Scope and Content: In the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, coroners, appointed for each county to make inquests on deaths, serve writs and precepts, and perform other often sheriff-related duties as needed, were required to post surety bond with their county’s court of general sessions of the peace as of Mar. 25, 1737, per St 1736-37, c 20 (Feb. 4, 1737).  Per St 1783, c 43 (Mar. 12, 1784) coroners of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts were directed to post bond at the county court of common pleas, lack of which would void all services rendered (this provision repealed by St 1794, c 53 (Feb. 27, 1795)).  Negligence in posting bond is reflected in subsequent legislation: Resolves 1788, May Sess, c 97 (June 20, 1788); Resolves 1788, Oct Sess, c 38 (Nov. 17, 1788), St 1800, c 25 (June 17, 1800), St 1805, c 64 (Mar. 7, 1806)–validating work by unbonded coroners; Resolves 1790, Jan Sess, c 167 (Mar. 11, 1791).  Series consists of signed, sealed bonds, with marks of county court approval.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, Massachusetts proper, then District of Maine
Notes: Holdings by county: Box 1: Barnstable, 1781-1825; Bristol, 1786-1830; Dukes, 1788-1825; Essex, 1787-1798; Middlesex, 1784-1832; Nantucket, 1784-1831; Norfolk, 1794-1827; Plymouth, 1788-1823; Suffolk, 1786-1792.  Box 2: Worcester, 1787-1829; Cumberland, 1785-1808; Hancock, 1803-1806; Kennebec, 1799-1800; Lincoln, 1792-1820; Oxford, 1805-1819; Penobscot, 1816-1819; Somerset, 1809-1819; York, 1789-1817
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