RG-48. RECORDS OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS
In addition to living under a county government, every Pennsylvanian also lives in a municipality. Municipal governing bodies make policy decisions, levy taxes, borrow money, authorize expenditures, and direct administration of their governments by their appointees. The scope of their functions and responsibilities is broad. Many powers given to local governments are not exercised in every place, while others are shared with the state and even national government. All of the various municipalities in Pennsylvania share the same basic responsibilities with respect to provision of public services at the local level and have similar statutory powers. Although cities have more specifically enumerated powers than boroughs and townships, similar powers may also be exercised by boroughs and townships under general grants of power. Home rule provides equal opportunity for all classes of municipalities to exercise new powers
Lancaster Borough
Mayor’s Registry of Colored Persons, 1820-1849. (1 microfilm roll) Arranged chronologically by date of entry. Contains entries in accordance with a borough "ordinance prescribing regulations concerning free persons of colour" passed May 9, 1820. Information includes date of entry; name of head of household; names of wife, children, servants and any other occupants; ages of occupants; and occupation of head of household. Other information may also be given, i.e., mulatto, whether a person owned the property, street address, etc. For example, John Larris is listed as a " negro, about 29 years of age" who worked as a laborer and was married to a wife named Anne who resided in the house of Dennis O’Donnald, Adamstown, Pennsylvania.