GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Wisconsin: WI-33

School Sisters of St. Francis. United States Province. Archives
St. Joseph Convent
1515 South Layton Boulevard
Milwaukee, WI 53215

Phone: 414-384-1515
Email: info@sssf.org

 

Hours: By appointment only

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: Founded in Wisconsin, 1874, the School Sisters of St. Francis self-identify with the post-nominal initials, S.S.S.F.,” and have served at the following Native American missions.

1885-present	St. Francis Solanus Mission and School (Ojibwa), Reserve, Lac Courte Oreille Reservation, Wisconsin
1933-present	St. Labre Mission and School (Cheyenne and Crow), Ashland, Montana
1936-present	St. Paul Mission and School (Assiniboine and Atsina), Hays, Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana
1968-1978	Our Lady of Loretto Mission (Crow), Lodge Grass, Crow Reservation, Montana
1970-1981	Blessed Sacrament Mission (Cheyenne), Lame Deer, Northern Cheyenne Reservation, Montana

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1918-present, undated

Volume: 1.7 cubic feet

Description: Within 3 series.

 

/1 "Apostolate U.S.A."

Inclusive dates: 1918-present, undated 

Volume: .9 cubic foot

Description:  

A. "Missions," 1926-present, undated, .75 cubic foot: Arranged alphabetically by location of the mission.

1. Ashland, Montana, St. Labre Mission, 1926-present, undated, .45 cubic foot:

a. Correspondence, 1926-present, 2 folders: Major correspondents include the priests and sisters at the mission, and the mother superiors

b. Chronicle, 1926-1947, 1 volume: daily entries; includes some clippings and photographs

c. Mission and School publications, 1934-1967, 2 folders: includes The Arrow, 1934-1962, and Race of Sorrows, 1956-1967

d. Native artwork, undated, 1 folder

e. Photographs, 1933-1935, 750 prints within 3 scrapbooks

f. Clippings and printed material, 1935-1980, .1 cubic foot: the clippings pertain to the 50th anniversary of the mission in 1935

2. Hays, Montana, St. Paul Mission and School, 1935-present, .1 cubic foot:

a. Correspondence, 1935-present, 2 folders: major correspondents include the sisters and priests at the mission, and the mother superiors

b. "Report to Bishop T.J. Murphy regarding St. Paul's Mission" by Sister M. Editha Brown, S.S.S.F., 1979, 1 folder

c. The White Shield, School yearbook, 1941, 1944

d. Printed material and clippings, 1946-1982, 2 folders

3. Lame Deer, Montana, Blessed Sacrament Mission, 1970-1981, 3 folders:

a. Financial records, 1978-1981, 2 folders

b. Historical notes, 1970-1979, 1 folder

4. Reserve, Wisconsin, St. Francis Solanus Mission and School, 1936-present, undated, .15 cubic foot:

a. Correspondence, 1936-present, 2 folders

b. Histories by Sister Sirilla La Rush, S.S.S.F., and others, 1936-1969, undated, 1 folder

c. Mission study, 1967-1968, 1 folder

d. Clippings, 1950-1973, 1 folder

e. Photographs, ca.1971-1973, 35 prints

B. "School Census," 1918-1966, .1 cubic foot: statistical records for each Indian mission school, which include the following information: name of teacher, grade, and number of students

C. "Mission Books," 1943-1963, 1 folder: records include name and address of the mission, priest's name, sister's name and assignment, and comments by the superior general

 

/2 Photographs

Inclusive dates: 1937-1970s, undated

Volume: .3 cubic foot

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location or subject within the sub- series "U.S. Missions and U.S. Apostolates."

A. "American Indian-Unidentified," undated, 6 prints

B. Ashland, Montana, St. Labre Mission and School, undated, 315 prints

C. Hays, Montana, St. Paul's Mission and School, undated, 82 prints

D. Lodge Grass, Montana, Our Lady of Loretto Mission, 1970s, 4 prints

E. Reserve, Wisconsin, St. Francis Solanus Mission and School, 1937-1973, undated, 36 prints

 

/3 Personal Files of Sisters

Inclusive dates: 1925-1975, undated

Volume: .5 cubic foot Description: Arranged according to the number assigned to the sister when entering the congregation.   

A. "Gertrude (Sister Eustella) Bush, S.S.S.F." 1925-1975, undated, .45 cubic foot: Sister Eustella taught at St. Labre School. The records largely consist of secondary source material gathered in preparation for the writing of Sand, Sage, and Struggle, a history of the Northern Cheyenne Indians. The records include the following: the manuscript, an edited typescript, and a revised copy of the book; historical sketches by missionaries at St. Labre in the 1880s-1890s; accounts of U.S. Cavalry activity by officers who were stationed in the area; government publications and other printed material; historical notes; and copies of source material. There is also a folder of original correspondence, 1925-1929, and 53 photos, 1960, undated

B. "Fabiola (Sister Sirilla) La Rush, S.S.S.F." undated, l folder: includes a handwritten autobiography and biographical notes

 

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/rev2006-2018