GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Kansas: KS-3

Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Chancery
12615 Parallel Parkway
Kansas City, KS 66109

Phone: 913-721-1570, Extension 154
Email: archkck@archkck.org

 

History: The Vicariate Apostolic East of the Rocky Mountains was erected for the Central and Northern Plains, 1847. It was succeeded by the Diocese of Kansas, 1877, and divided into three dioceses, 1887, one of which was the Diocese of Leavenworth for northeast Kansas. Leavenworth was renamed, Kansas City in Kansas, 1947, which was elevated as the Archdiocese of Kansas City, 1952. Kansas City in Kansas has served the following missions, parishes, and schools with Native American parishioners:

1836-1840	Kickapoo Mission (Kickapoo)
1839-1848 (closed)	Sugar Creek Mission (Potawatomi), Sugar Creek
1848-1870s (no longer Native)	Immaculate Conception Church/ St. Mary Mission (Potawatomi), St. Marys
1905-present	Haskell Indian Nations University/ Haskell Indian Junior College/ Haskell Institute (e.g. Dakota-Lakota, Eskimo, Navajo, Ojibwa), Lawrence; served by St. John the Evangelist Church, Lawrence, and other institutions
1912-present (within Jackson County Catholic Community)	Our Lady of Snow Shrine/ Mission (Potawatomi), Potawatomi Reservation, Mayetta
1970s-2006 (merged to form Mater Dei, Topeka)	Assumption Church (Kickapoo, Potawatomi), North Topeka
2006-present	Mater Dei Church (Kickapoo, Potawatomi), Topeka

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1907, 1911-ongoing

Volume: At least .2 cubic foot and 3 reels of microfilm

Description: Within 5 series.

 

/1 Parish Files

Inclusive dates: 1911-ongoing

Volume: .1 cubic foot

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of the parish.

A. Lawrence, St. John Church, 1942-1970, 1 folder: correspondence with occasional references to Haskell Institute (now Haskell Indian Nations University)

B. North Topeka, Assumption Church, 1970s-2006; possible occasional reference to Kickapoo and Potawatomi Indian parishioners

C. "Potawatomi Indian Reservation," 1911-1912, 1916, 1938-1942, 1948-1961, 3 folders: major correspondents include Rev. Francis A. Geinitz, Rev. John J. Ryan, Rev. Henry Willmering, Bishop John Ward, and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions

D. Topeka, Mater Dei Church, 2006-ongoing; possible occasional reference to Kickapoo and Potawatomi Indian parishioners

 

/2 Financial Records

Inclusive dates: 1951-1971

Volume: 2 folders

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of the parish.

A. Lawrence, St. John Church, 1951-1971, 1 folder: annual reports to the diocese, which include references to work at Haskell Institute (now Haskell Indian Nations University)

B. "Potawatomi Indian Reservation," 1951-1966, 1 folder: annual reports to the diocese

 

/3 "Abstracts"

Inclusive dates: 1907, 1948

Volume: 1 folder

Description: Includes records relating to land transactions on the Potawatomi Reservation. 

 

/4 Sacramental Records

Inclusive dates: 1912-ongoing

Volume: Within at least 3 reels of microfilm

Description: Records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials) for Native American parishioners and students:

A. Emmett, Kansas, Holy Cross Church, 1912-1917, 1 reel: records for Our Lady of Snows Mission

B. Holton, St. Dominic Church, 1917-1969, 1 reel: contains records for Our Lady of Snows Mission, 1918-1969; includes records of the mission when it was attended by priests from St. Francis Xavier Church, Mayetta, Kansas, and from St. Mary's College

C. Lawrence, St. John Church, 1903-ongoing, 1 reel: includes records for students at Haskell Indian Nations University/ Haskell Indian Junior College

D. North Topeka, Assumption Church, 1970s-2006; contains records for Native American parishioners

E. Topeka, Mater Dei Church, 2006-ongoing; contains records for Native American parishioners

 

/5 Diocesan Newspaper

Inclusive dates: 1939-ongoing

Volume: 1 folder

Description: The Eastern Kansas Register, and its successor, The Leaven, http://www.theleaven.com/, have included occasional articles about Native Americans and Catholic evangelization within the diocese. The Leaven is archived online, 1978-present.    

 

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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