GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Washington: WA-21

Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Seattle. Archives and Records
710 Ninth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

Phone: 206-382-4352
Email: archives@seattlearch.org

 

Hours: See website

Access: Some restrictions apply; see online request forms, e.g. general research, sacramental records

Copying facilities: Yes 

 

History: The Diocese of Nesqually was erected for western Washington State minus the eastern shore of Puget Sound from territory in the Diocese of Walla Walla and the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, 1850. The diocese was expanded to include all of Washington, northern Idaho, and Montana west of Helena, 1853; it was limited to Washington State, 1868, renamed Seattle, 1907; and elevated to an archdiocese, 1951. Statewide, Seattle reported 2,900 baptized Native American Catholics, 1900, and the Seattle, Spokane, and Yakima dioceses reported 7,800, 3,000, and 1,000 respectively, 1999. Seattle and its predecessors have administered the following Native missions, parishes, and schools in Washington State:

1838-1906 (no longer Native)	St. Francis Xavier Mission (Cowlitz), Toledo/ Cowlitz Prairie
1847-1852 (closed) (Seattle, 1848-1852)	St. Anne Mission (Cayuse), Wallula
1847-1856 (closed) (Seattle, 1848-1913)	St. Rose Mission (Yakama), Yakima River
1847-1856 (closed), 1867-present (Seattle, 1848-1913)	St. Joseph/ Ahtanum Mission (Yakama), Yakima/ Yakima River
1848-1883 (Seattle, 1848-1913)	St. Paul Mission (Chelan, Entiat, Methow, Nespelim, Nez Perce, Okanogan, Paloos, Sanpoil, Senijextee, Wenatchi), Kettle Falls
1840s-1880s (no longer Native) (Seattle, 1848-1880s)	Immaculate Conception Church (Puyallup), Steilacoom
1852-1920s? (no longer Native) (Seattle, 1852-1913)	Immaculate Conception Church (Chelan, Entiat, Methow, Nespelim, Nez Perce, Okanogan, Paloos, Sanpoil, Senijextee, Wenatchi), Colville
1857-1966 (closed)	Providence Academy (e.g. Métis), Vancouver/ Fort Vancouver
1858-1860 (closed)	St. Joseph Mission (Clallam, Skagit), Puget Sound
1852-1904 (closed) (Seattle, 1864-1904)	Spokane Chapel/ Mission (Spokan), Spokane
1864-1876 (no longer Native)	St. Francis Xavier Day School (Cowlitz), Toledo/ Cowlitz Prairie
1864-present	St. Anne Church (Tulalip), Tulalip, Tulalip Reservation
1865-present	St. Joachim Mission (Lummi), Bellingham/Lummi, Lummi Reservation
1866-1878 (closed)	St. Anne Mission School for Boys (Tulalip), Tulalip, Tulalip Reservation
1867-present	St. Paul Church (Swinomish), La Conner
1868-1901 (transferred to U.S. Government)	Providence of Our Lady of Seven Dolors School (Tulalip), Tulalip, Tulalip Reservation
1873-1921 (Seattle, 1873-1913)	Providence of the Sacred Heart School (Chelan, Entiat, Methow, Nespelim, Nez Perce, Okanogan, Paloos, Sanpoil, Senijextee, and Wenatchi), Colville Agency/ Fort Colville, Colville Reservation
1875-present (Seattle, 1875-1913)	St. Joseph School/ Academy (Yakama), Yakima
1875-1929 (closed)	St. John the Baptist Church (Puyallup), Puyallup
1881-ca. 1925 (closed)	St. Ambrose Mission (Clallam), Port Gamble
1882-present (Seattle, 1882-1913)	St. Mary Mission (Yakama), White Swan, Yakima Reservation
1888-1936 (closed)	St. George Mission and School (e.g. Lummi, Nisqually, Puyallup, Snoqualmie), Tacoma
1904-present	St. Peter Mission (Suquamish), Suquamish, Port Madison Reservation
1938-1980 (no longer Native)	Queen of Angels Church (Makah), Port Angeles

St. George Mission and School, Tacoma, Puyallup Reservation:

1888-1952 (closed)	Rev. Peter F. Hylebos established, and diocesan priests administered St. George Mission and School (e.g. Lummi, Nisqually, Puyallup, Snoqualmie)
1915-1931	Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia (Archives: Ashton, Pennsylvania) staffed St. George School

Seattle/Nesqually Diocesan priests at St. George attended the following Native missions and stations among the Lummi, Nisqually, and Puyallup Indians: 

1888-1936 (closed)	St. John the Baptist Mission, Puyallup Reservation
1888-1936 (closed)	St. Clare Mission, Muckleshoot Reservation
1888-1936 (closed)	Mudpay Reservation station
1888-1936 (closed)	Nesqually Reservation station

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1846-ongoing

Volume: At least 2.0 cubic feet presumed 

Description: The records of the Archdiocese of Seattle Archives have been described by type and are not arranged according to a classification scheme, since the records were unprocessed and closed when Marquette University conducted its records survey, 2005-2006.

 

/1 Arch/bishops’ papers 

Inclusive dates: ca. 1850-ongoing

Volume: Less than 1 cubic foot presumed

Description: Few items/bishop presumed. 

A. Bishop Augustin Magloire Alexandre Blanchet (1797-1887), ca. 1850-1879

B. Bishop Egidius Junger (1833-1895), ca. 1879-1895

C. Bishop Edward John O'Dea (1856-1932), ca. 1896-1907

D. Bishop Gerald Shaughnessy, S.M. (1887-1950), ca. 1933-1950

E. Archbishop Thomas Arthur Connolly (1899-1991), ca. 1948-1975

F. Archbishop Raymond Gerhardt Hunthausen (1921- ), 1975-1991

G. Archbishop Thomas Joseph Murphy (1932-1997), 1991-1997

H. Archbishop Alexander Joseph Brunett (1934-2020), 1997-2010

I. Archbishop James Peter Sartain (1952-), 2010-2019

J. Archbishop Paul Dennis Etienne (1959-), 2019-present

 

/2 Sacramental Records

Inclusive dates: 1850s-ongoing 

Volume: Several volumes and/or reels of microfilm presumed, at least in part 

Description: Arranged alphabetically by place and there under by parish name; includes Native and non-Native parishes with attended Native missions and/or a few Native parishioners. Dates are approximate.   

A. Bellingham, Church of the Assumption, 1891-1903

B. Bellingham, Lummi Reservation, St. Joachim Church, 1865-ongoing

C. Cowlitz, St. Francis Xavier Mission, 1895-1906; no longer Native by 1906

D. Fort Vancouver, 1850s

E. La Conner, Sacred Heart Church, 1893-1912, 1918-1970

F. La Conner, St. Paul Church, 1992-ongoing

G. Ferndale, St. Joseph Church, 1904-ongoing

H. Marysville, St. Mary Church, 1905-ongoing

I. Port Angeles, Queen of Angels Church, 1938-1980; no longer Native by 1980

J. Port Townsend, St. Mary of the Sea Church, 1881-1887?

K. Poulsbo, St. Olaf Church, 1968-ongoing

L. Puyallup, St. John the Baptist Mission, 1875-1929

M. Seattle, Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church, 1990s-ongoing; includes a few Natives

N. Steilacoom, Immaculate Conception Church, 1840s-1880s?

O. Tacoma, St. Leo Church, 1884-1919; includes a few Natives

 

/3 Parish Files

Inclusive dates: ca. 1900-ongoing 

Volume: Ca..0 1 cubic foot presumed

Description: Presumably arranged alphabetically by place and there under by name of Native or non-Native parish, which typically included any attended Native missions and stations. Most files include 1-5 folders and contain annual reports, clippings, correspondence, deeds, histories, notes, and photographs. 

A. La Conner, Sacred Heart Church, 1893-1912, 1918-1970

B. La Conner, St. Paul Church, 1992-ongoing

C. Ferndale, St. Joseph Church, 1904-ongoing

D. Marysville, St. Mary Church, 1905-ongoing

E. Port Angeles, Queen of Angels Church, 1938-1980 (no longer Native)

F. Poulsbo, St. Olaf Church, 1968-ongoing

G. Puyallup, St. John the Baptist Mission, 1875-1929

H. Seattle, Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church, 1990s-ongoing; includes a few Natives, 1990s-ongoing

 

/4 School Files

Inclusive dates: ca. 1864-1929

Volume: Few folders possible

Description: School records may have been retained for the following: 

A. Puyallup Reservation, Puyallup School, ca. 1906-1909

B. Tacoma, St. George School, ca. 1888-1929

C. Tulalip, Providence of Our Lady of Seven Dolors School, ca. 1868-1901

D. Vancouver/ Fort Vancouver, Providence Academy, ca. 1876-1898

 

/5 Archdiocesan Newspaper

Inclusive dates: 1899-ongoing Volume: Few articles

Description: The Catholic Northwest Progress, 1899-ongoing, has included a few articles on Native Americans and Catholic evangelization in the archdiocese. Archived online.

 

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