GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
California: CA-70

National Archives at Riverside
23123 Cajalco Road
Perris, CA 92570

Phone: 951-956-2000
Email: riverside.archives@nara.gov

 

Hours: See website

Access: See website

Copying facilities: Yes

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1800-1991

Volume: Ca. 1-2 cubic feet

Description: 4 record groups include Native Catholic records.

 

/1 “Record Group 48, Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior”

Inclusive dates: Between 1849-1903 

Volume: Less than 1% of 127 reels of microfilm 

Description: “Letters Sent to the Indian Division of the Department of the Interior, M606;” until 1907 when abolished, the Indian Division managed the majority of Indian administration issues. Incoming correspondence includes letters from religious leaders, generally filed in a miscellaneous category, and outgoing correspondence from the Indian Division includes some references to missionary activities.

 

/2 “Record Group 49, Records of the Bureau of Land Management T910, Reel 118”

Inclusive dates: Between 1851-1859

Volume: 1 reel of microfilm 

Description: The Bureau of Land Management succeeded the General Land Office; the General Land Office records in California include Catholic Church claims to mission lands within the California private land claims dockets; several pages are illegible; index included.

 

/3 “Record Group 75, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs” 

Inclusive dates: 1867-1972

Volume: Less than 1% of 3,301 cubic feet 

Description: Selective sampling indicates that Catholic-related records comprise between less than 1% of Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency records, and include documents such as correspondence, quarterly school reports, and school contracts. Notable correspondents include Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, Catholic mission and school superiors [e.g. Franciscans], Indian agents or superintendents, and Commissioners of Indian Affairs. Primary subjects include financial matters and the transfer of students to and from mission schools.

A. “Records of the Chinle Subagency in Arizona,” between 1938-1956, less than 1% of 76 cubic feet; the Chinle Subagency was a unit of the Navajo Area Office established and disbanded, 1949-ca. 1989

B. "Records of the Colorado River Agency in Arizona," between 1867-1951, less than 1% of 322 cubic feet; the Colorado River agency was established, 1864; the Fort Mojave School Agency and the Fort Yuma Agency were consolidated with the Colorado River Agency, 1915 and 1935, respectively

C. “Records of the Eastern Navajo Agency in Arizona,” between 1909-1944, less than 1% of 34 cubic feet; the Eastern Navajo Agency was a unit of the Navajo Area Office established, 1909

D. "Records of the Fort Apache Agency in Arizona," between 1875-1955, less than 1% of 229 cubic feet; the White Mountain Reservation was established with northern and southern divisions, 1872; both divisions were under the San Carlos Agency, 1875; the reservation was divided, 1897, and the Fort Apache Agency was established for the northern part of the reservation, now known as the Fort Apache Reservation

E. “Records of the Fort Mojave Subagency and School in Arizona,” between 1906-1931, less than 1% of unknown cubic feet; the Fort Mojave School and agency were established, 1890; the agency was consolidated with the Colorado River Agency, 1915, and the school continued independently until closed, 1931

F. "Records of the Fort Yuma Subagency in Arizona," between 1907-1952, less than 1% of 43 cubic feet; the Fort Yuma Reservation and Boarding School were established, 1884, under first the jurisdiction of the Colorado River Agency and then the Mission Tule River Agency; the school was given agency status, 1900, and returned to a subagency of the Colorado River Agency, 1935

G. "Records of the Hopi Agency in Arizona,” between 1910-1956, less than 1% of 7 cubic feet; the Hopi/ Moqui Agency was established, 1869, and given agency status, 1899

H. “Records of the Navajo Agency in Arizona,” between 1881-1936, less than 1% of 568 cubic feet; the Navajo Agency was established, 1852; after 1901, several independent agencies were established and then consolidated as the Navajo Service, 1935; a subsequent Navajo Agency was created under the Window Rock Area Office, 1949

I. “Records of the Papago Agency in Arizona,” between 1871-1955, less than 1% of 321 cubic feet; the Papago Agency was established, 1948, and preceded by several other agencies that began, 1864

J. “Records of the Phoenix Area Office in Arizona,” between 1907-1974, less than 1% of 614 cubic feet; the Phoenix Area Office was established, 1950, and was preceded by the Phoenix Regional Office, established 1946

K. “Records of the Phoenix Indian School in Arizona,” between 1942-1965, less than 1% of unknown cubic feet; the Phoenix Indian School opened and closed, 1891-1989 respectively

L. “Records of the Pima Agency in Arizona,” between 1888-1951, less than 1% of 389 cubic feet; the Pima Agency was part of a succession of agencies first established, 1864

M. “Records of the Salt River Agency in Arizona,” between 1968-1991, less than 1% of 8.3 cubic feet; the Salt River Agency was established with the consolidation of the Fort McDowell and Pascua Yaqui Field Offices, 1985

N. “Records of the San Carlos Apache Agency in Arizona,” between 1900-1952, less than 1% of 50 cubic feet; the San Carlos Agency was established for the southern portion of the White Mountain Reservation, 1872; it was responsible for both the northern and southern portions of the reservation, 1875-1897, when the northern portion was transferred to the Fort Apache Agency

O. “Records of the Truxton Canyon Agency in Arizona,” between 1895-1951, less than 1% of 12 cubic feet; the Truxton Canyon School was established and became an agency, 1901; it was a subagency of the Colorado River Agency, 1951-1964, and then restored as the Truxton Canyon Agency

P. “Records of the Western Navajo Agency in Arizona,” between 1902-1917, less than 1% of 321 cubic feet; the Western Navajo Agency is a unit of the Navajo Area Office established, 1901

Q. “Records of the Window Rock Area Office in Arizona,” between 1915-1954, less than 1% of unknown cubic feet; the Window Rock Area Office was established and succeeded the Navajo Service, 1949

R. “Records of the Campo Superintendency in California,” bed tween 1919-1920, less than 1% of .2 cubic feet; the Campo Superintendency was established under the Pala Superintendency, 1910, and consolidated with the Soboba and Pala Superintendencies to form the Mission Agency, 1920

S. “Records of the La Jolla Superintendency in California,” between 1909-1911, less than 1% of .2 cubic feet; the La Jolla Superintendency was separated from and reconsolidated with the Pala Superintendency, 1909 and 1911 respectively

T. “Records of the Los Angeles Area Field Office in California,” between 1952-1969, less than 1% of .2 cubic feet

U. “Records of the Malki Superintendency in California,” between 1908-1920, less than 1% of .2 cubic feet; the Malki Superintendency was established from a portion of the San Jacinto Indian Training School Agency, 1908, and it became part of the Soboba Superintendency, 1920

V. "Records of the Mission Agency in California," between 1870-1962, less than 1% of .2 cubic feet; the Mission Agency was established through the consolidation of the Campo, Pala, and Soboda Superintendencies, 1920

W. “Records of the Morongo Subagency in California,” between 1922-1947, less than 1% of .2 cubic feet

X. “Records of the Pala Subagency in California,” between 1922-1947, less than 1% of 128 cubic feet; the Pala Subagency was established as a subagency of the Mission Agency, 1922, and became part of the California Agency, 1948

Y. “Records of the Pala Superintendency in California,” between 1903-1921, less than 1% of unknown cubic feet; the Pala Superintendency was established from the southern portion of the Tule Mission Consolidated Agency, 1903, and combined with the Soboba and Campo Superintendencies to form the Mission Agency, 1920

Z. “Records of the Palm Springs Subagency in California,” between 1936-1964, less than 1% of 48 cubic feet; the Palm Springs Subagency was established as a part of the Mission Agency, 1936

AA. “Records of the Pechanga Superintendency in California,” between 1909-1914, less than 1% of 1.5 cubic feet; the Pechanga Superintendency was separated from and reconsolidated with the Pala Superintendency, 1909 and 1913 respectively

BB. “Records of the Rincon Superintendency in California,” between 1909-1911, less than 1% of.3 cubic foot; the Rincon Superintendency was separated from and reconsolidated with the Pala Superintendency, 1909 and 1911 respectively

CC. “Records of the Riverside Area Field Office in California,” between 1928-1968, less than 1% of 206 cubic feet; the Riverside Area Field Office was established, 1955, and succeeded by the Southern California Agency, 1972

DD. “Records of the Sherman Institute in California,” 1898-1955, less than 1% of 244 cubic feet; the Sherman Institute opened, 1902, and was also responsible for the Perris School, 1893-1903

EE. “Records of the Soboba Superintendency in California,” 1910-1920, less than 1% of 4.3 cubic feet; the Soboba Superintendency was established, 1907, and combined with the Pala and Campo Superintendencies to form the Mission Agency, 1920

FF. “Records of the Torres-Martinez Subagency in California,” 1935-1946, less than 1% of 321 cubic feet; the Torres-Martinez Subagency was established as a part of the Mission Agency, 1922

GG. “Records of the Volcan Superintendency in California,” between 1906-1913, less than 1% of 2 cubic feet; the Volcan Superintendency was separated from and reconsolidated with the Pala Superintendency, 1909 and 1913 respectively

HH. “Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, M234,” between 1906-1913, less than 1% of 962 reels of microfilm

II. "Letters Received by the Office of the Secretary of War Relating to Indian Affairs, M271,” between 1800-1823, less than 1% of 4 reels of microfilm

JJ. “Letters Received by the Superintendent of Indian Trade, T58,” between 1806-1824, less than 1% of 1 reel of microfilm

KK. “Letters Sent by the Office of Indian Affairs, M21,” between 1824-1881, less than 1% of 166 reels of microfilm

LL. “Letters Sent by the Secretary of War Relating to Indian Affairs, M15,” between 1800-1824, less than 1% of 6 reels of microfilm

MM. “Letters Sent by the Superintendent of Indian Trade, M16,” between 1807-1823, less than 1% of 6 reels of microfilm

NN. “Records of the Arizona Superintendency, M734,” between 1863-1873, less than 1% of 8 reels of microfilm

OO. “Records of the Michigan Superintendency, M1,” between 1814-1851, less than 1% of 71 reels of microfilm

PP. “Records of the Oregon Superintendency, M2,” between 1848-1873, less than 1% of 29 reels of microfilm

QQ. “Records of the Washington Superintendency, M5,” between 1853-1874, less than 1% of 26 reels of microfilm

RR. “Register of Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, M18,” between 1824-1880, less than 1% of 126 reels of microfilm

SS. “Report Books of the Office of Indian Affairs, M348,” between 1838-1885, less than 1% of 53 reels of microfilm

TT. “Special Files of the Office of Indian Affairs, M574,” between 1807-1904, less than 1% of 85 reels of microfilm

 

/4 “Record Group 393: Records of U.S. Army Continental Commands, 1821-1920” 

Inclusive dates: Between 1846-1851 

Volume: Less than 1% of 7 reels of microfilm

Description: “Records of the Tenth Military Department, 1846-1851, M210;” includes letters describing Indian attitudes about Catholic missions.  

 

Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.

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