GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
South Dakota: SD-14

St. Bernard Church
406 First Avenue East
P.O. Box 539
McLaughlin, SD 57642

Phone: 605-823-4401

 

History: St. Bernard Church, McLaughlin, Standing Rock Reservation, South Dakota, has been a mixed Native (Hunkpapa Lakota) and non-Native American parish in the Diocese of Rapid City (Archives: Rapid City, South Dakota). Benedictines (St. Meinrad Archabbey) (Archives: St. Meinrad, Indiana) at St. Bernard’s had attended to the following Native American (Hunkpapa Lakota) missions on the Standing Rock Reservation:

1916-1971 (closed)	Sacred Heart Mission, Little Eagle
1918-1921 (transferred to (St. Bonaventure's, McIntosh)	St. Ambrose Mission, Black Horse
1918-1926 (became a parish)	St. Bede Mission, Wakpala
1918-1980s (closed)	St. Aloysius Mission, Bullhead
1920-1926 (transferred to St. Bede's, Wakpala)	Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission, Compte
1950-1980s (closed)	St. Bede Mission, Wakpala
1956-1970 (closed)	St. Ambrose Mission, Black Horse

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1877-ongoing

Volume: At least 1.8 cubic feet

Description: Records at St. Bernard's were not organized according to a classification scheme when reviewed by a Marquette University archivist, 1980. Consequently, the description is by record type. 

 

/1 Sacramental records

Inclusive dates: 1884-ongoing

Volume: At least 1.5 cubic feet

Description: In addition to its own records, St. Bernard's has held the sacramental records of St. Bede Mission, Wakpala; St. Aloysius Mission, Bullhead; and St. Edward Mission, Mad Bears Camp.  

A. St. Bernard's, McLaughlin, 1918-ongoing: includes records for the Indian missions attended from St. Bernard's

B. St. Bede's, Wakpala, 1887-1980s; baptisms, 1887-present; marriages, 1890-1980s; deaths, first communions, and confirmations, 1893-1980s: includes records for the following Indian missions and stations attended from St. Bede's: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission, La Compte, 1926-1950; and Mato Station, 1936-1950

C. St. Edward's, Mad Bears Camp, 1893-1950: baptisms, 1893-1950; deaths and confirmations, 1895-1950; marriages, 1896-1950; first communions, 1894-1950

D. St. Aloysius, Bullhead, 1884-1980s: baptisms and deaths, 1884-1980s; marriages, 1887-1980s; first communions, 1886-present; confirmations, 1891-1980s

 

/2 Census records

Inclusive dates: 1877-1912

Volume: .3 cubic foot

Description:

A. St. Bede's, Wakpala, 1877-1912, 1 volume: includes name, birth and death dates, and dates when sacraments were administered

B. St. Edward's, Mad Bears Camp, 1877-1915, 1 volume: includes name, birth and death dates, and dates when sacraments were administered

C. St. Aloysius, Bullhead, 1881-1909, 1 volume: includes name, birth and death dates, and dates when sacraments were administered

 

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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