GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Alaska: AK-17
Holy Family Church
P.O. Box 101
Holy Cross, AK 99602
Phone: 907-476-7144
Website: See Diocese of Fairbanks (Who We Are: Parishes)
History: Holy Cross – Holy Family Church, Holy Cross, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, has been a predominantly Native American (e.g. Yupik Eskimo, Ingalik) parish in the Diocese of Fairbanks (Archives: Fairbanks, Alaska). It is located on the Yukon River, 279 miles upriver from the Bering Sea.
|
1888-1984 |
Jesuits (Turin, Canada, California, Oregon Provinces) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri; Montreal, Quebec) established and administered Holy Cross Mission (e.g. Yupik Eskimo, Ingalik), Holy Cross/ Koserefsky |
|
1888-1956 (closed) |
Jesuits with Sisters of St. Ann (St. Marie Province) (Archives: Marlboro, Massachusetts) established and administered Holy Cross Boarding and Day School and Orphanage (e.g. Yupik Eskimo, Ingalik), Holy Cross/ Koserefsky |
|
1888-1950s |
Sisters of St. Ann ministered to Holy Cross parish with pre-school, catechizing, medical care, and fishing/gardening |
|
1902-1918 (closed) |
Sisters of Charity of Providence [Sisters of Providence] (Sacred Heart Province) (Archives: Seattle, Washington) established and administered the Holy Cross Hospital (Eskimo) |
|
1918-1923 |
In response to the impact of the “Spanish Flu” influenza epidemic among Native Americans, the Jesuits reopened and administered the Holy Cross Hospital (Eskimo) |
|
1956 |
In “Operation Snowbird,” students were transferred by airplane from Holy Cross to Copper Valley School, Glenallen |
|
1956-1966, 1968-1969 |
Sisters of St. Ann and lay volunteers continued to minister to Holy Cross parish |
|
1984-1992 |
A Fairbanks diocesan priest at St. Theresa’s. Aniak, attended to Holy Cross |
|
1989 |
The parish built a new Holy Family Church |
|
1987-1993 |
Two Sisters of St. Ann continued to minister to Holy Cross parish |
|
1992-1998, 2001-present |
Franciscans (Sacred Heart Province) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri) at St. Theresa’s, Aniak, attended to Holy Cross |
|
1998-present |
Visiting Fairbanks diocesan priests, permanent deacons (e.g. Yupik Eskimo, Ingalik), and lay administers (e.g. Eskimo, Ingalik) have administered Holy Cross |
Jesuits from Holy Cross attended the following Native missions:
|
1890s |
Bethel station (Yupik Eskimo); also attended from St. Joseph’s, Tununak |
|
1896-1920 (closed) |
Sacred Heart and Shagelok/ Shageluk River District stations (Koyukon) |
|
1929-1970 (closed) |
St. John the Apostle Mission (Eskimo), Paimiut/ Pimute |
|
1980-1984 (became a parish) |
St. John the Apostle Mission (Eskimo), Paimiut/ Pimute |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1887-ongoing
Volume: Several volumes
Description: Sacramental records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials) for the Native American parishioners of Holy Cross Mission and its attended missions.
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.
new2006/rev2020
