Papers of Bonaventure Oblasser

These papers best document the activities of Bonaventure Oblasser in his daily struggles to secure the spiritual and financial needs of his missionary work to native peoples in California, and especially, Arizona. The bulk of the correspondence from 1908 to 1940 details his efforts to fund schools with supplies, furniture, and teachers, and to assist the Tohono O'odham (Papago) in shaping their geographical and political future. The correspondence covers the spectrum of his work, including topics such as: administering to the vast expanse of reservation; financing and constructing the buildings for religious and educational purposes; communicating with governmental officials and agencies on behalf of the Tohono O'odham on issues relating to the formation of the reservation, water, land and mineral rights; and assisting in the compilation of the tribal constitution.

There is also present some materials relating to censuses of various villages; Oblasser's annual reports to the Office of the Provincial on his accomplishments in the field; drafts of the Papago Constitution; his contributions to the erection of the Fray Marcos de Niza Monument near the Arizona-Mexico border; and many unpublished reports and articles that he wrote about Franciscan and Arizona history.

Correspondents in the collection include politicians Carl T. Hayden, George W. P. Hunt, Henry Ashhurst, government officials of the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs such as Charles Burke and John Collier; leaders of the Franciscan order and fellow missionaries in the field; support agencies for the missions such as the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, the Marquette League for Indian Welfare, and other private donors; scholars Herbert Bolton, Frank Lockwood, and others; and former students and friends.

The Subject Files contain correspondence, interviews, writings, and other records relating to various topics. Of interest are his missionary activities; a copy of (1950), an interview (1959) of Oblasser by Bernard Fontana; censuses for the Saint John's Mission; and background information on San Jose Mission/Saint Nicholas Indian Center, and the San Xavier residence in Tucson. The largest folder of correspondence in these files relates to his work from 1956 to 1960 for the United States Department of Justice regarding the Papago Case Number 345 before the Indian Claims Commission for which he prepared an in-depth report on land tenure among the Papago Indians (however the report itself is lacking.)

The second subgroup of papers relate to the personal life and career of Nicholas Perschl. Included are excerpts from his diary and autobiographical writings for his early years as a missionary; general correspondence from 1901 to 1969, chiefly with other Franciscans, former students, and friends. and letters (in German) from members of his extended family in Austria.

Some materials in Latin, Spanish and German.

The original papers of Father Oblasser can be found at the Santa Barbara Mission Library, California.