GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Wisconsin: WI-40

Dominican Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary. Archives
585 County Road Z
Sinsinawa, WI 53824

Phone: 608-748-4411, Extension 245
Email: archives@sinsinawa.org

 

Hours: See website

Access: No restrictions 

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli, O.P., a missionary among Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Winnebago [Ho Chunk] Indians in Michigan and Wisconsin, founded the Dominican Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary (a.k.a. Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters) at Sinsinawa Mound, Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, 1847. Like the Dominicans, the Dominican Sisters self-identify with the post-nominal initials, “O.P.” They have staffed and/or administered the following missions, parishes, and schools among Native Americans.

1974-unknown	St. Jude Mission (Eskimo), Diomede Island, Alaska
1974-present	Immaculate Conception Grade School (Eskimo, Dena’ina), Fairbanks, Alaska
1978-1979	St. Anthony of Padua School (Menominee), Neopit, Wisconsin
1978-1983	Holy Cross Church (Eskimo), Holy Cross, Alaska
1980-present	Hope Rural School (Maya), Indiantown, Florida

 

Sisters of the Third Order of Penance of St. Dominic, Kettle Falls, Washington: The Sisters of the Third Order of Penance of St. Dominic made their first U.S. foundation, 1925, and became first the Immaculate Heart of Mary Province (Kettle Falls, Washington). They separated and became the independent Dominican Sisters of Spokane (Spokane, Washington), 1986, and merged with the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 1995. For more information about St. Mary School, Omak, Colville Reservation, Washington – see – the guide entry for Pascal Sherman Indian School, Omak, Washington.

1908-1936	The Lady Missionaries of Mary (Omak, Washington), (a.k.a. The Madams), were a local community of women religious, who in part, staffed St. Mary School (Chelan, Entiat, Methow, Nespelim, Nez Perce, Okanogan, Paloos, Sanpoil, Senijextee, and Wenatchi); three of its members transferred to the Spokane Dominicans
1936-1965	The Sisters of the Third Order of Penance of St. Dominic staffed St. Mary School

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1830-1843, 1849, 1953, 1976 

Volume: .3 cubic foot and 1 audiotape

Description: Within 3 collections.

 

 /1 Reverend Samuel Mazzuchelli Papers

Inclusive dates: 1830-1843, 1849, 1953

Volume: .2 cubic foot

Description: Reverend Mazzuchelli, O.P., established missions and schools from 1830-1835 and kept in touch with the people and their needs, 1836-1864.  

A. "Writings of Father Mazzuchelli," 1830-1843, .1 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence (copies), 1832, 1835-1836, 11 letters: major correspondents include George Wallace Jones, President Andrew Jackson, Pope Gregory XVI, and Bishop Joseph Rosati, C.M.

2. Memoirs (copy), 1830-1843, 365 pages; includes 23 chapters on Indian culture and missions in Michigan and Wisconsin as experienced by the missionary; index to Memoirs printed separately, 53 pages

3. Liturgical Almanac (copy), 1834: written in Ojibwa Indian language; first book printed in Green Bay, Wisconsin

4. Winnebago Prayer Book (copy), 1833

5. "Plan for Indian Education Presented to Indian Agent" (copy), 1831

6. "French-Indian Vocabulary List" (original draft), ca. 1830-1833 7. "State of the Indian School at Green Bay" (copy), 1834

B. "Writings Regarding Father Mazzuchelli," 1831-1835, 1849, 1953, .1 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence (copies), 1831, 1833-1835, 10 letters: major correspondents include George Boyd, Indian Agent for the Menominee Reservation, and the Office of Indian Affairs

2. Baptismal record (copy), Green Bay, Wisconsin, Indian Mission, 1831

3. Baptismal record (copy), Harbor Springs, Michigan, St. Peter Mission, 1831-1833

4. List of pupils (copy), Green Bay, Wisconsin, Indian School, 1831-1834

5. School regulations (copy), Green Bay, Wisconsin, Indian School, 1831

6. Annual Report (copy) of Indian Mission at Green Bay, Wisconsin, by Rev. Theodore Van den Broek, 1835

7. Book of Trustees, Sinsinawa Mound College, November 17, 1849: request for government aid for scholarships to Santee, Sisseton, and Wahpeton Indians

8. Transcript of tape of Hope Lagan Sullivan regarding Mary Ann Fitzpatrick's memory of Rev. Mazzuchelli and Native Americans, 1953

/2 Oral History Collection 

Inclusive dates: 1976 

Volume: 1 audiotape

Description: "Boulet, S. Marie Teresa, O.P. (1920-2004), 'Fairbanks, Alaska and Diomede Island, 1974-1976.’”

 

/3 Spokane Dominicans  

Inclusive dates: 1913-present 

Volume: ca..2 cubic foot  

Description: 

A. Chronicle, 1913-1992, 2 volumes; comprised of narrative, 18 black & white prints, 1 color print, clippings, and printed items regarding Colville Indian children, the Madams, Dominican Sisters, and Jesuits at St. Mary Mission, Omak, Colville Reservation, Washington

B. Correspondence, 1934-1961, 1 folder; notable correspondents include Bishop Charles D. White, Jesuit community superiors at St. Mary Mission, and Dominican Sisters community superiors at St. Mary Mission, Omak

C. Personnel Files, 1920s-present, typically 1 folder/sister, living and deceased; includes Mother Mary Bonaventura, O.P., Sister Rose Francis Seymour (Colville), O.P., Sister Consuelo Fissler, O.P., and Sister Marie Irma Raufer, O.P. [author of Black Robes and Indians on the Last Frontier, A Story of Heroism, 1966; a history of St. Mary’s Mission]

D. Transcript of interview of Sister Consuelo Fissler, O.P. by Mark G. Thiel, 2007; regarding her life as a Dominican Sister, especially while a teacher at St. Mary School, Omak

 

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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