Montana Church Records

United States   Montana    Church Records

Before 1900 the largest religious groups in Montana were the Roman Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, and Presbyterian churches.(Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People (1972) the standard history)

Each group arrived during the territorial period to proselyte among the Indians and the miners.

Missions

 * St. Francis Xavier Mission Jesuit mission 1887-1960
 * Holy Family Mission Jesuit mission 1890-1914 - Guide to records
 * Ignatius Mission 1854 Catholic on Flathead Reservation
 * St. Paul's Mission 1887 Catholic on Fort Belknap Reservation
 * St. Mary's Mission Jesuit 1841-1908
 * St. Paul's Mission Catholic 1887
 * St. Peter's Mission Jesuit 1859-1898

The Family History Library has a few church records for Montana. The collection also includes histories of the United Methodists, United Brethren, and Roman Catholics.

Many denominations have gathered their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church records for Montana 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.

Methodist
Montana Methodist Historical Society Paul M. Adams Memorial Library Rocky Mountain College 1511 Poly Drive Billings, MT 59102 Phone: (406) 657-1000 or (800) 877-6259 Fax: (406) 259-9751

Presbyterian
Presbyterian Historical Society United Presbyterian Church in the United States 425 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 Phone: (215) 627-1852 Fax: (215) 627-0509

[mailto: refdesk@history.pcusa.org refdesk@history.pcusa.org]

Roman Catholic
Diocese of Great Falls—Billings 121 23rd Street South P.O. Box 1399 Great Falls, MT 59403-1399 Phone: (406) 727-6683 Fax: (406) 454-3480

The diocese includes the counties of: Big Horn, Blaine, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Garfield, Golden Valley, Hill ,Judith Basin, Liberty, McCone, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wibaux and Yellowstone

Diocese of Helena Archive 515 North Ewing P.O. Box 1729 Helena, MT 59624-1729 Phone: (406) 442-5820

The diocese includes the counties of: Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Flathead, Gallatin, Glacier, Granite, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Pondera, Powell, Ravalli, Sanders, Silver Bow, Teton, Wheatland

The following guides may help you find church records:


 * A Directory of Churches and Religious Organizations in Montana. Bozeman, Montana: Historical Records Survey, 1941. book 978.6 K24h; film 908039 item 8
 * Inventory of the Vital Statistics Records of Church and Religious Organizations in Montana. Bozeman, Montana: Historical Records Survey, 1942. book 978.6 V2hi; film 1036415 item 3; fiche 6046711. This gives the types of records available in 1942 and the years covered by the records.

A list of pre-1910 churches, their addresses, and dates they began keeping records is in Montana's Genealogical and Local History Records (see Montana For Further Reading.