GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Montana: MT-23

Montana Historical Society. Research Library and Photo Archives
225 North Roberts Street
P.O. Box 201201
Helena, MT 59620

Phone: 406-444-2681

 

Alternate search: See Northwest Digital Archives online

Hours: Library/Archives and Photograph Archives: See website

Access: No restrictions 

Copying facilities: Yes

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1863-1994, undated 

Volume: Ca. 1 cubic foot   

Description: 12 manuscript and 23 photography collections include Native Catholic records.

 

Manuscript Collections:

/1 鈥淐atherine Belgarde Interview, OH 1894鈥

Inclusive dates: 1980

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot 

Description: Includes experiences at St. Peter鈥檚 Mission (Siksika), Montana. 

 

/2 鈥淛oseph M. Cataldo Letters, SC 80鈥 

Inclusive dates: 1887

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: 2 handwritten petitions (copies), one in French, to Rev. Joseph M. Cataldo, S.J. [Jesuits] (1837-1928) from citizens of Helena, Montana, requesting that the Jesuits establish a Catholic college in Helena; from the Jesuit Oregon Province Archives, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington. 

 

/3 鈥淧ierre-Jean De Smet Papers, SC 620鈥

Inclusive dates: 1863, 1866

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: Letters of James Hainson to Rev. Pierre-Jean De Smet, S.J. [Jesuits] (1801-1873), 1866; Rev. De Smet (in French) to Rev. Mother Superior [possibly of the Sisters of Charity of Providence] in Washington Territory, 1863; and Rev. De Smet at Fort McKenzie to possibly Andrew Dawson, 1863.    

 

/4 鈥淕eneral Montana History Collection鈥

Inclusive dates: ca. 1968, 1983, 1993-1994

Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot

Description: 

A. OH 1652: 鈥淎rt Carrier (1918-1993) Interview,鈥 1993, 42-page transcript; re: includes boarding school life [Siksika] at Holy Family Mission, Blackfeet Reservation, Montana

B. OH 1514: 鈥淓velyn Sloan Webster (1903-1996) Interview,鈥 1983, 1 audiotape and 2-page summary; re: includes boarding school life [Salish, Kootenai] at St. Ignatius Mission, Flathead Reservation, St. Ignatius, Montana

C. OH 1388: 鈥淢other Amata Dunne [O.S.U.] Interview,鈥 ca. 1968, 1 audiotape; re: her life as a nun

D. OH 1653: 鈥淩ichard Kenck (1906-2002) Interview,鈥 1994, 35-pages transcript; re: includes boarding school life at St. Peter鈥檚 Mission (Siksika), Montana

 

/5 鈥淢ontana Attorney General's Office Records, Collection RS 76鈥

Inclusive dates: 1953

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: Box 102, Folder 122, re: Josephine Cannon Estate, Billings, with bequest to the Little Flower Church, Blackfeet Reservation, Browning, Montana.   

 

/6 鈥淢ontana Office of Public Instruction Records, Collection RS 147鈥

Inclusive dates: 1949-1953, 1958-1964

Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot

Description: Includes enrollment statistics for Catholic schools serving American Indians in Montana. 

 

/7 鈥淣ew Deal in Montana/ Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project, OH 1162鈥

Inclusive dates: 1989

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: 鈥淢ae Takes Gun Childs Interview,鈥 1989, 1 audiotape and 13-page transcript; re: includes experiences of Takes Gun Childs (Crow, 1894-1995) at St. Xavier School, Crow Reservation, with the Ursulines.

 

/8 鈥淥wen, John Papers, Collection MC 44鈥

Inclusive dates: 1850

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: Box 2, Folder 4 includes a bill of sale for St. Mary Mission lands, Stevensville, Montana, purchased from the Jesuits by Owen (1818-1889).

 

/9 鈥淩avalli, Anthony Papers, SC 679鈥

Inclusive dates: 1884

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: An undated manuscript in Latin and a letter to Narcissa Caldwell by Rev. Anthony Ravalli, S.J. [Jesuits] (1812-1884). 

 

/10 鈥淢abel Pepin Salois Interview, OH 1887鈥

Inclusive dates: 1995

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: Early 20th century experiences at Holy Family Mission School (Siksika) and the Blackfeet Reservation with retold reminiscences from her mother that include the 1885 rebellion led by Louis Riel (M茅tis).  

 

/11 Small Town Montana Oral History Project Inclusive dates: 1984

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot 

Description:

A. OH 829: 鈥淟ucille L. Durocher Interview,鈥 1984, 1 audiotape and 2-page summary; includes relationships between churches in Cut Bank, her involvement in St. Margaret Church, and changes in Catholic practices

B. OH 834: 鈥淲ilbur Werner Interview鈥 1984, 2 audiotapes and 4-page summary; includes relationships between the non-Indian community in Cut Bank, the Blackfeet Reservation, and St. Margaret Church, ca. 1930s-1980s

 

/12 鈥淪ociety of Jesus Religious Text, 1900, SC 2400鈥

Inclusive dates: 1900

Volume: .1 cubic foot

Description: The New and Old Testaments in the Crow Indian Language (with copy) by an unidentified Jesuit; from St. Xavier Mission, Crow Reservation, Montana.  

 

Photograph Collections:

/13 鈥淎madeus, Rev. Mother, #940-349鈥

Inclusive dates: 1884

Volume: 1 print

Description: Founding mother superior of the Ursulines in Montana.   

 

/14 鈥淏eckx, Peter, #940-831鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

Description: Rev. Peter Beckx, S.J. [Jesuits]

 

/15 鈥淏rings, William J. Collection, Lot 10鈥

Inclusive dates: 1908-1909

Volume: 48 prints

Description: Crow Indians at St. Xavier Mission, Crow Reservation, Montana.  

 

/16 鈥淐ataldo, Joseph M., #941-472鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

Description: Rev. Joseph M. Cataldo, S.J. [Jesuits]

 

/17 鈥淐ataldo Mission, Idaho, #940-936-937鈥

Inclusive dates: ca. 1929

Volume: 2 prints

Description: Sacred Heart Mission, Coeur d鈥橝lene Reservation, Cataldo, Idaho.  

 

/18 鈥淒eSmet, Pierre Jean, #941-955-959鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 4 prints and 1 engraving

Description: Rev. Pierre-Jean de Smet, S.J. [Jesuits]

 

/19 鈥淒umont, Gabriel, #944-022-023鈥

Inclusive dates: ca. 1885

Volume: 2 prints

Description: M茅tis.       

 

/20 鈥淔ort Belknap Agency Collection, #955-360-404鈥

Inclusive dates: ca. 1900

Volume: 2 prints

Description: Assiniboine and Atsina Indians and St. Paul Mission, Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana.   

 

/21 鈥淗uffman, Laton Alton Collection, #981-054-057, 981-220-222鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 2 prints

Description: Cheyenne Indians and St. Labre School, Ashland, Montana, near Northern Cheyenne Reservation. 

 

/22 鈥淢cBride, Sister G. Collection, Pac87-47鈥

Inclusive dates: 1880-1900

Volume: 5 prints

Description: Siksika Indians, Ursulines, and St. Peter鈥檚 Mission, Montana. 

 

/23 鈥淧alladino, Lawrence Benedict, #944-255鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

Description: Rev. Lawrence Palladino, S.J. [Jesuits]

 

/24 鈥淩avalli, Anthony, #944-496-499鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 4 prints 

Description: Rev. Anthony Ravalli, S.J.     

 

/25 鈥淩iel, Louis, Tomb of, #944-566 and 944-568鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 2 prints

Description: M茅tis.

 

/26 鈥淩iel Rebellion, 1885, 944-569-572鈥

Inclusive dates: 1940

Volume: 4 prints

Description: St. Anthony Church, wagon trail, and M茅tis graves.

 

/27 鈥淪t. Ignatius Mission, 950-719-739鈥

Inclusive dates: 1867-1960

Volume: 20 prints

Description: St. Ignatius Mission (Salish, Kootenai), Flathead Reservation, St. Ignatius, Montana.  

 

/28 鈥淪t. Mary Mission, 950-742-759鈥

Inclusive dates: 1916-1974

Volume: 17 prints

Description: St. Mary Mission (Salish), Stevensville, Montana.

 

/29 鈥淪t. Mary Mission, Pac 98-79鈥

Inclusive dates: 1948

Volume: 17 prints

Description: St. Mary Mission (Salish), Stevensville, Montana.  

 

/30 鈥淪t. Paul鈥檚 Mission, 950-760-768鈥

Inclusive dates: 1900-1954 

Volume: 9 prints

Description: St. Paul鈥檚 Mission (Assiniboine, Atsina, M茅tis), Fort Belknap Reservation, Hays, Montana.   

 

/31 鈥淪t. Peter鈥檚 Mission, Pac 74-104.279 GP鈥

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

Description: St. Peter鈥檚 Mission (Siksika, M茅tis), Montana.   

 

/32 鈥淐atholic Church at St. Paul鈥檚 Mission, Pac 74-109.207 GP鈥

Inclusive dates: undated 

Volume: 1 print

Description: St. Paul鈥檚 Mission (Assiniboine, Atsina, M茅tis), Fort Belknap Reservation, Hays, Montana.    

 

/33 鈥淐atholic Church at St. Paul鈥檚 Mission, Pac 92-59 Album鈥

Inclusive dates: 1889 

Volume: 1 print

Description: In album; St. Paul鈥檚 Mission (Assiniboine, Atsina, M茅tis), Fort Belknap Reservation, Hays, Montana.   

 

/34 鈥淪t. Xavier Mission, 950-800-805鈥

Inclusive dates: ca. 1890-1954

Volume: 6 prints

Description: St. Xavier Mission (Crow), Crow Reservation, Montana.  

 

Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the 向日葵视频 Archives.

new2006/rev2020