GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Wisconsin: WI-43
Catholic Church. Diocese of Superior. Chancery Office
1201 Hughitt Avenue
P.O. Box 969
Superior, WI 54880
Phone: 715-392-2937
Email: See website
Hours: See website
Access: Some restrictions apply
Copying facilities: Yes
History: The Diocese of Superior was erected for northwest Wisconsin, 1905. Superior and its predecessors (Detroit, 1833-1843; Milwaukee, 1843-1855; La Crosse, 1855-1905) have served the following missions, parishes, and schools with Métis and Ojibwa Indian parishioners:
1835-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
St. Joseph Mission (Métis, Ojibwa), La Pointe |
1855-1910s (no longer Native) (Superior, 1905-1910s) |
St. Francis Xavier/ Assumption Church (Ojibwa), Superior
|
1860-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
Holy Family/ Christ Church (Ojibwa), Bayfield |
1868-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
Our Lady of Seven Dolors Mission (Ojibwa), Odanah, Bad River Reservation |
1878-ca. 1910s (no longer Native) (Superior, 1905-1910s) |
St. Agnes Church (Ojibwa), Ashland |
1880-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
St. Francis of Assisi Mission (Ojibwa), Flambeau/ Flambeaufarm |
1882-1919 (closed) (Superior, 1905-1919) |
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission (Ojibwa), Mouth of Yellow River |
1882-1934 (closed) (Superior, 1905-1934) |
St. Anthony of Padua Mission (Ojibwa), Pakwawong, Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation |
1885-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
St. Francis Solanus Church (Ojibwa), Reserve, Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation |
1889-1942 (closed) (Superior, 1905-1942) |
St. Joseph Mission (Ojibwa), Bellilfalls |
1889-ca. 1920s (no longer Native) (Superior, 1905-ca. 1920s) |
Our Lady of Good Counsel/ St. Mary of Good Counsel Mission (Ojibwa), Solon Springs |
ca. 1889-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
St. Anthony of Padua/ St. Mary of the Angels Mission (Ojibwa), Gordon |
1892-1937 (closed) (Superior, 1905-1937) |
Holy Angels Mission (Ojibwa), Mud Lake |
1893-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
St. Francis Church (Ojibwa), Red Cliff, Red Cliff Reservation |
1895-present (Superior, 1905-present) |
St. Anthony of Padua Mission, Lac du Flambeau, Lac du Flambeau Reservation |
1894-ca. 1915 (closed) (Superior, 1905-ca. 1915) |
St. Joseph Mission (Ojibwa), New Village, Lac du Flambeau, Lac du Flambeau Reservation |
1900-1962 (closed) (Superior, 1905-1962) |
St. Anthony Mission (Ojibwa), Belanger Settlement |
ca. 1904-1910 (closed) (Superior, 1905-1910) |
Sacred Heart Mission (Ojibwa), Trade River |
1905-present |
St. Anthony of Padua Church (Ojibwa), Lac du Flambeau, Lac du Flambeau Reservation |
1910-1912 (no longer Native) |
St. Mary Magdalene Mission (Ojibwa), Springbrook |
1919-present |
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission (Ojibwa), Danbury |
1920-present |
St. Mary Magdalene Mission (Ojibwa), Couderay, Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation |
1934-present |
St. Ignatius Mission (Ojibwa), New Post, Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: ca. 1900-ongoing, undated
Volume: Ca. 2 cubic feet
Description: 6 series include Native Catholic records:
/1 Parish Files
Inclusive dates: 1906-1959
Volume: .4 cubic foot
Description: This series is arranged alphabetically by location of the parish or mission.
A. Bayfield, Holy Family Church and School, 1906-1958 (majority from the 1950s), 1 folder: major correspondents include Rev. Regis Watts, Bishop Albert G. Meyer, and Bishop Joseph A. Annabring
B. Lac du Flambeau, St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1906-1959 (majority from the 1940s-1950s), 1 folder: major correspondents include Rev. Lawrence Henninger, Bishop William P. O'Connor, Bishop Albert Meyer, and Bishop Joseph Annabring
C. New Post, St. Ignatius Mission, 1922-1950 (majority from the 1920s-1930s), 1 folder: major correspondents include Rev. Ignatius Kinney, Rev. John Kauer, and Bishop Theodore Reverman
D. Odanah, Our Lady of Seven Dolors Mission and St. Mary School, 1906-1959 (majority from the 1930s-1950s), 1 folder: major correspondents include Rev. Emeran Fox, Rev. Symphorian Nothoff, Rev. Bertram Mitchell, Bishop Theodore Reverman, and Bishop Albert Meyer
E. Red Cliff, St. Francis Church and School, 1912-1959 (majority from the 1940s-1950s), 1 folder: major correspondents include Rev. Oscar Rascher, Rev. Clementin Grosskopf, Bishop Joseph A. Annabring, Bishop William O'Connor, and Bishop Albert Meyer
F. Reserve, St. Francis Solanus Mission and School, 1906-1958 (majority from the 1920s-1930s), .1 cubic foot: major correspondents include Rev. Philip B. Gordon (Ojibwa), Rev. Ignatius Kinney, Rev. John Kauer, Bishop Theodore Reverman, and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions
/2 "Missions - Business" and "Indian Missions"
Inclusive dates: 1901-1949, undated
Volume: .2 cubic foot
Description: This series is arranged alphabetically by location of the parish. It primarily contains financial correspondence and legal documents relating to land transactions.
A. Bayfield, Holy Family Church, 1930s, 1 folder: primarily correspondence
B. Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, 1908-1911, 5 letters
C. Lac du Flambeau, St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1901, 1906-1909, 2 folders: primarily correspondence
D. Odanah, Our Lady of Seven Dolors Mission and St. Mary School, 1902-1924, 1930-1949, .1 cubic foot: includes correspondence, financial and statistical reports, and historical notes
E. Red Cliff, St. Francis Church, 1913, undated, 1 folder: correspondence and clippings
F. Reserve, St. Francis Solanus Church, 1908-1909, 1 folder: primarily correspondence
/3 Deceased Priests' Files
Inclusive dates: ca.1900-1981
Volume: .65 cubic foot
Description: This series is arranged alphabetically by surname.
A. Gordon (Ojibwa), Rev. Philip B., ca. 1900-1981, .6 cubic foot:
1. Correspondence, 1906-1981 (majority from 1906-1920), .3 cubic foot: major correspondents include the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, Bishop Augustin F. Schinner, and Bishop Joseph M. Koudelka; correspondence from 1948-1981 is about Rev. Gordon
2. Diary, 1909, 1913-1914, 1 volume: handwritten with daily entries
3. Photographs, ca.1900-1940s, approximately 475 prints
B. Kinney, Rev. Ignatius, 1920s-1930s, 1 folder: biographical records and correspondence regarding St. Francis Solanus Church, Reserve
/4 Financial and Statistical Reports
Inclusive dates: 1908-ongoing
Volume: .5 cubic foot
Description: The series contains annual reports from each Indian parish, mission, and school within the diocese.
/5 "Religious Men and Women"
Inclusive dates 1930-1945, 1949
Volume: 2 folders
Description: This series contains correspondence with religious orders working within the diocese. The letters primarily relate to appointments and finances and are arranged alphabetically by order.
A. Franciscans, Sacred Heart Province, St. Louis, 1930-1945, 30 letters
B. Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, La Crosse, Wisconsin, 1949, 15 letters: regarding St. Mary School, Odanah.
/6 Diocesan newspaper
Inclusive dates: 1953-ongoing
Volume: Occasional articles
Description: The Catholic Herald Citizen.
For student attendance records at Catholic schools that served Native Americans – see also -- Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records, ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Special Collections and Archives, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Archives.
new1984/rev2006-2018