GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 1: Eastern United States
Louisiana: LA-21

Catholic Church. Archdiocese of New Orleans. Archives and Records
1100 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone: 505-861-6241
Email: archives@archdioceseno.org

 

Hours: See website

Access: See website

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: The Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas (a.k.a. Diocese of St. Louis of New Orleans) was erected for the Spanish provinces of La Florida and Louisiana from territory of the Diocese of San Cristobal de la Habana, Cuba, 1793. With its territory reduced to the state of Louisiana, the diocese was renamed the Diocese of New Orleans, 1826, and elevated to the Archdiocese of New Orleans, 1850. It lost territory as more in-state dioceses were erected, 1825-1977. Statewide, New Orleans and its predecessor supported the following missions, parishes, and evangelization among Native Americans:

1698-1800s (New Orleans, 1793-1800s)	First Capuchins and Jesuits, and then, diocesan priests intermittently evangelized Native Americans (e.g. Apalachee, Chickasaw, Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma)
Ca. 1725-1761 (New Orleans, 1793)	At the Ursuline Convent, New Orleans (now the Archdiocese of New Orleans Archives), Sister Mary Turpin, O.S.U. (mixed-race Illinois, 1709-1761) became the first native-born professed religious in the present-day United States
1844-present (New Orleans, 1844-1918)	Immaculate Conception Church (Chitamacha), Charenton
1864-present (New Orleans, 1864-1977)	Sacred Heart of Jesus Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma) Montegut/ Bayou Terrebonne
1873-present (New Orleans, 1873-1977)	Our Lady of the Rosary/ Notre Dame du Rosaire Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma) Montegut, Larose
1875-present (New Orleans, 1875-1977)	St. Eloi Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Theriot/ Bayou du Large
1908-present (New Orleans, 1908-1977)	St. Ann Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Bourg
1915-present (New Orleans, 1915-1977)	Sacred Heart Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Cut Off
1915-present (New Orleans, 1915-1977)	St. Bridget Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Schreiber/ Terrebonne Station
1915-present (New Orleans, 1915-1977)	Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Golden Meadow
1952-present (New Orleans, 1952-1977)	Holy Family Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Dulac/ Grand Caillou
1963-present (New Orleans, 1963-1977)	Maria Immaculata Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Houma
1971-present (New Orleans, 1971-1977)	St. Charles Borromeo Church (e.g. Chitamacha, Choctaw, Houma), Montegut/ Pointe-aux-Chênes
Unknown-present (New Orleans, unknown-1977)	Annunziata Church (e.g. Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma), Houma
Unknown-present (New Orleans, unknown-1977)	Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Church (e.g. Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma), Houma
Unknown-present (New Orleans, unknown-1977)	St. Louis Church (e.g. Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma), Houma/ Bayou Blue

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1576-present; bulk 1820s-1860s

Volume: Less than 1 cubic foot anticipated

Description: 3 series with records.

 

/1 Arch/ Bishops papers

Inclusive dates: 1576-1897; bulk 1802-1860s

Volume: Occasional letters

Description: Correspondence between Louisiana bishops and missionaries, including Rev. Adrian Rouquette who evangelized Choctaw Indians, 1850s-1860s.

A. Bishop Luis Ignatius Peñalver y Cárdinas, 1794-1801

B. Bishop Francisco Porró y Reinado, 1801-1803

C. Bishop Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, S.S. [Sulpicians], 1815-1826

D. Bishop Leo Raymond de Neckère, C.M. [Vincentians], 1829-1833

E. Archbishop Anthony Blanc, 1835-1860

F. Archbishop Jean Marie Odin, C.M., 1861-1870

G. Archbishop Napoleon Joseph Perché, 1870-1883

H. Archbishop Francis Xavier Leray, 1887-1893

I. Archbishop Francis August Anthony Joseph Janssens, 1888-1897

 

/2 Sacramental records

Inclusive dates: 1718-1829

Volume: Several records

Description: Sacramental Records of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, volumes 1-18, published; see website.

 

/3 Arch/ diocesan newspapers

Inclusive dates: 1842-ongoing

Volume: Occasional articles

Description: A succession of Catholic newspapers served the Arch/Diocese of New Orleans:

A. La Propagateur, 1842-1864; French language

B. Catholic Standard, 1855-1862

C. The Morning Star, 1868-1930

D. Catholic Action of the South, 1932-1963

E. Clarion Herald, 1963-present; see website

 

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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