Oregon Church Records

United States   Oregon   Church Records

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

Missions

St. Andress Mission - Jesuit 1888-1960

Some early Episcopal and Catholic records are available at the Oregon State LibraryOregon Archives and Libraries. Roman Catholic records for 1838 to 1869 have been published in:

• Nichols, M. Leona. The Mantle of Elias: The Story of Fathers Blanchet and Demers in Early Oregon. Portland, Ore.: Binfords and Mort, 1941; FHL Collection film 372495; digital version at Ancestry ($). 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, Ore.: Historical Records Survey, 1940; FHL Collection 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

For a history of the Disciples of Christ in Oregon, see:

• Swander, C.F. Making Disciples in Oregon (Church's of Christ in Oregon), VJohnson, 1928. FHL Collection 1573532 Item 5; digital version at Northwest College of the Bible.

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; FHL Collection film 899323.

Society of Friends (Quakers)

George Fox College
Quaker Collection
Shambaugh Library
414 N. Meridian Street
Newberg, OR 97132-2697
Telephone: 503-538-8383

For a history of Oregon Quakers, see:

• Remembering 75 Years of History: Quakers in Oregon. Newberg, Ore.: Barclay Press, 1967. FHL Collection 430055 Item 6

Roman Catholic

Diocese of Baker
P.O. Box 5999
Bend, OR 97708-5999
Phone: (541) 388-4004

No record information available.

The diocese includes the counties of: Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Harney, Hood River, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco and Wheeler

Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Chancery Office
2838 E. Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214-1895
Phone: (503) 234-5334
Fax: (503) 234-2545

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 351
Portland, OR 97214-1895

The diocese includes the counties of: Benton, Clackamas , Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill

Abstracted records

Harriet Duncan Munnick published a series of abstracted titled Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest. Osborn-Ryan produced cumulative baptism, marriage, and death indexes to Munnick's work:

• Osborn-Ryan, Sharon E. Cumulative Baptism Index to the Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest. n.p.: Oregon Heritage Press, 1999. FHL Collection 979 K22o
• Osborn-Ryan, Sharon E. Cumulative Marriage Index to the Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest. n.p.: Oregon Heritage Press, 1998. FHL Collection 979.5 K22os
• Osborn-Ryan, Sharon E. Cumulative Death Index to the Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest. Portland, Ore.: S. Osborn-Ryan, 1998. FHL Collection 979.5 K22o

Here is a breakdown of the contents of each volume of abstracts:

• Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Vancouver, Volumes I & II (1838-1856) and Stellamaris Mission (1848-1860). St. Paul, Ore.: French Prairie Press, 1972. FHL Collection 979.786 K2c
• Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; St. Paul, Oregon, (1839-1898). Portland, Ore.: Binford & Mort, 1979. FHL Collection 979.537 K2mh
• Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; St. Louis Register (1845-1890), Brooks Register (1893-1909). Portland, Ore.: Binford and Mort, 1982. FHL Collection 979.537 K2m
• Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Oregon City Register (1842-1890), Salem Register (1864-1885), Jacksonville Register (1854-1885). Portland, Ore.: Binford & Mort, 1984. FHL Collection 979.5 K2m
• Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Roseburg Register & Missions (1853-1911), Portland Register (1852-1871). Portland, Ore.: Binford & Mort, 1986. FHL Collection 979.529 K2m
• Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Grand Ronde Register (1860-1898). Portland, Ore.: Binford and Mort, 1987. FHL Collection 979.538 K2m
• 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, Ore.: Binford & Mort, 1989. FHL Collection 979.5 K2mh

Histories:

• O'Hara, Edwin V. Pioneer Catholic History of Oregon. Portland, Ore.: Glass & Prudhomme Company, 1911. FHL Collection 979.5 K2o; digital version at Google Books.

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