Rev. A.A. Schmirler Papers, 1900-1980
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
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 1: Correspondence
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Personal, 1938-1957
- Folder 2: Personal, 1958-1963
- Folder 3: Personal, 1964-1967
- Folder 4: Personal, 1968-1980
- Folder 5: Personal, undated
- Folder 6: Personal - Sister Mary Candida, 1958-1966
- Folder 7: Personal - Family, 1958-1968
- Folder 8: Personal - Paul Barchley, 1958-1959
- Folder 9: Personal - Leo Hertl Family, 1958-1959, undated
- Folder 10: Personal - "Wisconsin's Last Missionary: the Mystery of Rene Menard"
- Folder 11: Personal - Presbyteriate of the Fargo Diocese, 1974
- Folder 12: Personal - Open Letter to Father Hylden
- Folder 13: Personal - Monseigneur Baer
- Folder 14: Personal - Dana Wright, 1906-1956
- Folder 15: Personal - Postcards, 1910-1920
- Folder 16: Business, 1930-1946
- Folder 17: Business, 1950-1954
- Folder 18: Business, 1955
- Folder 19: Business, 1956-1958
- Folder 20: Business, 1959-1962
- Folder 21: Business, 1963-1964
- Folder 22: Business, 1965-1968
- Folder 23: Business, 1969-1980
- Folder 24: Business, undated
- Folder 25: Business - St. Benedict's Church, Wild Rice, North Dakota
- Folder 26: Business - Monseigneur Aloysius O'Donoghue
- Folder 1: Personal, 1938-1957
- Box 1
- Series 2: Financial Records
- This series includes church accounts, annual reports from churches, and individual tax returns.
- Series 3: Religious Records
- This series includes newspaper clippings and articles, books, research material, addresses, and politically related material. Also included are Schmirler's sermons, certificates, and materials on his ordination and first mass.
- Series 4: Educational Records
- This series contains records from Schmirler's educational career, including notebooks, theses, exams, and articles.
- Series 5: Historical Publications
- This series includes publications such as Grail Review and Folia Cleri, with related material from Grailville. It also contains newspaper clippings saved by Schmirler.
- 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
- Folder 1: Agnes Geelan
- 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
- Folder 1: Maple Creek Historic Site (Leonard, North Dakota)
- 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
- Folder 1: Our Page (Page, North Dakota - Third Draft
- 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
- Folder 1: Stage Lines in North Dakota
- Box 4
- Series 7: Family History
- Series 8: Photographs
- Box 7
- Folder 21: Photographs 1-20
- Photograph 1: Rev. A.A. Schmirler
- Photograph 2: Family of Assif Munyer, Rugby, North Dakota
- Photograph 3: Group of Syrians in Rugby, North Dakota
- See Minot Daily News, 15 March 1975 for more details
- Photograph 4: "Summer school, Blumenfeld, showing first rectory" (from back of photograph), 1958
- Photograph 5: "Summer school, Blumenfeld, showing second (last) rectory" (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 6: "Indian Mounds at Wintering Heights, 1951" (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 7: "Indian Mounds at Wintering Heights, 1951" (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 8: Agnes Church, Hunter, North Dakota, 1953
- Photograph 9: Frank Gardner's House in Fargo, 1912
- Photograph 10: Catholic Priests at the Dedication of the Peace Garden, 1934
- Photograph 11: Railroad Car that Brought Lumber to Grace City, North Dakota (from back of photograph), 1912
- Photograph 12: Locomotive that Brought Lumber to Grace City, North Dakota (from back of photograph), 1912
- Photograph 13: "Track Being Laid Thru Grace City" (from back of photograph), 1912
- Photograph 14: "Track Being Laid Thru Grace City" (from back of photograph), 1912
- Photograph 15: Fowler & Banks Livery and Exchange Stable, Sheldon, North Dakota
- Photograph 16: Catholic Church, Page, North Dakota (postcard), 1951
- Photograph 17: Wayne and Clayton Shauer (Sheldon, North Dakota), Supporters of Presidential Candidate Franklin Roosevelt, 1932
- Photograph 18: Aerial View of Sheldon, North Dakota, prior to 1900
- Photograph 19: Fowler & Banks Livery and Exchange Stable, Sheldon, North Dakota
- Photograph 20: Fowler & Banks Livery and Exchange Stable, Sheldon, North Dakota
- Photograph 1: Rev. A.A. Schmirler
- Folder 22: Photographs 21-40
- Photograph 21: Aerial View of Sheldon, North Dakota
- Photograph 22: Railroad Depot (probably in Sheldon, North Dakota)
- Photograph 23: Businesses (probably in Sheldon, North Dakota)
- Photograph 24: Sheldon, North Dakota, School
- Photograph 25: St. Leo's Church, Casselton, North Dakota
- Photograph 26: "Welcome Bishop Driscoll" Banquet
- Photograph 27: "Welcome Bishop Driscoll" Banquet
- Photograph 28: "Welcome Bishop Driscoll" Banquet
- Photograph 29: "Welcome Bishop Driscoll" Banquet
- Photograph 30: "Welcome Bishop Driscoll" Banquet
- Photograph 31: Railroad Track Being Laid in Grace City, North Dakota (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 32: "The Old Ed Pierce House at Lake Alfred" (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 33: Rev. A.A. Schmirler
- Photograph 34: Chippewa Authentics (Building), Belcourt, North Dakota
- Photograph 35: Church of St. John
- Photograph 36: Norbert Bushee and Father Vitres Bisbee, O.S.B., of Bisbee, North Dakota (?) (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 37: Father Al Zimmerman, Karlsruhe, North Dakota
- Photograph 38: Father Hildenbrand, Sister Vita Nirmaier, and Cora Helen Daunhauer (?) (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 39: Unidentified Church in Dunseith, North Dakota, 1965
- Photograph 40: Oil Rig, Emmons County, North Dakota
- Photograph 21: Aerial View of Sheldon, North Dakota
- Folder 23: Photographs 41-53
- Photograph 41: Grain Elevator in St. Joseph, North Dakota, 1980
- Photograph 42: (Abandoned) Blumenfeld Church, Blumenfeld, North Dakota, 1980
- Photograph 43: Queen of Peace Convent, Belcourt, North Dakota, 1965
- Photograph 44: Father Alphonse Cormier, Oriska, North Dakota, 1955
- Photograph 45: St. Paul Seminary, Class of 1942
- Rev. A.A. Schmirler in the lower right
- Photograph 46: Rectory, St. Michael's Church, Fort Totten, 1980
- Photograph 47: Bordulac, North Dakota, Catholic Church
- Photograph 48: Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schmidt, Balfour, North Dakota
- Photograph 49: "Leaving the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation" road sign, 1965
- Photograph 50: Sister Fidelis and Miss Lane, 1965
- Photograph 51: Vesleyville Church, 1970
- Photograph 52: "C.W. Dickinson Delivering Deerings, Page, N.D. 1901"
- Photograph 53: Page, North Dakota, before 1893
- Photograph 41: Grain Elevator in St. Joseph, North Dakota, 1980
- Folder 21: Photographs 1-20
- Box 7
- Series 9: Oversize
Maps of Merricourt (undated), Rugby (1975-1976), and Ransom County (undated)
Fan-style Descendancy Chart - Joseph S. Diemert of Sanborn, ND (died December 1928)
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]