Oregon Church Records

< Portal:Oregon

Before 1900 the largest religious groups in Oregon were Roman Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Christian (Disciples of Christ).

Missions

St. Andress Mission - Jesuit 1888-1960

Some early Episcopal and Catholic records are available at the Oregon State Library. Roman Catholic records for 1838 to 1869 have been published in M. Leona Nichols, Mantle of Elias, The Story of Fathers Blanchet and Demers in Early Oregon (Portland, Oregon: Binfords and Mort, 1941; Family History Library film 372495). An index is at the Oregon State Archives.

The Family History Library collection includes histories of some denominations, such as the Roman Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, and Quakers. The library has few original church records for Oregon.

A guide to help you locate churches and their records is the Directory of Churches and Religious Organizations, State of Oregon (Portland, Oregon: Historical Records Survey, 1940; Family History Library fiche 6051178).

Many denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses:

Baptist

American Baptist—Samuel Colgate Historical Society
1106 S. Goodman Street
Rochester, NY 14620-2532
Telephone: 716-473-1740
Fax: 716-473-1740

Northrup Library
Linfield College
900 S. Baker
McMinnville, OR 97128-9989
Telephone: 503-434-2262
Fax: 503-434-2566

Disciples of Christ

Disciples of Christ Historical Society
1101 19th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212
Telephone: 615-327-1444
Fax: 615-327-1445

Making Disciples in Oregon (Church's of Christ in Oregon), VJohnson, 1928.

Methodist

United Methodist Archives Center
Drew University Library
36 Madison Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
Telephone: 973-408-3189
Fax: 973-408-3909
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 127
Madison, NJ 07940

Presbyterian

Presbyterian Historical Society
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
425 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516
Telephone: 215-627-1852
Fax: 215-627-0509

To locate Presbyterian records, see Inventory of Church Archives of Oregon Presbyterian Churches: 1968 Arrangement with Indexes (n.p.: Historical Records Survey, WPA, 1968; Family History Library film 899323).

Quakers

George Fox College
Quaker Collection
Shambaugh Library
414 N. Meridian Street
Newberg, OR 97132-2697
Telephone: 503-538-8383
website: http://www.georgefox.edu/mlrc/library

Remembering 75 Years of History : Quakers in Oregon, Newberg, Oregon: Barclay Press, 1967.

Roman Catholic

Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Chancery Office
2838 E. Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214-1895
Telephone: 503-234-5334
Fax: 503-234-2545
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 351
Portland, OR 97214-1895

Abstracted records:
Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Vancouver, Volumes I & II (1838-1856) and Stellamaris Mission (1848-1860). St. Paul, OR: French Prairie Press, 1972.

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; St. Paul, Oregon, (1839-1898). Portland, OR: Binford & Mort, 1979.

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; St. Louis Register (1845-1890), Brooks Register (1893-1909). Portland, OR: Binford & Mort, 1982.

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Oregon City Register (1842-1890), Salem Register (1864-1885), Jacksonville Register (1854-1885). Portland, OR: Binford & Mort, 1984.

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Roseburg Register & Missions (1853-1911), Portland Register (1852-1871). Portland, OR: Binford & Mort, 1986.

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Grand Ronde Register (1860-1898). Portland, OR: Binford & Mort, 1987.

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Missions of St. Ann & St. Rose (1847-1888), Walla Walla and Frenchtown (1859-1872), and Frenchtown (1872-1888). Portland, OR: Binford & Mort, 1989.

Histories:
O'Hara, Edwin V. Pioneer Catholic history of Oregon. Portland, OR: Catholic Book Co., 1925.