GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Iowa: IA-3

Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Dubuque. Archives
Archdiocesan Center
1229 Mount Loretta Avenue
P.O. Box 479
Dubuque, IA 52004-0479

Phone: 563-556-2580, Extension 299

 

Hours: Appointment recommended

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: The Diocese of Dubuque was erected from territory in the Diocese of St. Louis, 1837, elevated to an archdiocese, 1893, and lost territory, which reduced it to eastern Iowa, 1893-1902. In 1900, Dubuque reported fewer than 100 baptized Native American Catholics. The former Dubuque Diocese included the following Catholic missions and parishes serving Native Americans:

1838-1841 (closed)

St. Joseph Mission (Potawatomi), Council Bluffs, Iowa

1843-1846 (closed)

St. Francis Xavier Mission (Dakota), Little Prairie, Minnesota

1843-1848 (closed)

Our Blessed Lady of the Seven Dolors/ Winnebago Mission (Winnebago), Iowa

1848-1870s (no longer Native) (Dubuque, 1848-1850)

Assumption Church (Cree, Métis, and Ojibwa), Pembina, North Dakota

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1843-1856, 1970s-present

Volume: Less than 1 cubic foot

Description: 4 series with records.

 

/1 "Bishops' Papers

Inclusive dates: 1843-1856

Volume: .1 cubic foot

Description: Bishop Mathias Loras (1792-1858):

A. "Council Bluffs Correspondence," 1852, 1854, 1856, 3 letters; from St. Mary Mission (Potawatomi), St. Marys, Kansas

B. "Cretin to Loras Correspondence," 1843-1856, 1 folder; letters between Bishop Loras and Bishop Joseph Cretin

C. "General Correspondence," 1843-1850, 1 folder

D. "Indian Affairs Correspondence," 1848, 1853-1854, 1 folder

E. "Propagation of the Faith Correspondence," 1844-1850, 1 folder

 

/2 Parish files

Inclusive dates: 1970s-ongoing

Volume: Few records possible

Description: Records (e.g. correspondence, notes, clippings, photography) of St. Patrick Church, Tama, about Fox Indian parishioners.

 

/3 Sacramental records

Inclusive dates: 1970s-ongoing

Volume: Few records

Description: Sacramental records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials) of St. Patrick Church, Tama, for Fox Indian parishioners.

 

/4 Archdiocesan newspaper

Inclusive dates: 1970s-ongoing

Volume: Occasional articles

Description: The Witness, archived online.

 

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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