GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Wisconsin: WI-26

Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Archives
3401 South Lake Drive
P.O. Box 070912Milwaukee, WI 53207-0912

Phone: 414-769-3407
Phone: 414-769-3431
Email: See website

 

Hours: See website

Access: See website

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: Milwaukee was erected as a diocese for most of Wisconsin, 1843, which was elevated to an archdiocese, 1875. Previously, Wisconsin had been part of the dioceses of Quebec, 1674-1796, Baltimore, 1796-1808, Bardstown, Kentucky, 1808-1821, Cincinnati, 1821-1838, and Detroit, 1838-1843. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee reported no baptized Native American Catholics for Southeast Wisconsin, 1900, and 5,000, 1999.

 

Within Southeast Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Archdiocese has included the following school, center, and parish with Native Americans:

 

1840s-1850s	St. Peter/ St. Luke Church (e.g. Metis, Menominee, Potawatomi)
1884-1889 (closed)	Good Shepherd School (Ojibwa), Milwaukee
1980-1988 (closed)	Siggenauk Center (e.g. Menominee, Ojibwa, Winnebago [Ho Chunk]), Milwaukee
1988-present	Congregation of the Great Spirit (e.g. Menominee, Ojibwa, Winnebago [Ho Chunk]), Milwaukee

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1840s-1850s, 1970s-ongoing

Volume: Few items   

Description: Within 3 series:

 

/1 Archbishops’ Papers: Rembert George Weakland (1927- ), O.S.B. Inclusive dates: 1977-2002 Volume: Few letters Description: Contain a few letters, re: Siggenauk Center, Congregation of the Great Spirit, and the Siggenauk Interfaith Spiritual Center.  

 

/2 Sacramental Records 

Inclusive dates: 1840s-1850s, 1980-ongoing

Volume: Few entries among a few volumes and a few reels of microfilm, in part

Description: Records of sacraments (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials) arranged alphabetically by location and there under by parish name.

A. Milwaukee, Congregation of the Great Spirit, 1988-present; microfilm only

B. Holy Spirit Church (closed), 1980-1988; includes Siggenauk Center, in part; microfilm only with original records at St. Rafael Church

C. Milwaukee, St. Barbara Church (closed), 1980-1988; includes Siggenauk Center, in part; microfilm only with original records at St. Rafael Church

D. Milwaukee, St. Mathew Church (closed), 1980-1988; includes Siggenauk Center, in part; few entries among a few original volumes plus microfilm E. Milwaukee, St. Michael Church, 1980-1988; includes Siggenauk Center, in part; microfilm only F. Wauwatosa, Christ King Church, 1980-1988; includes Siggenauk Center, in part; microfilm only

E. Milwaukee, St. Peter/ St. Luke Church, 1846-1850s; e.g. Josette Juneau (Menominee), 1804-1855

 

/3 Archdiocesan Newspaper

Inclusive dates: 1970s-present

Volume: Few articles

Description: The Catholic Herald Citizen has included occasional Articles pertaining to American Indians and Catholic evangelization within the Archdiocese. 

Description: The Catholic Herald/ Catholic Herald Citizen, http://catholicherald.org/, has contained occasional articles about Native Americans.

 

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.

New1984/rev2003-2018