51����

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 “Catherine Belgarde Interview, OH 1894”

Inclusive dates: 1980

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot 

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

 

/2 “Joseph M. Cataldo Letters, SC 80” 

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 “Pierre-Jean De Smet Papers, SC 620”

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 “General Montana History Collection”

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

Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot

Description: 

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

B. OH 1514: “Evelyn Sloan Webster (1903-1996) Interview,” 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: “Mother Amata Dunne [O.S.U.] Interview,” ca. 1968, 1 audiotape; re: her life as a nun

D. OH 1653: “Richard Kenck (1906-2002) Interview,” 1994, 35-pages transcript; re: includes boarding school life at St. Peter’s Mission (Siksika), Montana

 

/5 “Montana Attorney General's Office Records, Collection RS 76”

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 “Montana Office of Public Instruction Records, Collection RS 147”

Inclusive dates: 1949-1953, 1958-1964

Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot

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

 

/7 “New Deal in Montana/ Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project, OH 1162”

Inclusive dates: 1989

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot

Description: “Mae Takes Gun Childs Interview,” 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 “Owen, John Papers, Collection MC 44”

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 “Ravalli, Anthony Papers, SC 679”

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 “Mabel Pepin Salois Interview, OH 1887”

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 (Métis).  

 

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

Volume: Ca. .05 cubic foot 

Description:

A. OH 829: “Lucille L. Durocher Interview,” 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: “Wilbur Werner Interview” 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 “Society of Jesus Religious Text, 1900, SC 2400”

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 “Amadeus, Rev. Mother, #940-349”

Inclusive dates: 1884

Volume: 1 print

Description: Founding mother superior of the Ursulines in Montana.   

 

/14 “Beckx, Peter, #940-831”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

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

 

/15 “Brings, William J. Collection, Lot 10”

Inclusive dates: 1908-1909

Volume: 48 prints

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

 

/16 “Cataldo, Joseph M., #941-472”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

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

 

/17 “Cataldo Mission, Idaho, #940-936-937”

Inclusive dates: ca. 1929

Volume: 2 prints

Description: Sacred Heart Mission, Coeur d’Alene Reservation, Cataldo, Idaho.  

 

/18 “DeSmet, Pierre Jean, #941-955-959”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 4 prints and 1 engraving

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

 

/19 “Dumont, Gabriel, #944-022-023”

Inclusive dates: ca. 1885

Volume: 2 prints

Description: Métis.       

 

/20 “Fort Belknap Agency Collection, #955-360-404”

Inclusive dates: ca. 1900

Volume: 2 prints

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

 

/21 “Huffman, Laton Alton Collection, #981-054-057, 981-220-222”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 2 prints

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

 

/22 “McBride, Sister G. Collection, Pac87-47”

Inclusive dates: 1880-1900

Volume: 5 prints

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

 

/23 “Palladino, Lawrence Benedict, #944-255”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

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

 

/24 “Ravalli, Anthony, #944-496-499”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 4 prints 

Description: Rev. Anthony Ravalli, S.J.     

 

/25 “Riel, Louis, Tomb of, #944-566 and 944-568”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 2 prints

Description: Métis.

 

/26 “Riel Rebellion, 1885, 944-569-572”

Inclusive dates: 1940

Volume: 4 prints

Description: St. Anthony Church, wagon trail, and Métis graves.

 

/27 “St. Ignatius Mission, 950-719-739”

Inclusive dates: 1867-1960

Volume: 20 prints

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

 

/28 “St. Mary Mission, 950-742-759”

Inclusive dates: 1916-1974

Volume: 17 prints

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

 

/29 “St. Mary Mission, Pac 98-79”

Inclusive dates: 1948

Volume: 17 prints

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

 

/30 “St. Paul’s Mission, 950-760-768”

Inclusive dates: 1900-1954 

Volume: 9 prints

Description: St. Paul’s Mission (Assiniboine, Atsina, Métis), Fort Belknap Reservation, Hays, Montana.   

 

/31 “St. Peter’s Mission, Pac 74-104.279 GP”

Inclusive dates: undated

Volume: 1 print

Description: St. Peter’s Mission (Siksika, Métis), Montana.   

 

/32 “Catholic Church at St. Paul’s Mission, Pac 74-109.207 GP”

Inclusive dates: undated 

Volume: 1 print

Description: St. Paul’s Mission (Assiniboine, Atsina, Métis), Fort Belknap Reservation, Hays, Montana.    

 

/33 “Catholic Church at St. Paul’s Mission, Pac 92-59 Album”

Inclusive dates: 1889 

Volume: 1 print

Description: In album; St. Paul’s Mission (Assiniboine, Atsina, Métis), Fort Belknap Reservation, Hays, Montana.   

 

/34 “St. Xavier Mission, 950-800-805”

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 51���� Archives.

new2006/rev2020