GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Oklahoma: OK-7

Catholic Church. Diocese of Tulsa. Archives
12300 East Ninety-first Street South
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
P.O. Box 690240
Tulsa, OK 74169

Phone: 918-307-4956
Email: See website

 

Hours: See website

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: The Diocese of Tulsa was erected for eastern Oklahoma, 1973, from territory of the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, which previously comprised the entire state. The Tulsa Diocese reported approximately 1,000 practicing Native American Catholics in 1999. Within its area the following mission, parishes, and schools have served Native Americans:

1887-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	Immaculate Conception Church (Osage), Pawhuska
1897-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Agnes Mission (Choctaw), Antlers
1902-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. William/ St. Catherine Mission (Choctaw), Durant
1913-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	Sacred Heart Church (Osage), Fairfax, Osage Reservation
1916-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Edward Mission (various), Pittsburg
1921-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. William/ Sacred Heart Church (Osage), Skiatook, Osage Reservation
1923-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	Immaculate Conception/ St. Patrick Church (Choctaw), Hugo
1925-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Ann Mission (Osage), Shidler, Osage Reservation
1925-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Joseph Mission (Cherokee), Webber’s Falls
1930-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Joseph Church (Osage), Hominy, Osage Reservation
1940-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Cecilia/ Christ the King Church (Cherokee), Claremore
1942-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Mary Mission (Osage), Barnsdell, Osage Reservation
1958-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. John the Evangelist Mission (Cherokee), Cookson
1960-present (Tulsa, 1973-present)	St. Clement Church (Creek), Bixby
1982-present	St./ Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church/ Mission (Cherokee), Roland

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1847-ongoing, undated

Volume: At least 2.7 cubic feet plus several hundred microfiche cards

Description: Within 2 series. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa transferred to the Diocese of Tulsa the parish files for all active and inactive missions and parishes serving Native Americans now within the Tulsa Diocese. However, all bishops' files, priests' files, and deeds generated before 1973, and all financial and statistical reports created before 1950, remain at the Oklahoma City Archdiocesan Archives (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma).

 

/1 Parish Files

Inclusive dates: 1886-ongoing, undated 

Volume: 2.7 cubic feet

Description: Correspondence, historical notes, clippings, financial and statistical reports, and photographs arranged alphabetically by location of parish. 

A. Antlers, St. Agnes Mission and Academy, 1897-1970, undated, .4 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1897-1899, 1901-1910, 1912, 1914-1915, 1917, 1919, 1921-1923, 1925-1933, 1935-1936, 1938-1939, 1941-1948 (most written in the years 1897-1930), 377 letters: Major correspondents include Rev. William Ketcham, Rev. Hubert Van Reehem, Rev. F.L. Teyssier, Rev. Charles Van Hulse, Rev. Eloi Justou, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, Bishop Francis C. Kelley, Sister Henrietta, Sister Prudentia, the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, Saint Mother Katharine Drexel, S.B.S., and Governor Victor Locke (Choctaw)

2. Financial and statistical reports, 1950-1966, 1969-1970, 1 folder

3. Photographs, 1900-1920, 20 prints

4. Historical notes and clippings, undated, 1 folder

B. Cayuga, Splitlog Church, undated, 1 folder: Historical notes and clippings

C. Durant, St. William Church, 1903-1972, undated, .4 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1903-1904, 1907, 1912, 1914-1915, 1918-1919, 1921-1929, 1933-1936, 1938-1972, .35 cubic foot: Major correspondents include Rev. S.L. Wiersma, Rev. Martin Mulcahy, Rev. John W. Kerns, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, Bishop Francis Kelley, Bishop Eugene McGuinness, and Bishop Victor J. Reed

2. Financial and statistical reports, 1951-1972, 1 folder

3. Photographs, undated, 8 prints

D. Fairfax, Sacred Heart Church, 1926-1972, undated, .3 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1926-1928, 1931-1935, 1937, 1939, 1946-1972, .25 cubic foot: Major correspondents include Rev. Albert Achtergael, Rev. Bernard Collins, Rev. Philip Wilkiemeyer, Rev. Patrick Murtaugh, Rev. Cletus Bash, Rev. Anthony Spain, Bishop Francis Kelley, Bishop Eugene McGuinness, and Bishop Victor J. Reed

2. Financial and statistical reports, 1950-1972, 1 folder

3. Photographs, undated, 4 prints

4. Clippings and historical notes, undated, 1 folder

E. Hartshorne, Holy Rosary Church, 1910-1972, undated, .2 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1910-1972, .15 cubic foot: includes references to St. Edward Mission, Pittsburg, and St. Henry Mission, Bentley

2. Historical notes, undated, 1 folder

F. Hominy, St. Joseph Church, 1948-1972, .1 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1948-1959, 1961, 1964-1969, 93 letters: Major correspondents include Rev. Victor Van de Walle, Rev. Fintan P. McMahon, Rev. John M. Cefai, Bishop Eugene McGuinness, and Bishop Victor J. Reed

2. Financial and statistical reports, 1950-1972, 1 folder

G. Hugo, Immaculate Conception Church, 1938, 1946-1972, .2 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1938, 1946-1970, .15 cubic foot: Major correspondents include Rev. James W. Traut, Rev. Vincent C. McGouldrick, Rev. Howard A. Anthony, Bishop Eugene McGuinness, and Bishop Victor J. Reed

2. Financial and statistical reports, 1950-1972, 1 folder

H. Muskogee, Assumption Church, 1892-1902, 1905-1907, 1909-1910, 1912-1916, 1919-1969, .3 cubic foot of correspondence: re: Nazareth College and Institute and its attended Native missions and stations; major correspondents include Rev. William H. Ketcham, Rev. Charles Van Hulse, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, and Bishop Francis Kelley

I. Pawhuska, Immaculate Conception Church, 1886-1970, undated, .4 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1886-1890, 1892, 1894-1895, 1898-1902; 1905-1935, 19371939, 1941, 1946-1970, .35 cubic foot: Major correspondents include Rev. Felix De Grasse, Rev. Savinian Louismet, Rev. Edward Van Waesberghe, Rev. William Huffer, Rev. Emil Depreitere, Rev. Albert Achtergael, Rev. Justin H. Gavin, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, Bishop Francis Kelley, Bishop Eugene McGuinness, Bishop Victor J. Reed, Bishop M. Pierre, Sister Mary Paul, Sister Melitina, the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, and Saint Mother Katharine Drexel, S.B.S.

2. Financial and spiritual reports, 1950-1970, 1 folder

3. Photographs, 1920s-1930s, 8 prints

4. Clippings, undated, 1 folder

J. Pittsburg, St. Edward Church, 1912-1966, .1 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1912, 1915, 1924-1925, 1929-1930, 1938, 1943-1944, 41 letters: Major correspondents include Rev. Joseph Osca, Rev. John Peris, Rev. Leopold Guerola, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, and Bishop Francis Kelley

2. Statistical reports, 1950-1966, 1 folder

K. Quapaw, St. Mary Church, 1903, undated, 1 folder: Historical notes, includes A Trip to Quapaw, June 1903, by Bishop M. Lawrence, edited and annotated by Velma Nieberding, 27 pages

L. Roland, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church, 1980s-ongoing, .1 cubic foot

M. Skiatook, St. William Church, 1919-1970, .2 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1919-1921, 1923, 1925-1930, 1932, 1937-1939, 1942, 1945-1949, 1950-1958, 1961-1962, 1964-1965, 1967-1969, .15 cubic foot: Major correspondents include Rev. Thomas Gorman, Rev. B.N. Forner, Rev. George Forner, Bishop Francis Kelley, and Bishop Eugene McGuinness

2. Financial and statistical reports, 1950-1960, 1 folder

3. Photographs, undated, 3 prints

4. Clippings, undated, 1 folder

N. Vinita, Holy Ghost Church and Sacred Heart Institute, 1894-1931, undated, 2 folders:

1. Correspondence, 1894, 1896-1897, 1899, 1902-1903, 1905-1908, 1910-1912, 1914-1917, 1921-1931, 69 letters: Major correspondents include Rev. Arthur Versavel, Rev. Charles Van Hulse, Rev. John F. Davlin, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, Bishop Francis Kelley, and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions

2. Clippings, undated, 1 folder

 

/2 Sacramental Records 

Inclusive dates: 1847-ongoing  

Volume: Several hundred microfiche cards

Description: Sacramental records (microfiche) updated every 5 years and arranged alphabetically by parish location; a multi-year indexing project began in 2006 will identify the record locations for attended missions and stations.  

A. Bartlesville, St. John Church, 1906-1911, 1925-1939: includes records for St. Joseph Mission, Cleveland, and Sacred Heart Mission, Claremore

B. Bixby, St. Clement Church, 1970-1981

C. Claremore, St. Cecilia Church, 1940-1981

D. Coalgate, Blessed Sacrament Church, 1876-1925: includes St. Patrick Church, Atoka, and the Native American missions and stations attended from Coalgate, Atoka, Leigh, and St. Michael

E. Durant, St. William Church, 1912-1981

F. Eufala, St. Paul Church, 1909-1925, 1941-1942: includes the Native American missions and stations at Checotah, Tahlequah, and Webber's Falls

G. Fairfax, Sacred Heart Church, 1887-1981

H. Hartshorne, Holy Rosary Church, 1900-1977: includes St. Edward Mission, Pittsburg, and St. Henry Mission, Bentley

I. Hominy, St. Joseph Church, 1949-1981

J. Hugo, Immaculate Conception Church, 1918-1981: includes St. Agnes Mission, Antlers

K. Krebs, St. Joseph Church, 1887-1897: includes the Native American stations at Eufala, Fort Gibson, Muskogee, South Canadian River, Tahlequah, and Vinita

L. McAlester, St. John Church, 1888-1892, 1977-1981: includes the Native American missions and stations attended from McAlester

M. Miami, Sacred Heart Church, 1847-1927: includes St. Mary of the Quapaws Mission, Quapaw

N. Muskogee, Assumption Church, 1890-1969: includes the Native American missions and stations attended from Muskogee

O. Pawhuska, Immaculate Conception Church, 1887-1908, 1922-1981

P. Sallisaw, St. Francis Xavier Church, 1969-1981: includes St. John the Evangelist Mission, Cookson, and St. Joseph Mission, Webber's Falls

Q. Sand Springs, St. Patrick Church, 1920-1932: includes Sacred Heart Mission, Claremore, and St. Joseph Mission, Cleveland

R. Sapulpa, Sacred Heart Church, 1909-1912, 1965-1973: includes the Native American stations at Claremore and Skiatook and St. Clement Mission, Bixby

S. Skiatook, St. William Church, 1921-1981

T. Stillwater, St. Francis Xavier Church, 1900-1904, 1915-1949: includes the Cleveland station, St. John the Evangelist Mission, Pawnee, and Sacred Heart Mission, Fairfax

U. Tahlequah, St. Brigid Church, 1909-1981: includes the Native American stations attended from Holy Cross Church, Wagoner, and students at the Cherokee Government Indian School

V. Tulsa, Holy Family Cathedral, 1899-1910, 1917-1920: includes the Native American missions and stations attended from Tulsa

W. Vinita, Holy Ghost Church, 1867, 1869, 1892-ca. 1920s

 

For student attendance records at Catholic schools that served Native Americans -- see also -- Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records, Marquette University Special Collections and Archives, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 

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.

New1984/rev2003-2020