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).

Missions
St. Andress Mission - Jesuit 1888-1960

Some early Episcopal and Catholic records are available at the Oregon State Library and Oregon 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; Digital version, follow link on the catalog at ; 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; 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 Phone: (716) 473-1740 Fax: (716) 473-1740

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

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church records for Oregon Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the Family History Library Catalog. Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507). These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.

Disciples of Christ
Disciples of Christ Historical Society 1101 19th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212 Phone: (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. 1573532 Item 5; digital version at Northwest College of the Bible.

United Methodist Archives Center Drew University Library 36 Madison Avenue Madison, NJ 07940 Phone: (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 Phone: (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; film 899323.

Society of Friends (Quakers)
George Fox College Quaker Collection 414 N. Meridian Street Newberg, OR 97132-2697 Phone: (503) 538-8383

For a history of Oregon Quakers, see:


 * Remembering 75 Years of History: Quakers in Oregon. Newberg, Ore.: Barclay Press, 1967. 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. 979 K22o
 * Osborn-Ryan, Sharon E. Cumulative Marriage Index to the Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest. n.p.: Oregon Heritage Press, 1998. 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. 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 &amp; II (1838-1856) and Stellamaris Mission (1848-1860). St. Paul, Ore.: French Prairie Press, 1972..
 * Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; St. Paul, Oregon, (1839-1898). Portland, Ore.: Binford &amp; Mort, 1979..
 * 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..
 * 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 &amp; Mort, 1984..
 * Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Roseburg Register &amp; Missions (1853-1911), Portland Register (1852-1871). Portland, Ore.: Binford &amp; Mort, 1986..
 * Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Grand Ronde Register (1860-1898). Portland, Ore.: Binford and Mort, 1987..
 * Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest; Missions of St. Ann &amp; St. Rose (1847-1888), Walla Walla and Frenchtown (1859-1872), and Frenchtown (1872-1888). Portland, Ore.: Binford &amp; Mort, 1989..

Histories

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