Rev. A.A. Schmirler Papers, 1900-1980

Rev. A.A. Schmirler Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: Rev. A.A. Schmirler Papers, 1900-1980

ID: OGLMC779

Primary Creator: Schmirler, Albert A. (1914-1982)

Extent: 8.75 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 09/10/1982. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: History - General, North Dakota, Religion - Catholic Church

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Rev. A. A. Schmirler Papers, 1900-1980, are divided into nine series:

Series 1: Correspondence

Series 2: Financial Records

Series 3: Religious Records

Series 4: Educational Records

Series 5: Historical Publications

Series 6: Historical Research Materials

Series 7: Family History

Series 8: Photographs

Series 9: Oversize

Collection Historical Note

Albert A. Schmirler was born 23 February 1914 in Edgar, Wisconsin, the son of Anton J. and Louise M. (Gartmann) Schmirler. A.A. Schmirler came to North Dakota in May 1942 when he was ordained as a Catholic priest in Fargo by Bishop Aloysius Muench. Father Schmirler served as a priest in several North Dakota parishes until his death in 1982.

Schmirler 's education began with the study of classics at Salvatorian Seminary in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin, from 1929 until 1935. He studied philosophy from 1935 to 1937 at St. John's Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota, and theology at St. Francis Seminary in Wisconsin from 1937 to 1939. He also studied theology at St. Paul Seminary in Minnesota from 1941 to 1942, after which he was ordained as a priest.

Schmirler's first assignment was to serve as assistant pastor in Rugby, North Dakota, from 1942 to 1946. He also served as pastor of the parish in Blumenfeld, North Dakota, until 1951. After this post, he served in parishes Page, Munich, and Enderlin until 1972. That January, he became Special Historical Research Assistant at North Dakota State University in Fargo. In September, Schmirler was assigned to St. Benedict's Church in Wild Rice, North Dakota. Following this position, Schmirler returned to Ruby to become pastor of the Little Flower Parish. His final posting was as pastor of St. Luke's Parish in Vesleyville, North Dakota. Father Schmirler died there July 23, 1982.

Subject/Index Terms

History - General
North Dakota
Religion - Catholic Church

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: John Bye of the NDSU Institute for Regional Studies donated additional material in May 2000 (2000-2433).

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Father Anthony J. Richard, Minto, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; 82-1030

Preferred Citation: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Processing Information: The collection was reprocessed in February 2020. Unidentified and miscellaneous photographs, as well as photographs from other archives, were removed from the collection.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence],
[Series 2: Financial Records],
[Series 3: Religious Records],
[Series 4: Educational Records],
[Series 5: Historical Publications],
[Series 6: Historical Research Materials],
[Series 7: Family History],
[Series 8: Photographs],
[Series 9: Oversize],
[All]

Series 6: Historical Research Materials

This series is the largest in the collection and consists of note cards, correspondence, photocopied records, newspaper clippings and articles, and other materials reflecting Schmirler's lifelong interest in history. The files are arranged alphabetically by topic.

Box 4

Folder 1: Agnes Geelan
Folder 2: "A Hundred Miles a Day"
Folder 3: Anamoose, North Dakota
Folder 4: Archbishop John Ireland
Folder 5: Archbishop John Ireland, Regarding the Friar Question in the Philippines, 1901-1906
Folder 6: Bibliographies
Folder 7: Bonanza Farms
Folder 8: Barnes County, North Dakota
Folder 9: Dana Wright - Writings
Folder 10: California - Father John Dominic Maker
Folder 11: Cardinal Aloysius J. Muench
Folder 12: Catholic Missions in North Dakota
Folder 13: Catholic Orders, Missions, and Schools in North Dakota
Folder 14: Catholic See in North Dakota
Folder 15: Correspondence - Miscellaneous
Folder 16: Dakota Territory Centennial Commission
Folder 17: Dakota Territory Military Installations
Folder 18: Dana Wright - Correspondence
Folder 19: Diary of German Immigrant Jacob Kaspar (as identified by his granddaughter)
Folder 20: Diary of Bishop John O'Reilly, 1897-1921
Folder 21: Diary of John Shanley, 1890-1903
Folder 22: Diary of Father Lafreniere's Trip to Europe, 1956
Folder 23: Diary of Henry Lueg's Trip from Minnesota to Oregon by Wagon Train, 1867
Folder 24: Diary of Peter Garrioch, 1843-1845
Folder 25: Diary of Unidentified Person regarding Hudson's Bay Company, 1866
Folder 26: Diocese of Fargo vs. Cass County, North Dakota, 1914
Folder 27: Dog Den Buttes, North Dakota
Folder 28: Duncan Graham and Early Red River Fur Trading
Folder 29: Early History of Catholicism in Wisconsin
Folder 30: Early Manitoba History
Folder 31: Enderlin, North Dakota
Folder 32: "Father DeSmet in North Dakota" by James Connolly
Folder 33: Fort Abercrombie, North Dakota
Folder 34: Foster County, North Dakota
Folder 35: Father Genin
Folder 36: Father George Belcourt
Folder 37: Father Goiffon and Pembina, North Dakota
Folder 38: Harold Briggs, "The Settlement and Economic Development of the Territory of Dakota"
Folder 39: Hatch's Battalion and the St. Joe Raid, 1864
Folder 40: Indian Treaty Expedition of Governor Alexander Ramsey
Folder 41: Jamestown, North Dakota
Folder 42: Land Agencies and Settlement in North Dakota
Folder 43: Lankin, North Dakota
Folder 44: Ledger of Trading Post at LeRoy, North Dakota, 1868-1880
Folder 45: Louis Riel

Box 5

Folder 1: Maple Creek Historic Site (Leonard, North Dakota)
Folder 2: McHenry County, North Dakota
Folder 3: Memories of Henry R. Ward
Folder 4: Newspaper Clippings - Miscellaneous
Folder 5: Military Installations on the Souris River in North Dakota
Folder 6: Military Trails in North Dakota
Folder 7: Minnesota - Early Exploration
Folder 8: Minnesota - General
Folder 9: Monseigneur Tache and St. Boniface, Manitoba
Folder 10: Montpelier, North Dakota
Folder 11: North Dakota - Counties
Folder 12: North Dakota - Fur Trading Posts
Folder 13: North Dakota - General
Folder 14: North Dakota - Roads
Folder 15: North Dakota - State Historical Society
Folder 16: North Dakota - National Guard and 164th Infantry
Folder 17: Notes and Writings of Ed Pierce
Folder 18: Our Page (Page, North Dakota) - Correspondence
Folder 19: Our Page (Page, North Dakota) - Notes
Folder 20: Our Page (Page, North Dakota) - Notes
Folder 21: Our Page (Page, North Dakota) - Notes
Folder 22: Our Page (Page, North Dakota) - First Draft
Folder 23: Our Page (Page, North Dakota) - Second Draft

Box 6

Folder 1: Our Page (Page, North Dakota - Third Draft
Folder 2: Our Page (Page, North Dakota - Third Draft
Folder 3: Our Page (Page, North Dakota - Photographs
Folder 4: Our Page (Page, North Dakota - Miscellaneous
Folder 5: Parish and Missions in North Dakota, 1906-1908 (Shanley and Muench circulars)
Folder 6: Parish Questionnaires, 1908 (Shanley circular)
Folder 7: Pembina County, North Dakota
Folder 8: Photographs - Miscellaneous
Folder 9: Ransom County Immigration Association
Folder 10: Ransom County, North Dakota
Folder 11: Red River Presbytery
Folder 12: Red River Trail and People of Red River
Folder 13: Rugby, North Dakota
Folder 14: Sheldon, North Dakota
Folder 15: Sheldon, North Dakota
Folder 16: Sibley Expeditions in North Dakota
Folder 17: South Dakota
Folder 18: Spiritwood Lake, North Dakota

Box 7

Folder 1: Stage Lines in North Dakota
Folder 2: Steamboating on the Red River
Folder 3: St. John, North Dakota
Folder 4: St. Joseph's Church, Bremen, North Dakota
Folder 5: St. Mary's Church, Munich, North Dakota
Folder 6: Syrians in North Dakota
Folder 7: Turtle Mountains - Indians and Missions
Folder 8: Verona, North Dakota
Folder 9: Walhalla, North Dakota
Folder 10: Walsh County, North Dakota
Folder 11: Wisconsin - Father Rene Menard - Correspondence
Folder 12: Wisconsin - Father Rene Menard - Manuscripts
Folder 13: Wisconsin - Father Rene Menard - Notes and Materials
Folder 14: Wisconsin - Father Rene Menard - Notes and Materials
Folder 15: Wisconsin - Father Rene Menard - Notes regarding the Wisconsin River Theory
Folder 16: Wisconsin - General
Folder 17: North American Province of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Folder 18: Torkel Fugelstad Autobiography

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids