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Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools

Established after the Civil War to care for and educate children orphaned by the war, the orphans' schools eventually numbered twenty-three primary and fifteen advanced schools as the legislature expanded eligibility. On May 25th, 1889, an Act of Assembly approved the creation of the Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools to replace the Superintendent of Soldiers' Orphan School Department (1870-1889). At its creation, the Commission, including the Governor, five members of the general assembly, and five honorably discharged soldiers, was constituted to take charge of the soldiers' orphan schools and homes. They hold the authority to rent buildings, appoint all officers, teachers and employees, and prescribe all rules and regulations for the government of the institutions. All of these powers are necessary to maintain the facilities and to ensure the proper care of the soldiers' children.

Annual Reports of the Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools and the Superintendent of the Soldiers' Orphan School Department,
1870-1918.
(48 volumes)

{series #19.205} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by year, and thereunder by category or school.

Annual reports relating to Soldiers' Orphan Schools and their locations with regard to students, teachers, finance, education, and inspection of facilities and operations. Established after the Civil War to care for and educate children orphaned by the war, the orphans' schools eventually numbered twenty-three primary and fifteen advanced schools as the legislature expanded eligibility. From 1870-1889, the reports were created by the Superintendent of Soldiers' Orphans of the Soldiers' Orphan School Department and addressed to the Governor of Pennsylvania. Includes lists of orphans leaving the school and students who died in the school, some records of the Scotland School, and miscellaneous items. When the Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools replaced the Soldiers' Orphan School Department in 1889, the reports were addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives of Pennsylvania. The reports are generally consistent, providing annual statistical tables usually exhibiting orders issued, student admissions, discharges, deaths, transfers, parentage, punishments, school population (student and teachers), list of "sixteeners," and educational status. Often pictures of school buildings and students accompany the reports. Also included are inspection reports summarizing the quality of facilities, clothing, and teaching. In addition, there are principal reports discussing the general condition of the school's morality, religion, education, and facilities. For the year 1886, only the inspection report is available.

List of Soldiers' Orphans Leaving School,
1883, 1886-1888, 1894, 1903.
(6 volumes)

{series #19.206} [Holdings]

Arranged in volumes by year, thereunder alphabetically by orphan school, and then alphabetically by orphan home.

List of students discharged from orphan schools or homes, providing names of principals and locations of schools; pupils' names; and date of discharging.

Program for Chester Springs "16ers" Reunion,
undated.
(1 folder)

{series #19.207} [Holdings]

Single document providing songs and lyrics to be sung at the "16ers" Reunion. No date is given, except that the event occurred on the first Saturday of every August.

Roll Call Book for the Pennsylvania Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools Meetings,
1911-1927.
(1 volume)

{series #19.208} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Register of meeting attendance providing location, date, and time of meeting. It also includes the Oath of the Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools, signed by its members.

List of Students Who Died at the Soldiers' Orphan Schools,
1865-1907.
(1 volume)

{series #19.209} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by year of death.

This register of student deaths provides name of student, birth date, county location of school, name of school, date of death, cause of death, and remarks. Often there is no specification as to the cause of death.

Student Attendance Book,
1893-1923.
(1 volume)

{series #19.210} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by school, and thereunder chronologically by date.

Register contains attendance listings for the following schools: Chester Springs, 1893-1912; Harford, 1893-1901; Uniontown, 1893-1908; Training School, 1893-1895; St. Paul's, 1893-1895; Scotland, 1895-1927. The lists provide the week number, boys and girls present, boys and girls absent, and combined total.

Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission (1953-1970)

The Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission was created by Acts 199, 200, and 201 of the 1943 General Assembly as an administrative agency of the Department of Commerce to promote and regulate aeronautics in the Commonwealth. In 1953 the Commission was transferred to the Department of Military Affairs by Act of August 26, 1953, P.L. 1468 (71 PS 62), where it remained until 1970, when its functions were transferred to the Bureau of Aviation within the newly created Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The Commission inspected and licensed all airports and landing fields used for both commercial and private purposes, and promulgated and enforced rules and regulations governing the operation of aircraft under the auspices of the Aeronautical Code (Act of May 25, 1933, P.L. 1001, as amended). The Commission was also involved in the planning and establishment of navigation facilities and landing fields, the acquisition of land for airport purposes, and providing for improvements or additions to airports and flying facilities. The Commission investigated and reported aircraft accidents, administered funds received from the federal government, and operated state-owned airports (Olmstead, Harrisburg-York, Mid-State, Grand Canyon, and Burnt Cabins Emergeny Landing Strip). The Adjutant General served as chairman of the Commission and eight other members were appointed by the Governor. For related records, see Pennsylvania Aeronautical Chart and Airport Directory, 1947 {#31.57} within the Department of Commerce (RG-31).

Quarter-Master General

The Quarter-Master General is an appointed position responsible to the Governor of Pennsylvania through the Adjutant General in his capacity as head of the National Guard created under Legislative Act of 1818. The responsibilities of the Quarter-Master General is to provide clothing, military equipment, and arms to the units of the Pennsylvania National Guard and related military organizations within the Commonwealth.

Acting under the direction of the Adjutant General, the Surgeon General of Pennsylvania provided for the medical care of sick and wounded soldiers and issued annual reports of his activities directly to the Governor.

Accounts,
1861-1866.
(4 folders)

{series #19.162} [Holdings]

Grouped chronologically by month.

A record of medical and hospital accounts for supplies and pay roll. Included in the series are invoices and receipts consisting of printed forms containing a listing of all types of medical supplies ordered. The quantities of each item required are noted as well as the quantities of supplemental non-medical supplies. The form also bears the date of receipt and is generally signed by an attending surgeon.

Other items found include muster and pay rolls for surgeons, ward masters, cooks, nurses, and matrons. Information provided on the muster and pay rolls generally includes name and date of enlistment, period of enlistment, date from which attached to the hospital, date last paid, period covered by current pay in months and days, rate of pay per month, and the total amount of pay due and are signed by both the payees and a witness. Another account lists complete information on invalid corps officers and enlisted men of a given Pennsylvania regiment. These were individuals found unfit for active field service on account of wounds or diseases contracted in the line of duty but who were nonetheless found fit for duty in the Invalid Corps.

Some forms differed in layout over time but generally provide similar information. Additional information found throughout the series includes miscellaneous written orders and correspondence signed by Pennsylvania Surgeon General Henry H. Smith, M.D., inventories of drugs on hand at Camp Curtin, and accounts of disbursements paid to private firms and individuals for various supplies or services performed.

Annual Reports,
1862-1864, 1866.
(4 volumes)

{series #19.163} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of report.

Annual printed reports issued by the Surgeon General contain detailed narrative accounts of his activities during each year and provide a listing of expenses. Information found in the reports contain complete lists of the names of medical officers appointed during the year, provisions for care of the wounded, transportation of the dead, health of prisoners, and the threat of"epidemic cholera" in 1865.

Commissions of Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons,
1862-1865.
(2 folders)

{series #19.164} [Holdings]

Grouped chronologically by year commission was issued.

Embossed with the state seal, these commissions issued by Pennsylvania Governor Andrew G. Curtin appoint Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons for the Pennsylvania volunteers. Information provided about each surgeon and assistant surgeon includes name and county of residence, the date commissioned, and the signature of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Notations on the back of the commission papers record dates of service and the regiments to which surgeons were assigned.

Diet Table Chart Used in General Hospital,
1862.
(1 item)

{series #19.165} [Holdings]

Diet table (large accordian foldout) for general hospitals issued by William J. Hammond, Surgeon General of the United States, on October 28, 1862. The printed chart recommends the quantities of each types of food and beverage to be taken per day for various types of diet. Included are caloric numbers for a Full Diet, Half Diet, Chicken Diet, Low Diet, Milk Diet, Beef-Tea Diet, and other extra diet and drink charts. Also given, are charts providing specific examples of both Full and Half Diets recommended for each of the seven days of the week at breakfast, dinner, and tea time.

General Correspondence Relevant to the Office of the Surgeon General,
1861-1866.
(21 boxes)

{series #19.166} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

A file of letters received by the Surgeon General from a variety of correspondents during the Civil War. The correspondence consists primarily of letters of recommendation supporting candidates for medical and staff positions, notifications of vacancies, and resignations. Also included are letters from Pennsylvanians trying to contact wounded relatives, complaints about surgeons, and letters from surgeons concerning the health of certain regiments.

Medical Examination Papers,
1861-1865.
(8 boxes)

{series #19.167} [Holdings]

Grouped by examination dates.

These medical examinations completed by candidates for regimental surgeons tested the candidates' knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. Attached to each thesis is information providing each candidate's full postal address, the name of the medical institution from which he received his training, date of graduation, age, number of years in active practice, the names of hospital clinics where he worked and names of surgeons under whom he studied. According to law, medical officers serving Pennsylvania regiments had to first be examined by a state medical board. Several boards of examiners met as the war continued and the need for surgeons increased.

Record Book of Candidates Examined by the Pennsylvania State Medical Board,
1862.
(1 volume)

{series #19.168} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of examination.

Record book kept by Pennsylvania Surgeon General Dr. Henry H. Smith of 213 candidates examined by the State Medical Board commencing July 28, 1862. Numbered sequentially by exam, the information given for each candidate includes the date of examination, candidate's name, post office of residence, county of residence, age, name of the institution from which graduated, year of graduation, and standard score received on the examination. A remarks column records whether a candidate was accepted unanimously, by a lesser vote, or rejected.

Record Book of Candidates Examined by Pennsylvania State Medical Boards for Appointment as Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons,
1861-1865.
(1 volume)

{series #19.169} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by surname of candidate.

A record of examinations of candidates seeking appointments as surgeons or assistant surgeons. Information about each candidate generally includes name, postal address, county of residence, and age; the institution from which he graduated; the date he was examined; and the standard score achieved on the exam. Remarks concerning where the person was assigned or whether he resigned also regularly appear.

Record Book of Medical Officers of the Pennsylvania Volunteers,
1861-1864.
(1 volume)

{series #19.170} [Holdings]
Arranged numerically by regiment, and thereunder chronologically by date of appointment.

A record of surgeons and assistant surgeons who served in the Pennsylvania volunteers. Information found about each surgeon and assistant surgeon includes name, date mustered-in, dates of promotions, the names of the regiments to which assigned, and the date they resigned or were mustered-out.

Registers of Official Documents Endorsed and Transmitted,
1862-1866.
(2 volumes)

{series #19.171} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date official documents were endorsed.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of author.

Two ledgers providing a record of official documents endorsed and transmitted by the Office of the Surgeon General between October 3, 1862 through 1866. Information found about each document or correspondence includes the date issued, by whom issued, a brief description of the subject matter, where sent, and a statement of endorsement. Most requests for discharges, transfers, and the disposition of the personal effects of deceased persons.

Registers of Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons,
1861-1866.
(2 volumes)

{series #19.172} [Holdings]

Grouped alphabetically by surname of surgeon or assistant surgeon.

A record of surgeons and assistant surgeons employed by the Commonwealth during the Civil War. Information about each surgeon or assistant surgeon includes name, county of residence, date of commission, and the date from which rank was held. Occasional remarks note commissions returned, canceled, or other changes in status.

Report of Liquors Used in Hospitals,
1862.
(1 item)

{series #19.173} [Holdings]

The January monthly report prepared by Medical Officer J.P. Wilson of the quantities of brandy and wine provided to patients at the General Hospital, New Measles Hospital, Church Hospital, Measles Hospital #2, 54th Regiment Hospital, and the 107th Regiment Hospital.

Reports of Examination of Candidates for Appointment as Medical Officers,
1861-1865.
(1 box)

{series #19.174} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of exam, and thereunder in descending order of examination score.

Lists from the Board of Medical Examiners naming those who passed the medical examination addressed to Governor Andrew Curtin. Information provided about each applicant includes name, town and county of residence, age, rank assigned, and the standard score achieved by each candidate. The score was determined by a careful consideration of written answers provided by candidates to prepared examination questions. Those who achieved a standard score of 7-10 were judged qualified to be surgeons and those achieving a score of 5-6 were qualified as assistant surgeons. Any candidate achieving a score of less than 5 was deemed unfit for any medical post. Also found in the series are separate lists of the names of surgeons and assistant surgeons together with the names of the military units to which they were assigned. Includes letters from examiners concerning individual candidates.

Returns of Medical Officers Connected with Pennsylvania Regiments,
1861-1864.
(1 volume)

{series #19.175} [Holdings]

Grouped numerically by regiment.

Ledger recording medical officers who served with Pennsylvania regiments during the Civil War. The dated returns give the name, rank, regiment, and unit of the surgeon or assistant surgeon; the date appointed or mustered in; and, where applicable, the name of regiments to which promoted. Also occasionally found are notations that give the reasons and dates of dismissals, resignations, and transfers.

Special Order Book,
1864-1865.
(1 volume)

{series #19.176} [Holdings]

Arranged numerically by order.

A record of Special Orders issued by Surgeon General James King, and his successor Surgeon General Joseph A. Phillips, through the Hospital Department of the Pennsylvania Militia during the Civil War. The orders most frequently concern appointments, promotions, and transfers of medical personnel.

Surgeons' Reports,
1861-1864.
(1 box)

{series #19.177} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of report.

Morning reports of surgeons at Camps Washington (Easton), Wayne, Wright, and Curtin recording daily conditions in military hospitals. Information provided within each report includes a breakdown by regiment and company of the number of soldiers confined in the hospital or sick in quarters from the date of the last report; the number taken sick since the last report; the total numbers in the hospital or sick in quarters; the number who returned to duty, discharged, sent to the General Hospital, or died since the previous report; and the number remaining in the hospital or sick in quarters. Occasional remarks provide information on hygiene in the camps.

Established in 1861, the Transportation and Telegraph Department provided for the movement of troops and military supplies through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in response to the national emergency, and for control of telegraphic messages relating to war activities. The daily activities of the Department were conducted by a chief officer appointed by the Adjutant General.

Day Book,
1861-1869.
(1 volume)

{series #19.178} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of transaction.

Ledger of daily transactions by Department documenting expenses paid to private firms and individuals for railroad freight and horse teams. Information provided about the transactions generally includes the name of the firm or individual providing the services, a brief description of the nature of the service, a breakdown of the amount due, and the amount paid. Some of these entries relate to expenses also covered in Journal, 1861-1863, 1866-1867 {series #179}. Includes payment of transportation of corpses and telegraphic services.

Journal,
1861-1863, 1866-1867.
(1 volume)

{series #19.179} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of transaction.

Ledger listing accounts paid by the Commonwealth for railroad, stage and telegraphic services related to the war effort. Information included about each account number, name of the firm or individual to whom the expenses were paid, the nature and date of services rendered, and the amount paid. For related records see Day Book, 1861-1869 {series #19.178}.

Letter Press Book,
1861-1862.
(1 volume)

{series #19.180} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of order.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of officers to whom orders were sent.

A letter press book kept from July 10, 1861 to July 17, 1862 documenting orders sent to various military commanders by the Chief of the Transportation and Telegraph Department. Information given about each includes the date the order was sent, the name of the officer to whom it was addressed, the text of the message, and the signature of the Chief of the Telegraph and Transportation Department.

Military Dispatches,
1861-1867.
(28 boxes)

{series #19.181} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of dispatch.

A record of telegraphic messages sent to the Adjutant General and/or Governor Andrew Curtin by various military commanders. The dated dispatches on telegraph company letterhead concern military matters such as reporting troop movements, and requests for supplies, transportation of the wounded, etc. Correspondents include Thomas Scott, Simon Cameron, Robert Anderson, and newspaper correspondents. All boxes pertain to the Civil War except the last one. Also found scattered through the file, are undated drafts of dispatches on the same subjects.

Military Dispatches Received Books,
1861-1862, 1864-1866.
(4 volumes)

{series #19.182} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of receipt.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of recipient.

A record of telegraph messages received at the Executive Chambers in Harrisburg during the Civil War. Information provided about each dispatch includes the date the message was received, the name of the individual to whom the message was addressed, a transcript of the message, and the name of the author. Topics include military threats, supplies, troop movements, and battle accounts. Due to missing volumes, there is a gap from September 2, 1862 to August 1, 1864. Taken together with Military Dispatches Sent Books, 1861-1862, 1864-1866 {series #19.183}, the messages received provide a rather detailed narrative history of Pennsylvania's military involvement in the Civil War.

Military Dispatches Sent Books,
1861-1862, 1864-1866.
(5 volumes)

{series #19.183} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date sent.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of addressee.

A record of telegraph messages sent from the Executive Chamber by Governor Andrew Curtin, Eli Slifer, Thomas Scott, and others commencing April 15, 1861. Information provided about each dispatch includes the date a message was sent, the name of the person to whom addressed and where he was located, a transcript of the message, and the name of the author. Topics include troop dispositions, uniforms, troop movements, and military intelligence. For related documents see Military Dispatches Received Books, 1861-1862, 1864-1866{series #19.182}.

Transportation Accounts,
1861-1867.
(17 boxes, 1 volume)

{series #19.184} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date account was paid.

A record of accounts paid by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to private teamsters and railroad companies for transporting troops and munitions. Information provided for each transportation account generally includes the date of transport; the locations where the troops or munitions were transported to and from; the name of the person who certified the service; the number of troops, horses, and packages transported; the weight of the packages; the number of miles and total mileage of transport; the amount paid for the freight and troops respectively; and the total amount paid. Also found are certificates signed by company captains confirming that transportation orders were fulfilled as well as related correspondence. Includes passes from the Pennsylvania Railroad and Northern Central Railroad.

Transportation Register,
1861.
(1 volume)

{series #19.185} [Holdings]

Arranged numerically by register number.

A register of transportation provided for individuals recruited into military service by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A total of 11,108 transportation orders are contained in this volume. Information provided about each order includes the order number, name of the individual transported, the town from which he was transported, and the name of the railroad company providing transportation.

Transportation Requisitions,
1861-1867.
(13 boxes)

{series #19.186} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of requisition.

A file of transportation requisitions documenting the transport of troops and prisoners. Information about each soldier includes name, date and place of transport. Also occasionally found is information concerning discharge of soldiers.

Troop Movement Order Books,
1861.
(2 volumes)

{series #19.187} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of order, and thereunder numerically by order.

A record of orders issued for transporting troops. A table in Volume 1 provides information about commanding officers and their regiments who were transported, the locations from and to where transported, the number of officers and men, horses, and car loads of baggage, the time of departure, and the name of the transporting company. The transportation orders are numbered and provide the date of the order, the date of departure, the name of the officer ordered, the name of the company ordered, the place the company was to rendezvous, where ordered from, and the means of transport.

Chaired by William C. Sproul, Governor of Pennsylvania from 1919-1923, the War History Commission was appointed by the Pennsylvania Council of National Defense and Committee of Public Safety at 1300 Locust Street in Philadelphia in April 1920. Its purpose was to document military, economic, and civic activities of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during World War I. In its opening statement of purpose, it noted that the 28th Division of the American Expeditionary Forces, made up of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, suffered greater casualties than any other division in France with the exception of three divisions of regulars. Further, Pennsylvania produced nearly one half of the munitions supplied to the United States Army, a large proportion of the ships supplied to the Navy, and all of the anthracite and most of the bituminous coal to the nation during the war.

General File,
1915-1920, 1928.
(30 cartons)

{series #19.188} [Holdings]

Grouped by broadly by type of subject matter.

A file composed of diverse types of documents assembled by the War History Commission between the end of the war and 1928 providing information about the activities of American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I. Included in the series are various types of material including troop rosters, weekly strength reports for military organizations in combat, and daily reports of changes in assignments or military status for both enlisted men and officers. Also found are summaries of intelligence reports, training memoranda, daily operations journals and reports, extracts from General Pershing's cabled communiques, field orders, and reports on enemy chemical projectiles. War diaries; daily records of events kept while in campaign by each battalion and higher organization and by each ammunition supply, engineer, and sanitary train; provide valuable details regarding the daily operation of the American war effort. There are also detailed narrative field reports made by company commanders to their superiors, daily reports of casualties and other changes presented to the Adjutant General, and narrative reports of the activities of each of the naval districts during the war. Among items of particular interest are the diary of Maryan Michael Smolenski of the Detroit Sanitarium who enlisted with the 28th Division in 1917 and copies of the official United States Information Bulletin published by the Committee on Public Information chaired by George Creel. Information collected after the war includes Division Yearbooks, group photographs from the Free Public Library in Philadelphia of each Pennsylvania military unit taken in 1918, newspaper clippings, and copies of private journals and magazines containing historical accounts of the war.

Maps,
[ca. 1918-1919].
(165 items)

{series #19.189} [Holdings]

Grouped by geographical region.

A collection of European topographical and road maps of France and Germany depicting the highways, secondary roads, mountains, rivers, and creeks in the areas where the American Expeditionary Forces participated in military campaigns.

Newspapers and Clippings,
1920-1921.
(3 bundles)

{series #19.190} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of newspaper clipping.

A collection of contemporary newspapers and newspaper clippings containing troop rosters and accounts of the activities of the 28th Division in France during World War I. Among the items included are copies of the Stars and Stripes covering the period from June 12, 1920 through May 21, 1921.

Photographs,
1919.
(5 cartons)

{series #19.191} [Holdings]

Arranged loosely chronologically by date photograph was taken.

A collection of labeled photographs taken between January 24, 1919 and April 19, 1919, together with approximately twenty photographs dated only by the year 1919. The subject matter includes group portraits of companies and their officers comprising the 28th Division. Also present are views of the countryside and buildings in France including scenes at Vaux, Chateau Thierry, the Woevre Valley at Fresne, Vigneville, and Argonne where the 28th Division saw action or was stationed. Accompanying caption sheets provide descriptions of the subjects photographed.

Service Records of Pennsylvanians Who Entered Allied Units During World War I,
[ca. 1917-1918].
(3 cartons)

{#19.237} [Holdings]

Records of men who entered the service of the British Government through the British Consulate. As the United Sates was neutral the Consulate could not accept American citizens, therefore, the men gave birthplace somewhere in the British Dominions.  Without question of doubt the larger portion of these names are those of Americans who enlisted before United States entered the war, or afterwards, having been rejected by our own Boards, due to some physical disability” (from the files of the British Consulate, 224 S. Third Street, Philadelphia). The records list name, address, year of birth, nationality, place of birth, employer’s name, employer’s address, occupation, marital status, general information regarding organization served, dates of assignments and dates of transfers. A few records provide detailed accounts of the individual’s service and/or a photograph of the individual.

 Service Records of World War I Civilian Welfare Workers,
[ca. 1917-1918].
(2 cartons)

{#19.236} [Holdings]

Records list name, address, next of kin, age at entrance into service, name of organization, dates of entering and of leaving service, position held, camp served plus towns/sector served if overseas service, decorations or citations received, casualties sustained, and a brief statement of experiences.  A few records provide detailed accounts of the individual’s civilian service. Some records include photographs of the individual and/or photographs depicting the individual’s work location. Records include those of both male and female workers.