GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 1: Eastern United States
North Carolina: NC-2

Sisters of Mercy Heritage Center
720 Heritage Center Place
Belmont, NC 94010

Phone: 704-755-2085

 

Hours: See website
Access: See website
Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: Founded in Ireland, 1843, the Sisters of Mercy made their first U.S. foundation, 1843. Several motherhouses formed the Sisters of Mercy of the Union, 1929, to which more motherhouses later joined. They reorganized as Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1991, realigned, 2008, and established Mercy Heritage Center as their national repository, 2010.

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1870s-1908, 1960s-1981, undated

Volume: Over 4.0 cubic feet

Description: Includes records within 5 collections.

 

/1 Burlingame Regional Community Collection, 2014.01

History: The Sisters of Mercy of Los Angeles merged to become the Burlingame (California) Regional Community, 1991, and transferred its archival records to Mercy Heritage Center, 2014. The Sisters of Mercy of Los Angeles had ministered to Pomo Indians in the following communities:

1876-1903	St. Mary of the Angels Church, Ukiah, California
1876-1903	Mendocino County stations, California

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: Unknown.

 

/2 Detroit Regional Community Collection, 2013.07

History: The Sisters of Mercy of the Union, Detroit Province (Farmington, Michigan), reorganized as the Detroit Regional Community, 1991, and transferred its archival records to Mercy Heritage Center, 2013. Detroit Province sisters taught at Santa Cruz School (Pima, Maricopa, and Tohono O'odham, in part), Tucson, Arizona, 1974-1975.

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: Unknown.

 

/3 Omaha Regional Community Collection 2013.04

History: Independent motherhouses formed the Sisters of Mercy of the Union, Omaha Province, 1929, reorganized as the Omaha Regional Community, 1991, and transferred its archival records to Mercy Heritage Center, 2013. Sisters from its motherhouses taught at the following schools serving Native Americans:

1878-1883	Sacred Heart Academy (Yankton), Yankton, Dakota Territory
1884-1907 (closed)	St. Mary School (Métis and Ojibwa), Belcourt, North Dakota
1885-1896 (closed)	Indian Industrial School (Ojibwa), Morris, Minnesota

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1870s-1908, 1960s-1981, undated
Volume: Approximately .7 cubic foot
Description: Correspondence (some copies), printed materials, and research notes arranged alphabetically by state and compiled by Sister Cecelia Mary Barry, S.M.,1960s-1981, for an Omaha Province history of the Sisters of Mercy. The copies came from Bureau of Indian Affairs Records at the U.S. National Archives and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A. "Nebraska, Box II," 1870s-1880s, 8 letters: to Bishop James O'Connor, Diocese of Omaha, re: Sacred Heart Academy, Yankton, Dakota Territory
B. "North Dakota, Box I," 1883-1908, 1960s-1981, undated, approximately .25 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1883-1908, undated, 53 letters; re: schools at Yankton, Dakota Territory, and Belcourt, North Dakota; major correspondents include Sisters Mary Ignatius Lynch, S.M. and Mary Genevieve Sheridan, S.M. and Reverends George L. Willard and John F. Malo
2. Sister Cecelia Barry, S.M., research notes, correspondence, and printed materials, re: Yankton and Belcourt Schools, 1960s-1981, undated, approximately .2 cubic foot

C. "North Dakota, Box II," 1880s-1908, 2 folders; correspondence and quarterly school reports relating to St. Mary School, Belcourt; major correspondents include Sister Mary Genevieve Sheridan, S.M. and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions
D. "Oregon, Box I," 1885, 1888-1889, 1896, 1960s-1981, undated, approximately .2 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1885, 1888-1889, 3 letters: re: Indian School at Morris, Minnesota
2. Photographs, 1896, undated, 2 photos; re: Indian School at Morris, Minnesota
3. Sister Cecelia Barry, S.M., research notes, correspondence, and printed Materials, re: Indian School at Morris, Minnesota, 1960s-1981, undated, approximately .2 cubic foot

E. "Oregon-Minnesota, Box II," 1889-1897, .15 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1889-1897, approximately 140 letters; re: Indian School at Morris, Minnesota; major correspondents include Sister Mary Joseph Lynch, S.M., the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions
2. Financial and statistical reports, 1893-1896, 1 folder

/4 St. Louis Regional Community Collection, 2012.03

History: The Sisters of Mercy of Mount St. Mary's Convent, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, merged with the Sisters of Mercy of the Union, St. Louis Province, 1929, which reorganized as the St. Louis Regional Community, 1991, and transferred its archival records to Mercy Heritage Center, 2012. Sisters from its motherhouses taught at the following schools serving Native Americans:

1884-1946 (closed)	St. Mary's Academy (Potawatomi), Konawa/ Sacred Heart, Oklahoma; served by Mount St. Mary's Convent (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
1885-1903 (closed)	Holy Rosary Day School (Choctaw), Tucker, Mississippi; served by St. Francis Xavier Convent (Vicksburg, Mississippi)
1898-1932 (no longer Native)	St. Agnes Academy for Girls (Choctaw, Chickasaw), Ardmore, Oklahoma; served by Mount St. Mary's Convent (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
1915-1921 (closed)	St. Agnes Boarding School for Boys (Choctaw, Chickasaw), Ardmore, Oklahoma; served by Mount St. Mary's Convent (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
1975-1976	St. Joseph Indian School (Brulé Lakota, Sans Arc Lakota, Sisseton Dakota, Wahpeton Dakota), Chamberlain, South Dakota; served by the St. Louis Regional Community and Mount St. Mary's Academy Motherhouse (Burlington, Vermont)

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1884-1946, undated
Volume: 3.2 cubic feet
Description: Except for the photographs, which had been rough-sorted, the records of Mount St. Mary's Convent were not organized according to a classification scheme when reviewed by a Marquette archivist, ca. 1980. Therefore, the records have been described by type of record.

A. St. Mary Academy, Sacred Heart, 1884-1946, undated, 2.8 cubic feet:

1. Correspondence, 1894-1929, 1931, 1946-1947, 138 letters: major correspondents include Mothers Mary Catherine Troy, S.M. and M. Aloysius Lonnergan, S.M. and Sisters M. William Cody, S.M., M. Thomas Otis, S.M., M. Evangelist Forgett, S.M., and Theophile Meerschaert, S.M., and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions
2. Student records, 1899-1944, 1.5 cubic feet: prominent types of school records include permanent report cards, which typically list name, birth date, parents' names, residence, dates when entered and left school, attendance, and grades; attendance and grade books; enrollment books; and quarterly attendance reports submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs
3. Financial records, 1894-1946, 1 cubic foot: include cash and daybooks, general ledgers, student account books, and monthly and quarterly financial reports to the Province of St. Louis, Sisters of Mercy
4. Sacramental records (copies), 1906-1943, 1 folder: baptisms, 1906-1940; first communions, 1933-1943; and confirmations, 1915-1935, 1939-1941
5. Indian Advocate, 1904-1907, .1 cubic foot: publication of Sacred Heart Mission
6. Photographs, ca. 1890s-1916, undated, approximately 40 prints

B. St. Agnes Academy, Ardmore, 1898-1930s, undated, .4 cubic foot:

1. Correspondence, 1900-1933, 148 letters: major correspondents include Sisters M. Thomas Otis, S.M. and M. William Cody, S.M. and Mothers Mary Catherine Troy, S.M. and Aloysius Lonnergan, S.M., the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions
2. School records, 1922-1923, 1926-1931, .15 cubic foot: primarily attendance and grade books
3. Financial records, 1898-1901, 1925-1927, .1 cubic foot: includes a daybook and listing of tuition fees due for each student
4. Photographs, 1914-1930s, undated, approximately 40 prints

/5 Vermont Regional Community Collection

History: Mount St. Mary's Academy Motherhouse (Burlington, Vermont) consolidated with other Northeast motherhouses, after 1976, and formed the Vermont Regional Community (Burlington, Vermont). Sisters from Mount St. Mary's Academy Motherhouse (Burlington, Vermont), and the St. Louis Regional Community, taught at St. Joseph Indian School (Brulé Lakota, Sans Arc Lakota, Sisseton Dakota, Wahpeton Dakota), Chamberlain, South Dakota, 1975-1976.

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: Unknown.

 

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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