GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Michigan: MI-27

Catholic Church. Diocese of Marquette. Archives
347 Rock Street
Marquette, MI 49855

Phone: 906-227-9117

 

Hours: See website

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: The Vicariate Apostolate of Upper Michigan was erected, 1853, from portions of the Diocese of Detroit for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and adjacent northern Wisconsin (to 1868). The Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie succeeded the vicariate, 1857, which was renamed the Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie and Marquette, 1865, and the Diocese of Marquette, 1937. Previously, Marquette had been part of the dioceses of Cincinnati, 1821-1838, Bardstown, 1808-1821, Baltimore, 1796-1808, and Québec, 1674-1796. Marquette and its predecessors served the following missions, parishes, and schools that served the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians in Michigan and the Menominee and Ojibwa Indians in Wisconsin:

1660-unknown (Marquette, 1854-1868)

Keweenaw Bay Mission (Ojibwa), Keweenaw Bay, Michigan

1670-unknown (Marquette, 1854-1868) 

St. Ignace Mission (Ojibwa), St. Ignace/ Straits of Mackinac, Michigan

1829-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

Holy Childhood of Jesus/ St. Peter Church (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Harbor Springs, Michigan

1830-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

St. Mary Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Burt Lake/ Sheboygan Village, Michigan

1832-1893 (closed) (Marquette, 1854-1868)

St. Leopold Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Beaver Island, Michigan

1833-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

St. Ignatius/ St. Francis Xavier Mission (Ottawa), Middle Village/ Middletown, Grand Traverse Reservation, Michigan

1834-1920s (no longer Native) (Marquette, 1853-1920s)

Holy Name of Mary Church, Sault Sainte Marie (Ojibwa), Michigan

1835-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

St. Joseph Mission (Ojibwa), La Pointe, near Red Cliff Reservation, Wisconsin

1837-1920s (no longer Native) (Marquette, 1853-1930s)

St. Ignatius Loyola Church (Ojibwa), St. Ignace, Michigan

1840s-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

Holy Cross/ St. Anthony Church (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Cross Village, Michigan

1843-present (Marquette, 1853-present) 

Most Holy Name of Jesus Church (Ojibwa), Assinins, near L’Anse Reservation, Michigan

1843-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

St. Michael/ St. Francis Xavier Church (Menominee), Keshena, Menominee Reservation, Wisconsin

1853-present (Marquette, 1854-1868)

St. Kateri Tekakwitha/ Immaculate Conception/St. Mary Mission (Ottawa), Grand Traverse Reservation, Peshawbestown/ Eagle

1855-1860s (closed)

Immaculate Conception of Mary Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Garden Island, Michigan

1855-1910s (no longer Native) (Marquette, 1855-1868)

St. Francis Xavier/ Assumption of Our Lady Mission (Ojibwa), Superior, Wisconsin

1857-1880 (transferred to Jesuits, now Upper Canada Province, Toronto, Ontario)

Our Savior, Friend of Children Mission (Ojibwa), Sugar Island, Michigan

1859-1897 (closed), 1927-1930s (closed) (Marquette, 1859-1868)

St. Francis Solano Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Petoskey, Michigan

1860-present (Marquette, 1860-1868)

Holy Family/ Christ Church (Ojibwa), near Bad River Reservation, Bayfield, Wisconsin

1861-1899 (closed) (Marquette, 1861-1868)

St. Ignatius Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Beaver Island, Michigan

1862-1880 (transferred to Jesuits, now Upper Canada Province, Toronto, Ontario), 1894-1930 (closed)

St. Joseph Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Sugar Island, Michigan

1872-1880s (no longer Native)

St. Joseph Mission (Ojibwa), L'Anse, Michigan

1884-1920s (no longer Native)

Sacred Heart Church (Ojibwa), De Tour, Michigan

1885-1960 (closed)

St. Lawrence Mission (Ojibwa, Ottawa), Indian Point, Michigan

1886-1920s (no longer Native)

St. Ann Mission (Ojibwa), Baraga, Michigan

1894-1943 (closed)

St. Teresa Mission (Ojibwa), Sugar Island, near Bay Mills Reservation, Michigan

1899-1946 (closed)

Our Lady of the Snows Mission (Ojibwa), Hessel, Michigan

1906-1916 (closed)

Keweenaw Bay Mission (Ojibwa), Michigan

1923-present

Sacred Heart Mission (Ojibwa), Sugar Island, near Bay Mills Reservation, Michigan

1939-present

St. Kateri Tekakwitha/ St. Catherine Mission (Ojibwa), Bay Mills, near Bay Mills Reservation, Michigan

1941-1960 (closed)

St. Florence Mission (Ojibwa), Drummond Island, Michigan

1941-1960 (closed)

Holy Angels Mission (Ojibwa), Sugar Island, Michigan

1942-1960 (closed)

St. Aloysius Mission (Ojibwa), Neebish Island, Michigan

1943-1960 (closed)

Ss. John and Anne Mission (Ojibwa), Sugar Island, Michigan

1946-1982 (closed)

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha/ St. James Mission (Potawatomi), Harris/ Hannahville, Michigan

1947-1958 (no longer Native)

Sacred Heart Mission (Ojibwa), Stonington, Michigan

1949-present

St. Isaac Jogues Church (Ojibwa), Sault Sainte Marie, near Sault Sainte Marie Reservation, Michigan

1949-present

St. Catherine Mission (Ojibwa), Zeba, near L’Anse Reservation, Michigan

1953-1961 (closed)

Our Lady of the Way Mission (Ojibwa), Eckerman, Michigan

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1865-present 

Volume: Few letters 

Description: When reviewed by Marquette University archivists, 1980, the Marquette Diocese held 3.85 cubic feet of archival records about Native Americans, 1695-1980, which were maintained in the Diocesan Pastoral Office and nearby St. Christopher Church, Marquette. The Pastoral Office held 2.05 cubic feet of records comprised of parish files, 1938-ongoing, school records, 1923-1961, financial and statistical reports, 1957-ongoing, subject files, 1971-ongoing, and sacramental records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials), 1695-ongoing; St. Christopher’s held 1.85 cubic feet of records comprised of an announcement book, 1918-1935, sacramental records, 1928-1972, Ojibwa language records, 1930s-1940s, and subject files, 1920s-1960s. The Jesuit Archives (St. Louis, Missouri) reported, 1997, that the records at St. Christopher’s were not among the records it received from the former Jesuit Detroit Province Archives (Detroit, Michigan). The Marquette Diocesan Archives reported, 2006, that the above records were not in the Diocesan Archives, the Diocesan Pastoral Office, or St. Christopher’s, that their existence was unknown, and that current holdings were limited to the description below. See also -- the repository entry for the Bishop Baraga Association. Archives, Marquette, Michigan.

 

/1 Jacker, Rev. Edward, Papers

Inclusive dates: 1865-1887, undated  

Volume: Few of 85 letters

Description: Correspondence includes references about Ojibwa and Ottawa Indian missions and parishioners in Michigan. Copies from the Jacker papers of the Burton Historical Collection. Detroit Public Library (Detroit, Michigan).

 

/2 Diocesan Newspaper 

Inclusive dates: 1946-ongoing 

Volume: Several articles 

Description: The U.P. Catholic, formerly The Upper Peninsula Catholic News, is the official newspaper of the diocese. It includes occasional articles pertaining to Ojibwa Indian parishes. Since December 2005, selected articles have been archived online.

 

For student attendance records at Catholic schools that served Native Americans -- see -- Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records, Marquette University 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 Marquette University Archives.

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