WESTERN HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
Father John Holland of New St. Ferdinand's gave the Western Historical Manuscript Collection permission to microfilm the church records in August, 1980. No researcher may use the records of the past 40 years to the current date without the prior written consent of the donor.
The collection contains registers for baptisms, first communions and confirmations, marriages, burials, and financial records of both Old St. Ferdinand's (1789-1955) and New St. Ferdinand's (1955-) The records are in French, Latin, and English.
St. Ferdinand's Parish was established in 1789 as the first church in Florissant, Missouri. The original structure, a log building, was replaced by the present "Old St. Ferdinand's Church" begun in 1821. Old St. Ferdinand's Church is the oldest Catholic church building between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Mother Rose Phillippine Duchesne began a convent there in 1819, which became the first Mother House of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart outside of France; the site of the first Catholic school for Indian girls in the United States; the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi; and the first novitiate for women in the upper Louisiana Purchase Territory. In the 19th century, St. Ferdinand's served as the focal point of the Catholic Indian Mission movement, begun by Father De La Croix in 1820 and continued by the Jesuits, including Father DeSmet, who was ordained at St. Ferdinand's in 1827. The Sisters of Loretto took over the property in 1847. They continued to live there until Joseph E. Ritter, Archbishop of St. Louis, changed the boundaries of St. Ferdinand Parish in 1955 and a new church and convent were built -New St. Ferdinand's Church.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
The records are divided into five series: Baptism Registers, 1792-1960; First Holy Communion and Confirmation Registers, 1821-1967 (incomplete); Marriage Registers, 1863-1977; Burial Registers, 1853, 1905-1955; and Financial Records, 1853-1877. Baptism registers are located on rolls 1 and 2, with an index to baptisms on roll 5. Communion and confirmation registers are located on rolls 2-4; marriage registers on rolls 2 and 4; and burial registers and financial records are both on roll 3.
ROLL DESCRIPTION
ROLL 1 - BAPTISM REGISTERS, 1792-1899, VOLUMES 1-12
Volume 1. Baptisms, 1792-1855 (496 pages), includes copy of marriage certificate, September 1, 1823, of Major Thomas Biddle and Anne Mullanphy, showing signatures of Major Biddle, John Mullanphy, his three daughters, Ann, Catherine and Jane, General William Clark and his wife, Harriet Clark, Major Richard Graham and Col. Henry Atkinson, founder of Fort Atkinson on the Upper Missouri. Mother Rose Phillippine Duchesne's signature as the god mother for four girls appears on the following pages: Marie Redford (pg. 214), Marie Gaiakion (pg. 236), Elizabeth Lizelle (pg. 248), Marie Eulalia (pg. 335).
Volume 2. Baptisms, 1855-1897 (Pgs. 1-401); baptisms performed by priests residing at St. Stanislaus, 1864-1899 (pgs. 402-415).
ROLL 2 BAPTISM REGISTERS, 1898-1960, FIRST HOLY COMMUNION AND CONFIR4ATION REGISTERS, 1821-1839, 1921-1955, AND MARRIAGE REGISTERS, 1863-1955, VOLUMES 3-9
Volume 3. Baptisms, 1898-1941 (99 pages).
4. Baptisms, 1941-1955 (56 pages). Old St. Ferdinand's ceased to be a parish church on May 14, 1955. The baptism record of St. Ferdinand's was closed on this date and attached to Sacred Heart Church.
5. Baptisms, 1955-1960 (103 pages).
6. Confirmations and First Holy Communions, 1921-1839 (no pagination). Includes list of those confirmed, 182? and and the founding papers for the Society of the Holy Heart of Jesus (1820) established under Bishop Dubourg for the instruction of youth. A name index appears at the end of the volume.
7. Confirmations and First Holy Communions, 1921-1955 (60 pages). Includes a 13 page index by year, 1930-1955.\
8. Marriages, 1863-1897 (103 pages).
9. Marriages, 1898-1955 (135 pages). Begins with alphabetical index. Marriage register for "Old" St. Ferdinand's Church closed May 14, 1955.
ROLL 3 - FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1853-1877, AND BURIAL REGISTERS, 1905-1955, AND CONFIRMATIONS, 1854-1879, VOLUMES 10-13
Volume 10. Pews and Perquisites, 1853, including burials for 1853. This volume also contains financial records of the church, 1853-1877, including intentions. (no pagination)
11. Burials, 1905-1940 (202 pages). Begins with alphabetical index.
12. Burials, 1940-1955 (35 pages). Begins with alphabetical index.
13. Confirmation Lists, 18 58, 1877, 1854, 1856. (no pagination)
ROLL 4 - FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION REGISTER, 1955-1967, AND MARRIAGE REGISTER, 1955-1977, VOLUMES 14 & 15
Volume 14. First Communions and Confirmations, 1955-1967 (72 pages).
15. Marriages, 1955-1977 (53 pages). Includes alphabetical index.
ROLL 5 - INDEXES TO BAPTISM REGISTERS, 1792-1960, FIVE INDEXES
INDEX
1. Baptisms, 1855-1899 (60 pages). Alphabetical.
2. Baptisms, 1898-1941 (no pagination). Alphabetical.
3. Baptisms, 1941-1955 (no pagination). Alphabetical.
4. Baptisms, 1955-1960 (no pagination). Alphabetical.
5. Baptisms, 1792-1857 (no pagination). Chronological.
WESTERN HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
ONE UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143