GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Wyoming: WY-8

St. Stephens Mission
33 St. Stephens Road
P.O. Box 250
St. Stephens, WY 82524

Phone: 307-856-7806
Email: masb25@hotmail.com

 

History: St. Stephen’s Mission, St. Stephens, Wind River Reservation, Wyoming, has been a predominantly Native American (Arapaho, Shoshoni) parish in the Diocese of Cheyenne (Archives: Cheyenne, Wyoming).

1851

Rev. Pierre Jean de Smet, S.J. [Jesuits], visited the Arapaho Indians at the Fort Laramie Treaty Council and promised to return

1884-2010

Rev. John B. Jutz, S.J. [Jesuits], visited the Arapaho Indians in fulfillment of De Smet’s promise; with approval from Chief Black Coal (Arapaho, d. 1893) and financial support from Saint  Katharine Drexel (1858-1955), he and the Jesuits (of the Buffalo, Turin, California, Missouri, Wisconsin provinces) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri) established and administered St. Stephen’s Mission, which was located first on the west side of the Wind River Reservation and then relocated to the eastside three years later

1888-1890

Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (Archives: Leavenworth, Kansas) staffed the school, which was established in 1888 for grades 1-8

1891-1892

Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia (Archives: Concordia, Kansas) staffed the school

1892-1981

Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia (Archives: Ashton, Pennsylvania) staffed the school

1957-1968 (closed)

St. Stephen’s added and then gradually discontinued a high school

1974-unknown

Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Archives: Monroe, Michigan) established a community and have assisted in staffing the school

1974-present

Sister Monica Suhayda, C.S.J. [Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden] (Archives: Baden, Pennsylvania) has served in pastoral ministry

1975-present (transferred to S.S.I.S.E.A.)

The St. Stephen's Indian School Educational Association (Arapaho, Shoshoni) has administered the school, which they renamed St. Stephen's Indian School

1975-1979, 1989-2000s

Sister Florence Petsch, O.S.F. (Arapaho) [Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia], has served as a pastoral ministry

1989-present

Other Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia have served in pastoral ministry at St. Stephen's

 2010-present

Cheyenne diocesan priests have administered St. Stephen's Mission

Jesuits and Cheyenne diocesan priests at St. Stephen’s have attended the following Native American (Shoshoni, Arapaho) missions on the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming, with assistance from the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia:

1884-1885

Fort Washakie station (Shoshoni)

1900-1929

Shoshone School (also diocesan priests, 1909-1929)

1906-1911

Riverton station (Arapaho, Shoshoni)

1911-1937 (transferred to Cheyenne Diocese)

St. Margaret/ Riverton Mission (Arapaho, Shoshoni), Riverton

1932-present

St. Joseph/ St. James Mission (Arapaho, Shoshoni), Ethete/ Arapaho

1939-present

Blessed Sacrament Mission/ Chapel (Shoshoni), Fort Washakie

1974-1988

St. Joseph’s, Ethete, was served by Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with religious education and parish ministry

1988-present

St. Joseph’s, Ethete, has been served by Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia with religious education and parish ministry

1997-present

Blessed Sacrament, Fort Washakie, has been served by Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia with religious education and parish ministry

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1887-ongoing 

Volume: At least 2 cubic feet (at least 16 volumes)

Description: Sacramental Records (e.g. baptism, marriage, burials) for Native American parishioners of St. Stephen’s Mission and its attended missions and stations.   

 

Marquette University Special Collections and Archives, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serves as the archival repository for St. Stephen’s Mission.

 

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