, Jonesboro, IL 62952; phone (618) 833-8576 Ext. 104; email [email protected]). Disposition may occur on or after April 17, 2025; if no claim is received by March 18, 2026 the remains will be treated as unclaimed. Claims may be made by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization identified in the notice or by others who show priority; competing claims will be decided by the Shawnee National Forest and joint requests are treated as a single request.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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