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ARCHIVES, MARYLAND PROVINCE, SOCIETY OF
JESUS
The Maryland Province Archives provides at once remarkably rich and frustratingly
incomplete documentation of the activities of the Society of Jesus in Maryland from their
arrival in 1634. The Archives consists of the papers of the Maryland Mission (1638-1832),
the Maryland Province (1833-1878, 1944-75), and the Maryland-New York Province
(1879-1944). The bulk of the material dates from the 19th century, and has been on deposit at
Georgetown since 1977. The material within is divided into 89 series.
Among the most interesting groups of records in the archives are the following: extensive
files relating to the Jesuits' Maryland estates from the seventeenth century onward inclusive
of land-owning and slave-holding records; correspondence received by the colonial Jesuit
Superiors and the various provincials; Archbishop John Carroll's extensive correspondence
with the English Jesuits, and especially with Rev. Charles Plowden; papers relating to the
foundation of Georgetown University; papers relating to the dissolution and restoration of the
Society; and papers relating to the activities, exile, and death of Mexican Emperor Agustin de
Iturbide. The collection also includes portions of the papers of individual Jesuits, including
Revs. Stephen L. Dubuisson, Francis Neale, Richard Molyneux, Jose A. Lopez, John
McElroy and Peter Kenney; and papers relating to the Fenwicks and other early Maryland
Catholic families connected in one way or another with the Jesuits. Although the bulk of the
material dates from the nineteenth century, the earlier records constitute the most important
single historical source for our knowledge of the growth of Catholicism in colonial America.
Due to the nature of the items comprising this archive, the material which has been entered
into the Georgetown Special Collections database is not indexed according to county, but
according to locale [i.e., towns, cities, institutions, etc.] found within a county; therefore, if a
researcher desires to find a specific location within the parameters of a specific county, it will
be necessary to initiate a search by the name of the particular site or institution.
The original numbering of the documents has been retained. Items labeled missing may
sometimes be found in other folders; these were misfiled before coming to Georgetown.
See also: The American Mission: Maryland Jesuits from Andrew White to John Carroll
ACCESSION DATA: On deposit from the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus.
BULK DATES: 1800 - 1875
SPAN DATES: 1638 - 1975
EXTENT: 131 boxes
SERIES
SERIES: 1. Histories/Accounts
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of histories, narrative and/or journal accounts
belonging to the Maryland Province Archives.
SERIES: 2. Correspondence
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of Maryland Province Archives correspondence.
SERIES: 3. Documents
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series is comprised of documents belonging to the Maryland
Province Archives.
SERIES: 4. Varia
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of varia belonging to the Maryland Province Archives.
SERIES: 5. Books/Pamphlets
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of books and pamphlets belonging to the
Maryland Province Archives.
SERIES: 6. Newsclippings
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of newsclippings belonging to the Maryland
Province Archives.
SERIES: 7. Photographs
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of photographs belonging to the Maryland
Province Archives.
SERIES: 8. Records
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of Maryland Province Archives records in the
form of manuscripts, lists, notebooks, almanacs and diaries.
SERIES: 9. Homiletic Writings
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of homilies, meditations and other texts of a
spiritually didactic character.
SERIES: 10. Financial Papers
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of financial papers belonging to the Maryland
Province Archives.
SERIES: 11. Artifacts
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of artifacts belonging to the Maryland Province
Archives.
SERIES: 12. John McElroy (SJ) Papers
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of papers belonging to John McElroy, S.J. For
a biographical sketch of Fr. McElroy, please consult two sources in the "Woodstock Letters"-
1). Autobiographical sketch [Vol. 44, p. 9]; 2). Obituary [Vol. 6, p. 178].
SERIES: 13. Fidel de Grivel (SJ) Papers
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of the papers of Claude Hartmann Xavier
Joseph Fidel de Grievel, S.J. For a biographical sketch of Fr. Grivel, please consult the
"Woodstock Letters" [Vol. 10, p. 244].
SERIES: 14. Stephen Dubuisson (SJ) Papers
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of the papers of Stephan Larigaudelle
Dubuisson, S.J. For a biographical sketch of Fr. Dubuisson, please consult the "Woodstock
Letters" [Vol. 19, p. 167].
SERIES: 15. Provinces
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to the various provinces
of the Society of Jesus.
SERIES: 16. Pastorals, Ordination, Naturalization
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series is comprised of materials pertaining to ordinations and naturalizations.
SERIES: 17. St. Inigoes & Ridge, Maryland
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series is comprised of Maryland Province Archives materials
pertaining to St. Inigoes, Ridge and the general area of St. Mary's County, Maryland.
SERIES: 18. Newtown and Leonardtown Material
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of items pertaining to Newtown and
Leonardtown, Maryland.
SERIES: 19. St. Thomas Manor
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to St. Thomas Manor in
Charles County, Maryland.
SERIES: 20. White Marsh
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to White Marsh parish.
SERIES: 21. Bohemia Material
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Bohemia.
SERIES: 22. Conewago Material
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to Conewago.
SERIES: 23. Georgetown University (I)
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of the first of two segments of material
pertaining to Georgetown University.
SERIES: 24. Trinity-Georgetown
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Holy Trinity Church (Georgetown).
SERIES: 25. Washington-Alexandria
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Washington, D.C.,
and Alexandria, Virginia.
SERIES: 26. Frederick
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Frederick, Maryland.
SERIES: 27. Woodstock College
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of items pertaining to Woodstock College.
SERIES: 28. Philadelphia
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to the Philadelphia area.
SERIES: 29. Keyser Island
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to Keyser Island.
SERIES: 30. Boston
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to Boston.
SERIES: 31. Baghdad [Iraq]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Baghdad, Iraq.
SERIES: 32. Holy Cross College
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Holy Cross College,
located in Worcester, Massachusetts.
SERIES: 33. Shadowbrook
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to Shadowbrook, Massachusetts.
SERIES: 34. Jamaica
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to the island of Jamaica,
located in the British West Indes.
SERIES: 35. Corporation RCC
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of information pertaining to the Corporation of
Roman Catholic Clergy.
SERIES: 36. Corp. Minutes
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of the minutes belonging to the Corporation of
Roman Catholic Clergymen.
SERIES: 37. Naples, Cuba, etc.
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to Naples, Cuba and
other areas.
SERIES: 38. Non-Jesuit Wills
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of Wills not belonging to members of the
Society of Jesus.
SERIES: 39. Jesuit Wills [to 1850]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of Wills of Jesuits dating prior to the year 1850.
SERIES: 40. Jesuit Wills [Post 1850]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of Wills of Jesuits dating after the year 1850.
SERIES: 41. Farms, Leases, etc.
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to farms, leases, etc.
SERIES: 42. St. Inigoes Manor/St. George's
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to St. Inigoes Manor
and to St. George's.
SERIES: 43. Newtown
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to Newtown. [Note: In
early times, there were many towns mapped on the Potomac and Patuxent in St. Mary's
County. Some were built up as was Leonardtown, whereas some were begun and have since
disappeared; some were on "paper" only. Newtown was such a town "on Mr. Bretton's land."
It was a port of entry. The field in the northeast corner of Bretton's outlet on St. Clements Bay
looks as if laid out for a town. That was the location of Newtown or Neapolis in Maryland.]
SERIES: 44. East Shore Delaware
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to East Shore Delaware.
SERIES: 45. Goshenhoppen/Paradise
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of items pertaining to Goshenhoppen and/or
Paradise, Pennsylvania.
SERIES: 46. Pennsylvania Missions
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of items pertaining to the Pennsylvania missions.
SERIES: 47. Churches/Property
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of items pertaining to churches and property in
southern Maryland.
SERIES: 48. Southern Maryland
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to missions in Southern Maryland.
SERIES: 49. Baltimore
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of items pertaining to Baltimore and Western Maryland.
SERIES: 50. South and West
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to missions in the
Southern and Midwestern sectors of the United States.
SERIES: 51. Old Maryland Family Papers
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists items pertaining to old Maryland family papers.
SERIES: 52. Fenwick Papers
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series pertains to the Fenwick papers, particularly those of
George Fenwick, S.J.
SERIES: 53. Slaves
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of material pertaining to the ownership of
Negro slaves.
SERIES: 54. Accounts
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of materials pertaining to accounts.
SERIES: 55. Accounts-Newtown & Others
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of accounts of Newtown and other missions
(including St. Inigoes, White Marsh, Conewago, Bohemia, St. Thomas Manor, West Park,
Philadelphia, Frederick and [St. Mark's] Alexandria).
SERIES: 56. Procurator's Records
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of records belonging to the Provincial
Procurator's Office.
SERIES: 57. Correspondence [202-228]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains correspondence arranged chronologically.
SERIES: 58. Final Vows [301]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of Final Vows documents.
SERIES: 59. Wills, Jesuit to 1910 [310]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains Jesuit Wills to the year 1910.
SERIES: 60. Wills, Jesuit After 1910 [311]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains Jesuit Wills recorded after the year 1910.
SERIES: 61. Bequests to Province [315]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains correspondence and documents regarding
bequests to the Province.
SERIES: 62. History of Houses [325]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains documents regarding the history of particular residences.
SERIES: 63. Historia Domus [326]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of later Histories of Jesuit Residences in the
Maryland-New York Province.
SERIES: 64. Litterae Annuae [335]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of the Litterae Annuae for various houses in
the Province.
SERIES: 65. Litterae Annuae 1888-98 [336]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains Litterae Annuae for the Province spanning the
years 1888-98.
SERIES: 66. Catalogues of the Province [350]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains Catalogues of the Maryland Province.
SERIES: 67. Catalogus Primus Provinciae Marylandiae [351]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains bound examples of the Catalogus Primus for
the Province.
SERIES: 68. Catalogus Rerum [353]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains examples of the Catalogus Rerum of the Province.
SERIES: 69. Obituaries [354]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains Obituaries, Necrologies, and Elogia
Defunctorum for the Province.
SERIES: 70. Jesuit Seminary Fund [400]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains items pertaining to the Jesuit Seminary Fund.
SERIES: 71. Account Books [402-404]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains miscellaneous account books.
SERIES: 72. Frederick Novitiate [405-406]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains items pertaining to the Frederick, Maryland, Novitiate.
SERIES: 73. World War I [412-414]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains material pertaining to World War I (1914-18)
and its immediate aftermath.
SERIES: 74. Financial Miscellany [417]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of miscellaneous correspondence and ledgers
regarding expenditures.
SERIES: 75. Expenses and Finances [418]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains correspondence and documents regarding
expenses and finances of the Province.
SERIES: 76. Generals' Correspondence [500]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains correspondence from and to Father General.
SERIES: 77. Relations with Other Orders [501]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains miscellaneous items documenting relations
between the Society and various Other Orders.
SERIES: 78. Books [502]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains bound books of catalogues, encyclicals, etc.
SERIES: 79. Summaria Vitae Defunctorum [510]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains obituaries for Jesuits of the Maryland Province.
SERIES: 80. Procurator's Papers [520]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains various annual letters, procurator's papers, and
related items.
SERIES: 81. Loyola College Material [540-541]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains material relating to Loyola College and St.
Ignatius Church in Baltimore.
SERIES: 82. Residences [543-577]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains histories and printed ephemera originating
from and organized according to the various colleges, churches, and residences of the Province.
SERIES: 83. Father Generals' Correspondence
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains originals and photocopies of Father Generals'
correspondence, arranged chronologically.
SERIES: 84. Iturbide Papers [1H]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains papers belonging to Fr. Joseph Lopez, SJ
concerning Don Agustin de Iturbide (Emperor Agustin I of Mexico, 1822-23).
SERIES: 85. Peter Kenney, SJ Papers [XK]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains documents originating from or relating to
Peter Kenney, SJ.
SERIES: 86. European Correspondence [XX]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of personal correspondence to and from
William McSherry, SJ, James Ryder, SJ, Thomas Mulledy, SJ, Aloysius Young, SJ, and
George Fenwick, SJ, from their time in Europe 1821-30.
SERIES: 87. Missouri Mission Correspondence [XXX]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains general correspondence and documents
pertaining to the Missouri Mission of the Maryland Province. The researcher is advised to
consult index file cards for synopses of individual letters.
SERIES: 88. Georgetown University Material [556]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series consists of clippings and printed matter pertaining to
Georgetown University.
SERIES: 89. Additions [600]
SERIES DESCRIPTION: This series contains items added to the Maryland Province
Collection since its transfer to the Georgetown University Archives.
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