GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 1: Eastern United States
District of Columbia: DC-7
Oblates of Mary Immaculate. United States Province
391 Michigan Avenue, Northwest
Washington, DC 20017
Phone: 202-529-4505
Email: See website
Hours: See website
Access: See website
Copying facilities: Yes
History: The Oblates of Mary Immaculate established the United States Province in 1999 by restructuring its U.S. provinces as areas under one national province. The former North Central and Southern Provinces, now the North Central and Southern Areas, have administered the following Native American missions and parishes:
| 1923-1965 (closed) | St. Benedict Mission (Sisseton and Wahpeton), Peevey Ranch, Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota |
| 1923-present | St. Matthew Mission (Sisseton and Wahpeton), Veblen, Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota |
| 1927-present | Immaculate Conception Mission (Ojibwa), Nett Lake, Nett Lake Reservation, Minnesota |
| 1935-1938 (closed) | Our Lady of the Snows Mission (Sisseton and Wahpeton), Sisseton, Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota |
| 1938-1969 (closed) | Tekakwitha Children's Home (Sisseton and Wahpeton), Sisseton, Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota |
| 1956-present | St. Joseph Mission (Sisseton and Wahpeton), Pickerel Lake, Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota |
| 1958-present | St. Catherine Mission (Sisseton and Wahpeton), Sisseton, Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota |
| 1962-present | St. Catherine Mission (Ojibwa), Squaw Lake, Minnesota |
| 1970-present | Kickapoo Reservation station (Kickapoo), Eagle Pass, Texas |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: ca. 1924-present
Volume: Approximately 1.4 cubic feet
Description: The description is limited to records surveyed in 1980 at the North Central Area Office. At that time, an outline of a classification system had been developed, but arrangement and description of the archival records had not begun. Consequently, only approximations regarding dates and volume had been made. Three series include Native Catholic records:
/1 "Provincial Administrations"
Inclusive dates: ca. 1924-present
Volume Approximately .8 cubic foot
Description: This series is arranged chronologically by administration. Files contain 4 basic types of records dealing with Indian mission activity.
A. Correspondence between the provincials and the bishops regarding the Indian missions
B. Records dealing with land or property
C. Financial and statistical reports, monthly, quarterly, and annual, from the Indian missions to the province
D. Mission newsletters, letters of solicitation, and the like
/2 "Correspondence Files of Members of the Province - with the Provincial" Inclusive dates: ca. 1924-present
Volume: Approximately .5 cubic foot
Description: Files are divided into deceased and living members thereunder arranged alphabetically by surname.
A review of the files of some of the more prominent Indian missionaries of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate revealed the following:
Deceased Members:
Pohlen, Rev. John, O.M.I., 1931-1969, 4 folders; primarily correspondence from the Missions and Children's Home on the Sisseton Reservation in South Dakota, with former Provincials Rev. Aloys Rosenthal, O.M.I., Rev. Alphonse Simon, O.M.I., Rev. Edwin Guild, O.M.I., Rev. Stanley Sergot, O.M.I., and Rev. William Coovert, O.M.I.
Living Members (or recently deceased):
1. Antus, Rev. Lawrence, O.M.I., 1959-1975, 2 folders: regarding Immaculate Conception Mission, Nett Lake, Minnesota, primarily with former Provincials Rev. Stanley Sergot, O.M.I., Rev. William Coovert, O.M.I., Rev. Leo Figge, O.M.I., and Rev. Francis George, O.M.I.
2. Bladus, Rev. Leonard, O.M.I., 1969-1979, 3 folders: primarily correspondence from the Missions and Children’s Home on the Sisseton Reservation in South Dakota, with former Provincials Rev. Leo Figge, O.M.I., Rev. Francis George, O.M.I., and Rev. William Woestman, O.M.I.
3. Fitzgerald, Rev. Vincent, O.M.I., 1956-1973, 1 folder: primarily correspondence regarding Immaculate Conception mission, Nett Lake, Minnesota, and St. Catherine Church, Squaw Lake, Minnesota, with former Provincials Rev. Stanley Sergot, O.M.I., Rev. William Coovert, O.M.I., and Rev. Leo Figge, O.M.I.
4. Hitpas, Rev. Thomas, O.M.I., 1973-1978, 1 folder: primarily correspondence regarding Immaculate Conception mission, Nett Lake, Minnesota, with former Provincial Rev. William Woestman, O.M.I.
/3 Photographs Inclusive dates: undated
Volume: Approximately .1 cubic foot
Description: The majority of the photographs are from the missions and children's home on the Sisseton Reservation in South Dakota.
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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