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Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Bureau of Archives and History
Pennsylvania State Archives


RG-27

Records of PENNSYLVANIA'S REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENTS

Series Descriptions


Committee of Safety, 1775-1776


Accounts,
1775-1776 and undated.
(8 folders)

{series #27.1}

Arranged chronologically by the date of receipts or reports.

A collection of loose copies of receipts and reports written out and filed by the Committee of Safety from February 11, 1775-July 31, 1776 and undated. Information provided on the receipts include the name of the recipient or payee, date of transaction, amount, reason for payment and signature verifying that payment was made. Also contained within this collection are reports for the Province of Pennsylvania, where the Continental Congress reported its expenditures. On these reports, information can be found about the payee or recipient, the place money was dispensed to, the purpose of the payment and the amount paid.

Executive Correspondence and Petitions,
1775-1776 and undated.
(1 box)

{series #27.2}

Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence or petition.

A collection of the correspondence of and to the Committee of Safety, which also includes the petitions sent by various civilians and soldiers. This information covers a period from July 7, 1775-July 24, 1776 and undated. Types of documents found in this collection include letters sent to or from various members of the Committee; letters to the Council from various suppliers of boats, food and munitions; resolutions or extracts of minutes from Committee of Safety meetings; orders for civilians to appear before the Committee; lists and appointments of officers; lists of men taken prisoner and enemy prisoners of war; a copy of Congressional minutes directly affecting the Committee of Safety in Pennsylvania; oaths not to bear arms against the United States; oaths and pledges to deliver supplies; plans and drawings for stopping and obstructing enemy navigation on the Delaware River Channel and a list of articles for armed boats. Petitions to the Committee were usually posed by private citizens, and always signed by at least one petitioner. These petitions dealt with issues such as reimbursement for supplies used or services done; pleas for higher wages, money and supplies to families in need; and requests for discharges or leave due to illness.

Minute Book,
1775-1776.
(1 volume)

{series #27.3}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by subject. Commissions are indexed separately at the end of each respective alphabetical group, alphabetically according to last name.

A daily record of the meetings of the Committee of Safety from July 3, 1775 - July 22, 1776. Entries list the date, location of meetings and names of the members present. Business discussed in meetings included orders of payment for salaries or reimbursement; orders concerning the construction, procurement, delivery, or importation of arms, ammunition and supplies; construction of barracks and boats; enlistment of Continental Soldiers; appointment of Continental officers, board members or committees; issues of pay; rules and regulations concerning enlisted men and officers; and resolves of the Continental Congress and Convention directly affecting the Committee of Safety. Notable members of the Committee included Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris.

Minutes (Rough Copy),
1775-1776 & undated.
(7 folders)

{series #27.4}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

A loose collection of the draft copies of the minutes and other papers concerning the business of the Committee of Safety from August 2,1775-July 3, 1776 and undated. Besides providing the first drafts of the minutes and editorial changes, the series also includes papers and items not present in the final copies of the minutes. Each of the drafts of the minutes are similar to the format used in the final version, listing the date and location of each meeting and the members present. These papers seem to be edited with large sections of text marked through. Contained within the minutes are smaller documents: notes to or written by Committee members, certificates, drafts of proposed motions, letters and letter drafts, and some oaths of allegiance. Also present are copies of appointments to government positions, papers and information concerning sub-committees of the Committee, and a broadside issued by the Continental Congress from April 3, 1776, announcing the resolution on the "registration" of ships in colonial harbors and seas.

Receipt Books,
1775-1776 & undated.
(2 volumes)

{series #27.5}

Arranged chronologically by date payments were made or received

A record of the receipts of the Committee of Safety. Entries are neatly written in two ledger books with the date of receipt written at the top right hand corner of the page. Each entry states the name of the payee, amount paid, the reason the money was owed and a second signature (seemingly the person who collected the amount.) The amounts are also recorded and totaled together at the bottom of the page.


Provincial Convention, 1776


Executive Correspondence,
1776.
(1 folder)

{series 27.6}

Arranged chronologically by date, though date not always listed on document.

A record of the correspondence of the short-lived Provincial Convention, from July 24, 1776 through September 28, 1776. Though its primary purpose was to draft and adopt a new state constitution in Philadelphia, it also dealt with governmental issues in its extra-legal status. Found in this record are extracted minutes from meetings, resolves concerning troops raised, letters and petitions concerning soldier's pay in which the Convention referred them to the Council of Safety, letters from the Conventionasking troops to defend the Pennsylvania frontier and a petition from Delaware and Upper Smithfield Townships asking the Convention for aid in fighting an Indian War.


Council of Safety, 1776-1777


Accounts,
1776-1777 and undated.
(15 folders)

{series #27.7}

Arranged chronologically by date of receipt.

A collection of the receipts of the Council of Safety from July 20, 1776 - April 16, 1777. The loose receipts in this collection contain specific information which includes the date of transaction, persons involved, the reason for the transaction and the amount of money or specific description of items exchanged. Information contained in these receipts include orders from officers for men, supplies, rations or meals, guns and ammunition; money paid to soldiers or private citizens for goods or services; inventory lists of stores and Steward's stores aboard the ship Montgomery; lists of settled accounts; reimbursement for women in private homes that gave soldiers meals; money paid to clean, mend, appraise, buy and sell guns; a gunlock factory account; money given to provide for families of militiamen; and reports by citizens of damages done to their homes when enemy military troops were quartered in their private homes during their absence. In cases where the military is mentioned, the receipt lists the purpose of the transaction as well as the name of the company, commanding officer and occasionally where that particular group of men were marching.

Executive Correspondence,
1776-1777 & undated.
(3 boxes)

{series #27.8}

Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

The correspondence of the executive body of the Council of Safety from July 25, 1776- March 14, 1777 and undated. Information appearing in these papers includes letters and petitions to the Council pertaining to the purchase, sale and delivery of provisions, munitions, transportation, and pay of soldiers; civilians working for the province; the recruitment of men to serve as soldiers; depositions of civilians and soldiers; warrants of search; orders of appearance before the Council of Safety or court; extracts from Council minutes and resolutions made within meetings; civilian testimonies; pay schedules of soldiers; orders to be paid; lists of prisoners; battalion procedures; names of fords on Schuylkill River; letters specially sent to General George Washington, John Hancock and other known Continental officers; and resolutions passed and defensive measures discussed at the time General Howe's Army invaded Pennsylvania.

Minute Books,
1776-1777.
(2 volumes)

{series #27.9}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by subject.

Minutes for the Council of Safety from July 24, 1776 through March 13, 1777. Each entry lists the date of the meeting and the names of members present. The Committee dealt with both military and civil matters in an attempt to keep order during a time of upheaval. Information appearing concerning military matters includes orders for supplies, munitions, accommodation and transportation for enlisted men; matters of pay; cases of military courts martial, discharges, desertion, prisoners of war and jails; appointment of officers; formation of regiments; and the raising of local militia and Continental Army regiments from Pennsylvania. Information also appears showing the Council's concern for and on civil matters including goods bought from ships and resold to civilians at extravagant prices; disputes over Continental currency and the negotiation of the prices for goods and services; resolutions in response to the threat of enemy armies in Pennsylvania and general mobilization for war; and matters of public disturbance which included rioting and loitering.

Minutes (Rough Copy),
1776 & undated.
(1 folder)

{series #27.10}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

A loose collection of the rough copies of the minutes of the Council of Safety from July 1776 through August 1776, with some undated entries. Besides showing the first drafts and editing done to the original minutes, the record also includes items that are excluded from the final version copied into the minute books. These items include a rough transcript of a man giving evidence to the Council pertaining to a case they were working on, written announcements from the Council of Safety directed to members of the Pennsylvania State Militia and others; and lists of items taken from enemy forces.

Memoranda Book,
1776-1777.
(1 volume)

{series #27.11}

Arranged chronologically by date of entry, though not all entries have dates.

A personal record of decisions, business transactions and activities of the Council of Safety. The dates of entries fall between the period of January 1, 1776-February 22, 1777. Entries are sometimes written like checklists but they also may contain copied notes from meetings (such as those in the minutes), charts and letters. Information found includes details on acquisitioned supplies and munitions, the building process of barracks and boats, accounts paid by Council, lists of prisoners of war, charts of officers commissioned by the Council and lists of applications for officers; a small sketch of a building with columns, oaths sworn by people making and delivering services to the Council attesting work was done to Council's specifications and was of good quality, oaths swearing honesty when making and delivering powder and oaths of allegiance and secrecy not to disclose information, communicate with the enemy or take up arms against the United States in the war.

Receipt Book,
1776-1777
(1 volume)

{series #27.12}

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

A record of the items and payment requested, received and distributed by the Council of Safety from December 31, 1776-March 17, 1777. Each entry gives the date, name of the requisitioners and items ordered or received. Detailed entries list requisitions and deliveries of supplies, munitions, coffins, blankets and shoes; rations drawn for soldiers and some citizens; payment for jobs; private homes used for sick soldiers; and orders for money to sick soldiers, widows and the wives of soldiers.


Second Council of Safety, 1777


Accounts,
1777.
(2 folders)

{series #27.13}

Arranged chronologically by date of receipt.

Receipts of the Second Council of Safety from October 14, 1777 through December 9, 1777. Each receipt contains the name of the person giving or receiving payment, the purpose of the transaction, the date of transaction and an authorizing signature. The receipts are primarily for the appropriation of food for horses for military officers and regiments; work done by civilians for the province; money given to the council for various debts owed; and payment of expenses for express riders.

Executive Correspondence,
1777.
(1 folder)

{series #27.14}

Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

The executive correspondence to and from the Second Council of Safety from October 17, 1777 through December 4, 1777. File contains letters from the Council to military leaders such as William Bradford and George Washington, as well as active revolutionary figures like Robert Morris, and the Board of War. Also included is a summons to appear before the council, a warrant to impress wagons, an order for an arrest, and orders to county commissioners to collect blankets and supplies.

Minute Book,
1777.
(part of 1 volume)

{series #27.15}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by subject.

A record of the meetings of the Second Council of Safety, established and working as a temporary governmental authority during the British invasion of eastern Pennsylvania in 1777. All meetings were held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania from October 17, 1777 through December 4, 1777. The purpose for the creation and work of the Second Council of Safety is clearly stated in an introductory general proclamation. Business discussed in meetings included warnings by the council to the general public against direct dealings with or aid to enemy troops currently in Pennsylvania; dealings with citizens recanting their allegiance to the United States in the presence of invading and occupying troops; the appropriation of personal goods from citizens to prevent them from falling into enemy hands; appointment of local citizens to be County Commissioners to further proportions of the military to be called out and to furnish military provisions; levying moneys advanced for substitutes; what to do with men who would neither join or send a substitute into the army; punishment for citizens who disobeyed Council Orders of "non-fraternization" with the enemy; settlement of prices for liquors and goods; permission given to commissioners to seize munitions, goods and food provisions from those who had aided the enemy or refused to take an oath of allegiance; appointment of Commissioners to carry out the afore mentioned orders; consideration of the issue of an Indian incursion into Westmoreland County; defense of frontiers; arrests of civilians dealing with the enemy; mention of hope of Spain and France helping in the American independence movement; raising of companies of men for militias;commissioners gathering arms, blankets and clothing; and lastly, the formal extinguishing of the Council's power when it was no longer needed.

Minute Book (Rough Copy),
1777.
(1 volume)

{series #27. 16}

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Rough copies of the minutes of the Council of Safety. The volume contains edited notes and corrections not in official minutes. Entries span the period from October 17, 1777 through December 4, 1777, though they do not contain all of the entries made in the official recorded minutes.


Supreme Executive Council, 1777-1790


Applications for Passes,
1776-1778 & undated.
(2 boxes)

{series #27.17}

Arranged alphabetically by applicant's surname.

A record of applications submitted to the Supreme Executive Council by persons requesting permission to pass through enemy lines. The type of information recorded differs with each document. Most applications are dated with the petitioner's name and reason for request to cross into enemy territory listed. On some occasions, more information is provided such as the individual's entire name, names of other party members also making the trip, place of birth and age as well as particulars about children or the death of a spouse or family member. Pre-printed forms are also included, signed by members of the Supreme Executive Council, granting the pass, the amount paid for the pass, persons receiving the pass, the date pass was granted, and the stipulations of the pass which often involved never returning to the state, or being required to apply for a reentry pass.

Accounts and Reports,
1777-1790.
(2 boxes)

{series #27.18}

This series contains the following sub-series:

Accounts, 1781, arranged alphabetically by individual to be paid.

A record of orders given to State Treasurer, David Rittenhouse, to pay a given amount to a person named. Listed are the amounts to be paid, reason for payment, payee's name and place of residence. Each order is signed and dated by the person giving the order (usually President Joseph Reed or Vice President William Moore.) Also included are receipts, signed by the person receiving the amount, attesting that they were paid; and specifying the date, sum of money handed out and who it was paid by.

Accounts of Public Buildings and Grounds, arranged chronologically by the date person was paid.

A record of payment, ordered by the President or Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council, to various craftsmen and tradesmen for their supplies, labor, or skills used to build, repair or renovate state buildings or grounds. These projects included work on buildings, laying floors, bridge repair, building a library and courthouse, collecting wood for firewood, repairs made to clocks and ringing town bells. A ledger of accounts paid to carpenters for their work, materials, help in demolition, etc., is also present. Noted are the person's name, date of work, amount paid and a general description of the job accomplished.

Accounts of the Commissioners Appointed to Settle the Connecticut-Pennsylvania Claims, arranged by Secretary's receiving date.

A record of payment by the Supreme Executive Council to the Commissioners who worked to settle the Connecticut-Pennsylvania dispute. Payment was made to compensate agents and solicitors (lawyers) for expenses incurred traveling between states, temporary residency, daily expenses, and the procurement of documents to help with the case. Also noted are receipts given in payment for the above mentioned services. Receipts are dated, signed by payee (David Rittenhouse), list amount received and contain the recipient's signature verifying that payment was made.

Depreciation Pay Interest Reports of the Comptroller General.

A record of orders identifying persons entitled to interest due on depreciation certificates of pay. Each order names the recipient, date interest was due, the soldier's rank and company, the principle amount of the certificate and the amount of interest. Also included are lists of men who qualified for depreciation pay, amount of principle and lists of men who actually applied for it. These lists also record the name of office issuing the qualifiers, the date and the signature of parties involved.

Report of the Auditors of Accounts of the Depreciation Pay of the Pennsylvania Line

A record of M. Nicholson's audit of the depreciation pay given citizens and soldiers in keeping with the General Assembly's Act of 1781. Included is an explanation of who received payment, what was paid, where payment was received and why it was given. Nicholson's report also includes a list of persons overpaid in this distribution, place of residence and amount paid.

Appointment Book,
1777-1790.
(1 volume)

{series #27.19}

Arranged by date of appointment and county of residence.

A record of the appointments arranged in meetings, recorded in the minutes of the Supreme Executive Council. This record includes appointments of men to various positions in the state and local governments. Listings mention the person's name and date of appointment underneath the general title of office. Office appointments are listed for trustees, pilots, surveyors, commissions, trustees, inspectors, surgeon generals, justices of the peace, coroners, sheriffs, clerks, prothonotaries, justices, judges, paymasters, officers, physicians, notaries public. Also included are appointments made for the following state organizations: Supreme Executive Council, Pennsylvania Militia, Board of War, Navy Board, Court of Admiralty of the State, Land Office of Pennsylvania, Board of Property and for the dispute between Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Appointments are organized by individual county. Listings of appointments are mentioned for Philadelphia City and County, Bucks County, Lancaster County, York County, Cumberland County, Bedford County, Northumberland County, Westmoreland County, Washington County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Montgomery County, Dauphin County, Luzerne County, Huntingdon County, Allegheny County, Mifflin County, and Delaware. Empty ledger pages exist for the counties of Lycoming, Sumerset and Greene.

Also included in this record is a directory of Supreme Executive Council members, arranged alphabetically by appointee's surname, Commissioners appointed to appropriate land from the Indians, lists of members of the Supreme Executive Council and a list of the names of counties in Pennsylvania.

Appointments File: Military,
1775-1790.
(2 boxes)

{series #27.20}

Arranged alphabetically by petitioner's surname.

A record of petitions filed by persons seeking a military commission. Among the data which may be found are the petitioner's name, residence, rank, and the position sought. Information concerning the individual's experience or past military service is also frequently included.

Appointments File: Political,
1775-1790.
(5 boxes)

{series #27.21}

Arranged alphabetically by petitioner's last name.

A record of political appointments and documents pertaining to the process of appointing individuals to political positions. It contains letters addressed to the Council stating a position has been created or vacated and needs to be filled; letters suggesting qualified candidates; and letters of recommendation and character by references supporting a candidate. Letters state the date of the petition, the petitioner and sender's name (if it was sent as a reference), place of origin of the letter, the petitioner's experience, and vouchers for the petitioner's character. Also found are signed, sealed contracts signed by members of council spelling out to the people appointed the exact nature of the position. Provided is information concerning the position filled, a description of what the position will entail, mention of salary, date of appointment and signatures of Council members.

Attendance Book,
1777.
(1 volume)

{series #27. 22}

Arranged chronologically by month.

A record of attendance of members of the Supreme Executive Council in 1777. Contained within are charts listing the name of the member, and columns for the dates of each month. A lower case, script "p" denotes present members.

Bankruptcy File,
1785-1790.
(2 boxes)

{series #27.23}

Arranged alphabetically by last name and an alphabetical name listing created for reference purposes is also present.

A record that contains bonds and petitions filed with the President of the Supreme Executive Council by debtors, creditors, and the Commissions of the Bankrupt. Data found on the documents differ with each case, but usually the bankrupt person's name, occupation, and amount of debt appears. Specifics concerning the claims of creditors are occasionally noted and the amount of bond submitted is recorded.

Blotter Books (Rough Copies of Minutes),
1789-1790.
(3 volumes)

{series #27.24}

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Rough notes of minutes from the meetings of the Supreme Executive Council. Entries document events of the meetings: order of the day, mention of business put before the Council. Items pertaining to the business of the Council are also included within the volumes: letters, petitions, payment of funds for various people and groups, reports by Council Committees, orders for money, mentions of court cases, resolutions of the General Assembly, motions of the Supreme Executive Council and applications for military appointments.

Clemency File,
1775-1790 & undated.
(12 boxes)

{series #27.25}

Arranged alphabetically by surname of petitioner.

A record of individual case files that may contain diverse documents about persons seeking pardons from the President of the Supreme Executive Council, the Governor, or the Board of Pardons. Types of documents found in a case file may include summary sheets, letters, petitions, court transcripts, newspaper notices, copies of death warrants, pardon proclamations or respites. The information found in the file varies with each dossier and the time period. While one case file may merely provide a person's name and reason for being imprisoned, another may also list the incarcerated individual's occupation and particulars about his or her life and family. In a few instances, photographs of the persons are included.

Election Returns,
1776-1790 & undated.
(8 boxes)

{series #27.26}

Arranged alphabetically by county and by year within the county.

Certificates, lists of voters, precepts, returns, warrants and writs concerning elections held and results of elections held throughout Pennsylvania from 1776-1790. All papers are signed and dated, bearing official seals and containing strict instruction as to the proper methods of carrying out procedure. The documents are a representation of the process of elections in this period, who authorized the elections, who was given power to run elections, and how votes were tallied and results relayed to state government. Types of documents present in this record include: lists of voters in each county from separate polling places throughout the county; certificates certifying that returns submitted to state government were originals, who the pool of voters was comprised of and which office was in question; precepts sent from an official of the county toauthorize and command an election of a named vacated office, announce candidates and set the date and time of election; indentures that were agreements of men to assist judges and officers in general elections and to bear witness to the "legal" election of named candidates; writs of mandated direction from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to county officials to announce the resignation of an office; a commandment and authorization for elections to elect a new official (details to be decided by county officials according to official government); orders for returns of person(s) chosen and elected to go to the President of the Supreme Executive Council; petitions sent by county members to the Council to remove incompetent office holders and replace them; warrants from County officials ordering elections to be held at an agreed time, place and date, giving authority to a particular official to issue public notice of the election and to be the governing authority; and charts of election results giving data in statistical format or written out.

Engrossed Election Certificates,
1778-1787.
(1 folder)

{series #27.27}

Enlarged, stylized certificates for the election of officers of the Supreme Executive Council. Certificates show the date of election, the members elected as officers, the signatures of Council members verifying who was elected. Next to each man's signature is his personal seal set in wax.

Executive Correspondence and Petitions,
1777-1790 & undated.
(27 boxes)

{series #27.28}

Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

Executive correspondence of the Supreme Executive Council and petitions presented to Council. Most of the documents are dated, and mention of the recipient and sender, origin of letter or petition and occasionally the particular title or office of the recipient or sender, and the business of the correspondence. This series includes correspondence between members of the Supreme Executive Council as well as correspondence between members of Council and the Second Council of Safety, Continental Board of War, commanders of the Continental Army, the State Navy Board, and Continental Congress. Petitions reached the Council from various people around the state in various positions: tradesmen involved in providing supplies or services to the armies, soldiers away from home seeking protection of their property and families, and women on the homefront in need of aid, protection or supplies. Information found in this record includes but is not limited to: lists of British soldiers captured by capitulation; examinations of prisoners or witnesses in cases before the Council; returns and receipts of supplies and money exchanged; lists of men seeking commissions, extracts or requests for copies of minutes of meetings for Supreme Executive Council, General Assembly or Congress; resolutions of the Council, General Assembly or Congress; warrants made for arrest or seizure of goods, court martial sentences handed down by the Council, and prisoners of war; and proclamations made by the President of Council or the Council. Also of interest are a few letters or petitions in French, untranslated, to the Council members.

Forfeited Estates File,
1777-1790.
(4 boxes)

{series #27.29}

Arranged alphabetically by name of estate holder, or sometimes by county.

A record of estates forfeited by citizens of various counties of Pennsylvania because of their allegiance to the British crown during the Revolutionary War. Records specify the date of receipt, letter, order or notice; the area of land in question; and the county in which it was contained. Records also usually show the name and residence of the attainted individual and occasionally his occupation. Also mentioned is the detailed descriptions or drawings of boundaries of the property, an inventory of the property seized (with the date), and a record of the estate's disbursment. In cases of land sales, there is a record of who bought and sold the land, agents involved and appointment of land appraisers to deal with estates forfeited by men under verdict of the Council. Also included are petitions by citizens who were unjustly accused of treason and like offenses or in danger of losing their land to the state; and letters and drawings from agents of confiscated estates reporting forfeited lands that were resurveyed.

Letter Books,
1782-1789.
(2 volumes)

{series #27.30}

Arranged chronologically by the date of the letter. Letters are separated into two categories: incoming and outgoing letters. The dates of the series are inclusive of the two sets together. Yet, as a note, incoming correspondence stops in 1787 while outgoing correspondence continues until 1789.

Both sets of letters usually show the addressee's name and destination of the letter as well as the date of the letter, the sender and the origin of the letter.

Outgoing Correspondence, November 25, 1782-March 25, 1789.
A record of outgoing correspondence of the members of the Supreme Executive Council. Letters pertain to issues including American soldiers imprisoned on British prison ships unable to be traded and petitioning for aid from the Council; sick and wounded soldiers on hospital ships; rations to soldiers in arms; the dissolution of the Continental Army; the question of benefits for veteran soldiers; mutinous soldiers; Pennsylvania Militia recruiting instructions and oaths; men appearing as witnesses for the state of Pennsylvania in the land dispute between Connecticut and Pennsylvania; confirmation of the Virginia/Pennsylvania boundary line following their land dispute; the decision to survey and lay out lots of land and boundary lines to prevent further boundary disputes; the counties of Westmoreland and Washington wishing to become an independent state; slaves of Pennsylvania citizens; delivery of goods to New York; making peace with Indian Nations; and the treatment of Indians and reactionary measures against Indian attacks on the frontier settlements.

Incoming Correspondence, November 2, 1782-October 6, 1787.
A record of incoming correspondence to members of the Supreme Executive Council. Letters within this record pertain to issues including furnishing soldiers with medicine and supplies; illegal intercourse and traffic on the Delaware River (Dobb's Ferry); matters concerning recruitment of soldiers; bounties for enlistment; petition for passes through enemy territory; paper money circulated and printed by the Continental Congress and by act of the General Assembly; dealings with Comptroller General in regards to depreciation pay; forfeited estates; debt due by the state of Pennsylvania; forwarding documents on behalf of the state of Pennsylvania to agents on the case with Connecticut; issues and reports from the proceedings of the Wyoming Controversy; concerns of state agencies, the U.S. Congress, or other members of the council; requests for lists of banished persons from each state by Congress; collection of taxes within the State of Pennsylvania; dealing with lawbreakers' offenses, escapes, issues of race and pleas; sale of lots; account of moneys taken in or paid out; claims to unpatented lands; and surveyors' entries.

Marriage Bonds for Philadelphia County,
1784-1786.
(9 folders)

{series #27.31}

Arranged alphabetically by the surname of the groom.

Entries usually give the name and residence of the married couple, the date and amount of bond paid, and the name of any co-bonder.

Memoranda Book,
1780-1787
(1 volume)

{series #27.32}

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

A record of the memoranda written by members of the Supreme Executive Council from February 23, 1780-October 13, 1787. Entries include infomation reguarding memos of letters written; military enlistment for state militia received from various counties; commissions for officers; wages of Council members; extracted copies of laws or minutes to be sent to various people and counties; forfeited estates; prothonotaries and treasurers of different counties; and provisions. Various copies of letters include addressee's name, residence and the reason the letter was written.

Military Returns,
1777-1790.
(2 boxes)

{series #27.33}

Returns of Bucks County Associates and Non-Associates, Arranged alphabetically by borough.

A record of associates and non-associates in boroughs in Bucks County. Listed are men in various counties and days absent from company. Men are distinguished as associated or non-associated with the military. A date is occasionally included.

General Returns of the Militia (Continental Line), Not Arranged

Returns for the Pennsylvania Militia. Data provided by these records includes the date of the return of a given regiment; details including where men were from in the state, numbers and names of commanders, commissioned officers, staff and non-commissioned men in the regiment; numbers confirming how many men were present for duty, sick, on furlough or special assignment; and mention of where a given regiment would be in the field.

Militia Returns (1777-1790), Arranged by county

A record of militia returns for counties in Pennsylvania sent to the Supreme Executive Council so that commissions could be made out and statistics recorded accordingly. Information included in these records include election results for elected company officers (captains and lieutenants) which specifically mention the date of election, the officer elected and the names of the judges of the election. Ranked field officers are identified and details to their rank and county of origin provided. Men called to serve in the militia are listed with mention to the name of the company; captain commanding the company; and men included in its ranks.

Minute Books,
1777-1790.
(10 volumes)

{series #27.34}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Indexed internally, alphabetically, by subject. (The first volume is an exception as the minutes of the Supreme Executive Council are interrupted by the minutes of the Second Council of Safety. The two halves of Supreme Executive Council minutes are indexed separately

A daily record of the minutes of the meetings of the Supreme Executive Council from March 4, 1777 through December 20, 1790. Each entry records the date, day of the week and occasionally the location of the meeting. The members present at each meeting are also recorded, with an occasional mention of the office a particular member might hold. The minutes contain a record of business brought before, mentioned, discussed and resolved within council meetings. Information found within the pages of each volume pertain to the general daily business the Council had to deal with in order execute the laws of the state: letters sent or received by the Council, mention of proclamations made by Council, petitions brought before Council by officers or their families as well as ordinary citizens; money, supplies or munitions allocated by a decision by Council; returns of elected county officials or officers in the army; arrangement and commissions for Pennsylvania regiments in service to the Continental Army; appointments to political office; warrants to arrest prisoners or impress supplies; enemy movements or perceived threats due to circumstances of the enemy in the State; and various reports made in Council by members or commissioners specially appointed for committees or projects.

Minute Books (Rough Copies),
1777-1790.
(4 boxes)

{series #27.35}

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

A record of the rough copies of the minutes of the Supreme Executive Council. The rough copies differ little from their final copies. One can see that portions of text in these rough copies have been struck. As with the final copies of the minutes, each entry lists the day of the week, date and location of meeting. Only these rough copies contain the details as to the time of day a meeting was held, morning or evening, as well as the note that a meeting was adjourned until the next specified time and place.

Oaths of Allegiance,
1777-1790.
(3 folders)

{series #27.36}

Arranged chronologically by date of oath, and thereunder, alphabetically on occasion by surname of oath taker.

A record of Oaths of Allegiance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, renouncing allegiance to the British Crown or her armies. Included within this record are lists of men who took the Oath of Allegiance, listed in order by date. Also included are individual oaths, personally written or in a pre-printed form, signed, witnessed and sealed. The record also contains large charts of people who had taken the Oath of Allegiance. These charts provide information on the name of alligiance takers, their age, occupation, place of nativity, place of residence, and the names of their parents.

Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Indian Commissions,
1784-1785.
(1 volume)

{series #27.37}

Arranged chronologically by date of document.

A record of the proceedings of the Pennsylvania Indian Commissions from February 23, 1784 through January 23, 1785, and the business of the commissioners elected to work on issues concerning Indian nations and citizens of the United States. Entries are dated with the location of each meeting, Philadelphia, occasionally mentioned,and contain information pertinent to the planning of a treaty with the Indian nations of Pennsylvania, the people involved, the aims of the treaty and the policy agreed upon.

Register of Letters of Marque,
1778-1782.
(1 volume)

{series #27.38}

Arranged chronologically by date.

A record of the written authority granted private persons, by the Supreme Executive Council, to fit out an armed ship to plunder the goods of the British. Each page is set up in a chart, listing information in columns. Entries date from July 31, 1778- August 12, 1782, and some pages are incorrectly dated. Listed is information pertaining to dates of commission, name of person receiving the commission, number of carriage guns, swivels and tons on ship; number of men on ship, what commander the commissioned man was under and on what vessel he was assigned. By November 1780, columns were added dealing with the description of the captain or master, the commissioned man and a description of the lieutenant or mate.

Villefranche Map and Detail Drawings for the Defense of the Delaware River,
[ca. 1778].
(1 map, 2 drawings)

{series #27.39}

A color map of the proposed fortifications for the defense of the Delaware River drawn by Monsieur Major Jean Louis Ambroise de Genton, Chevalier de Villefranche. Villefranche was commissioned to do the map in accordance to the orders of General George Washington which directed officials to form a plan to defend the Delaware River and the city of Philadelphia from attacks by British ships. The Villefranche map is drawn on unbacked paper with the dimensions of fourty-four by sixty-seven inches; at the upper right hand courner is an extension, fourteen by eighteen inches, which picutures the south-eastern corner of Philadelphia. The larger portion of the map portrays the current of the Delaware, the islands in the Delaware and the mouth of the Schuylkill. The map portrays the layout of the River, including a part of the city of Philadelphia. The map contains written explaination, entitled Observations, written by the General Duportail, Colonel Radiere and Captain Roach, engineers detailing existing fortifications and new positions on the Delaware River to be used for defense. The map is colored detailing buildings, forests, swamps, orchards, and roads. Separate from the map are two detailed, color drawings concerning the proposed fortifications on the River. Plans are included showing the construction and purpose of proposed forts, timber work and powder magazines.


Committee of Fifty, 1777-1779


Accounts,
1777-1779.
(2 folders)

{series #27.40}

Arranged chronologically by date of receipt.

These records deal primarily with the business of the Committee which was the removal of supplies and goods from the city (primarily Philadelphia and surrounding areas) before enemy troops entered Pennsylvania. Found within the record are signed receipts saying that the Committee had complied with the order from Congress to remove goods and supplies; and one receipt specifically mentioning that one person did not receive compensation but followed through with the order. Each of these receipts are dated, signed, and give names of parties involved, and descriptions of what was handed over or delivered to the Committee.


Board of War, 1777


Accounts,
1777.
(4 folders)

{series #27.41}

Arranged chronologically by date of receipt.

A record of the receipts of the Board of War from March 14, 1777, through September 24, 1777. The receipts document money given out. Each receipt lists the name, date, amount and reason for the transaction. Also included is the location of the Board of War, in the Pennsylvania War office in Philadelphia, and a signature of a member of the board, sometimes even stating the person's position. Also included is correspondence of a private citizen requesting a settlement of accounts with the War Board.

Bonds of Marque,
1776-1777.
(1 folder)

{series #27.42}

Arranged alphabetically by the surname of Master or Captain.

A record of the contracts for men commissioned as privateers to capture British ships and cargoes for the Continental Congress. Each contract is preprinted with appropriate information filled in. This kind of information includes: date of contract, names of the privateer commissioned, name of the commander of the vessel, type of vessel, name of vessel, name of the owner of the vessel and from where he originated, what kind of guns the vessel carried, number of crew members and the penalty charge to the privateer if the contract were broken. Also contained with this record are a few handwritten applications by persons wishing to be commissioned by the Continental Congress as privateers, followed by their printed contract.

General Correspondence and Petitions,
1777.
(8 folders)

{series #27.43}


Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

These letters, receipts and notices were sent or received by members of the Board of War. Most information pertains to the functions of the Board, receipts of payment of soldiers' salary, summons of officers from home to service, summons to appear before the Board, plots and plans of the British, additional members appointed to the Board, extracts from Whig Society Meeting minutes, petitions to the Board, and recommendations to the Board.

Minute Book,
1777.
(1 volume)

{series #27.44}

Arranged chronologically by the date of each meeting.

A record of the meetings of the Board of War. The Board of War took direct orders from the Supreme Executive Council and had full authority and power to perform all things necessary related to the war in process. Each entry mentions the date, lists the names of members present, an occasional location of the meeting, and resolves or orders accomplished in each meeting. Information found in this record concerns many of the decisions of the Board of War. Specifically, one can find many entries for money paid for service or materials rendered or given to the Board and orders from Council defining the Board's purpose and powers.


Navy Board, 1777


Minute Books,
1777.
(1 volume, 1 folder)

{series #27.45}

Arranged chronologically by date of each meeting.

A record of meetings of the Navy Board. Information found within this record pertains to the Navy Board's responsibility to care for the vessels of war, armed boats, ships and fire rafts; to defend on water, to follow up on an enemy attack and to repel the enemy; to control stores of the state to make this possible as well as to keep and defend fortifications on Fort Island; to examine the Delaware River channel and to sink ships of the enemy. Minutes mention date and locations of meetings, and issues debated and resolved by the Board in meetings, such as payment of wages or reimbursement for service and materials, resolves made concerning boats and fire rafts used in defense of rivers, petitions brought before the Board and care provided for injured men.

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