GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
California: CA-55
Catholic Church. Archdiocese of San Francisco. Archives
St. Patrick’s Seminary
320 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Phone: 650-328-6502
Email: aasf@sfarch.org
Hours: See website (Archives webpage)
Access: See website (Archives webpage)
Copying facilities: Yes
History: In 1853, the Archdiocese of San Francisco was erected for northern California from territory in the Diocese of Monterey. With substantially reduced area, the San Francisco Archdiocese reported 4,000 baptized Native American Catholics in 1999. San Francisco and its predecessors have administered the following Native missions, parishes, and schools in California:
1776-ca. 1900 (no longer Native) (San Francisco, 1853-ca. 1900) |
San Francisco de Asís [Dolores] Mission (Ohlone, Wintun), San Francisco |
1777-1851 (no longer Native) (San Francisco, 1853) |
Santa Clara de Asís Mission (Miwok, Ohlone), Santa Clara |
1797-1868 (no longer Native) (San Francisco, 1853-1868) |
San José de Guadalupe Mission (Miwok, Ohlone, Yokuts), Fremont |
1817-ca. 1900 (no longer Native) (San Francisco, 1853-ca. 1900) |
San Rafael Arcángel Mission (Miwok, Pomo, Wintun), San Rafael |
1823-ca. 1840s (no longer Native) (San Francisco, 1853) |
San Francisco de Solano Mission (Miwok, Pomo, Wintun, Yuki), Sonoma |
1857-1860s (closed) |
Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary school for Black and Indian children (Ohlone?, Wintun?) (Archives: San Francisco, California), San Francisco |
1861-ca. 1969 (closed) (San Francisco, 1888-1969) |
St. Theresa of Avila Mission (Ohlone?), Bodega |
1888-1971 (closed) (San Francisco, 1888-1962) |
St. Patrick Mission (Pomo), Yokayo Rancheria |
1888-1905 (closed) (San Francisco, 1888-1905) |
St. Turibius School (Pomo, Yuki), Kelseyville |
1893-1922 (closed) (San Francisco, 1893-1922) |
St. Turibius Mission (Pomo, Yuki), Kelseyville |
1893-present (San Francisco, 1893-1962) |
St. Francis of Assisi Mission (Pomo), Hopland Rancheria |
1902-present (San Francisco, 1902-present) |
St. Helen Mission (Coast Miwok? Ohlone?), Marshall |
1904-1970 (no longer Native) (San Francisco, 1904-1962) |
St. Anthony Church (Pomo), Willits |
1916-1969 (closed) (San Francisco, 1916-1962) |
St. Joseph Mission (Pomo), Guidiville Rancheria |
1917-1971 (closed) (San Francisco, 1917-1962) |
St. Dominic Mission (Pomo), Pinoleville Rancheria |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1772-ongoing
Volume: Ca. 2 cubic feet
Description: 7 record series include Native Catholic records:
/1 “Papers of Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany y Conill, O.P. [Dominicans] (1814-1888)”
Inclusive dates: 1850-1863 Volume: Ca. .5 cubic foot with scant amount Native Catholic
Description:
A. Diary, H 18, 1855-1863, 1 volume; re: visitations and appointments with some descriptions of life in California
B. Letters, H 19, 1861-1862, 1 volume (40 letters); re: outgoing correspondence; copies
C. Journals of Correspondence, H 20-21, 1862-1868, 2 volumes; re: summaries
D. Letter Book, H 22, 1879-1881, 1 volume; re: includes legal proceedings of Pious Fund lawsuit and Santa Ines Ranch
E. Visitation Book, H 24, 1850-1874, 1 volume; re: visitations of Diocese of Monterey, 1850-1853 and Archdiocese of San Francisco, 1853-1874
/2 “Commission for the Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, A14.1” Inclusive dates: 1887-1960
Volume: 4 folders pertain to Native Americans
Description: Correspondence, reports, and parish censuses, re: St. Turibius Mission, Lakeport, St. Dominic Mission, Pinoleville, St. Mary of the Angels Mission, Ukiah and other missions and schools in Northern California; also reference to urban Native Americans in Oakland and San Francisco, 1960.
/3 “Legal Files, ‘Lake County Lands, 1870-1913, L-261’”
Inclusive dates: 1870-1913
Volume: 1 folder
Description: Deeds to church lands including Native missions, e.g. Big Valley, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Middletown, and Sulphur Bank School; signed by Padre Luciano Osama, Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany, Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan, and the Franciscans of California.
/4 “Sacramental Records”
Inclusive dates: 1797-ongoing
Volume: More than 5 volumes and several reels of microfilm in part
Description: Arranged alphabetically by place and there under by name; contain baptisms, marriages, and deaths for Native and non-Native parishes that have had Native parishioners.
A. San Francisco, San Francisco de Asís [Dolores] Mission, 1757-1856, several reels of microfilm in part
B. San Jose, San José de Guadalupe Mission, 1797-1859, 4 volumes; 1859-ongoing; several reels of microfilm in part
C. San Rafael, San Rafael Arcángel Mission, 1817-1839, 1 volume; 1839-ongoing; 1 reel of microfilm in part
D. Tomales, Assumption Church; includes St. Teresa of Avila Mission, Bodega, 1861-1960s, and St. Helen Mission, Marshall, 1902-ongoing; several reels of microfilm in part
/5 Diocesan Newspapers
Inclusive dates: ca. 1870-1930s
Volume: Several articles
Description: The following included occasional articles on Native Americans and Catholic evangelization in California:
A. The San Francisco Monitor, ca. 1870-1930s; official archdiocesan newspaper, 1892-1930s
B. The San Francisco Western Witness, 1890s; a local de facto Catholic newspaper
/6 “Catala Papers”
Inclusive dates: 1883-1884
Volume: 1 volume
Description: 52 depositions, some by Native Americans; re: beatification of Fray Magnin Catala, O.F.M. [Franciscans], of Santa Clara Mission, Santa Clara, California.
/7 “Taylor Papers, H 1”
Inclusive dates: 1772-1849
Volume: Ca. 2.5 cubic feet with several Native Catholic items
Description: 2,550 letters collected by Alexander S. Taylor (1817-1876) and gifted to the San Francisco Archdiocese in 1933; mostly correspondence by Franciscans and reports with Spanish and Mexican civil and military officials; re: Spanish Franciscan missions and expeditions in California; notable correspondents include Juan Bautista Alvarado [proclamation, 1828], Fray Narciso Durán, O.F.M. and Fray Vicente Francisco de Sarría, O.F.M.
Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Ӱ Archives.
new2006/rev2020