GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Illinois: IL-15

Sisters of St. Francis of the Third Order of Joliet, Illinois
1433 Essington Rd.
Joliet, IL 60435

Phone: 815-725-8735
Email: info@jolietfranciscans.org

 

Hours: By appointment only

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: The Sisters of St. Francis of the Third Order of Joliet, Illinois (a.k.a. Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate) have self-identified with the post-nominal initials, "O.S.F." and staffed the following Catholic schools for Native American (Ojibwa) students:

1879-present	Holy Family Mission School, Bayfield, Wisconsin
1880-1960	St. Francis Mission School, Red Cliff, Red Cliff Reservation, Wisconsin

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1879-ongoing, undated

Volume: Over  .6 cubic foot

Description: 3 series include Native Catholic records:

 

/1 "Mission Annals"

Inclusive dates: 1879-1981

Volume: .2 cubic foot

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of the parish.

A. Bayfield, Holy Family Mission and School, 1879-1981, .l cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1897, 1912, 1924, 1928, 1933, 1935-1938, 1947, 1954, 1956-1960, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1978-1979, 67 letters; major correspondents include Mother Thomasine, O.S.F., Mother Borromeo, O.S.F., Sister M. Hyacinth, O.S.F., Sister M. Bernardine, O.S.F., Reverend Regis Watts, and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions

2. Annals, 1879-1981, 1 folder: typed and occasionally handwritten copies; entries from 1915-1981 are more detailed than earlier ones

3. Clippings, 1940s-1970s, 1 folder

B. Red Cliff, St. Francis Mission and School, 1880-1959, .1 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1932, 1935-1936, 1957, 7 letters

2. Annals, 1880-1959, 1 volume; includes both the handwritten bound original and a typed copy; entries for 1880-1927 are annual summaries, while entries for 1928-1959 appear daily

3. Clippings, 1944, 1956, 1 folder

 

/2 "Deceased Sisters' Records"

Inclusive dates: 1932-1952, undated

Volume: .1 cubic foot Description: Arranged alphabetically by surname.

A. Sister M. Cordula Neveaux, O.S.F., 1939-1940, undated, 1 folder:

1. Correspondence, 1939-1940, 5 letters

2. Clippings, undated; re: her life and work

B. Sister M. Seraphica Reineck, O.S.F., 1932, 1937, 1946, undated, 2 folders:

1. Correspondence, 1932, 1937, 1946, undated, 15 letters

2. Photographs, undated, 6 prints

3. Clippings, undated, 1 folder; re: her activities at the Indian missions and schools

C. Sister M. Victoria Steidl, O.S.F., 1952, 1 folder:

1. Correspondence, undated, 1 letter

2. Photographs, 1952, 1 print

3. Clippings, undated: re: her activities at the Indian missions and schools

 

/3 Photographs

Inclusive dates: 1895-1980, undated

Volume: Approximately 240 prints

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of the parish or mission.

A. Bayfield, Holy Family Mission and School, 1895-1980, undated, ca. 190 prints

B. La Pointe, St. Joseph Mission, 1935, 1963, undated, 13 prints

C. Odanah, St. Mary Mission and School, 1925, undated, 10 prints

D. Red Cliff, St. Francis Mission and School, 1940, 1947-1948, undated, 27 prints

 

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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