Scope and Content: Until 1861, the royal secretary (from 1691), the secretary of the colony (from 1775), or the state secretary (from 1780), served not only as the recordkeeper of Massachusetts government, but acted as the governor’s personal secretary, and, to 1780, as clerk of the Council and the legislature. Series was created to administer correspondence for the governor, lieutenant governor, and the secretary himself, as well as the Council (v. 5-7) and the General Court’s House of Representatives (v. 3-4).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Volume list: (1) 1701-1763  (2) 1755-1762 (2A–formerly 2 3/4) 1763-1773  (3) 1764-1774  (4) 1765-1773  (5) 1775-1777  (6) 1775- 1777  (7) 1776-1780  (8) 1780-1788  (9) 1780-1808  (10) 1785-1794 (11) 1790-1820  (12) 1790-1829  (13) 1825-1833  (14) 1825-1833 (15) 1833-1872
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to RS 1836, c 54 (repealed by St 1838, c 38), any inhabitant of Massachusetts who destroyed within town or district limits any wolf (St 1782, c 39) or wild cat, bear, or fox (St 1835, c 112), and who proved this to the town selectmen by burning or destroying the ears of the animal in selectmen’s presence would receive a certificate of entitlement to a sum from the local treasurer.  Certificate of such payment signed by the local treasurer was submitted to the state treasurer, who in turn applied to the governor and council for a warrant to allow reimbursement to the locality.  The state secretary documented operation of the law by maintaining lists of towns and number and type of animals destroyed there.
Arrangement: Arranged by county, thereunder alphabetically by municipality
Notes: Collated: 1837. Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 56
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Scope and Content: The British Parliament authorized the appointment of commissioners to negotiate with the Continental Congress in order to deter an alliance between the American colonies and France.  Although they did not obtain a hearing from Congress, three of them (the Earl of Carlisle, Sir Henry Clinton, William Eden) issued this document to Congress, the colonial assemblies (that of Massachusetts among them), and the general public on Oct. 3, 1778, promising pardon to those withdrawing from the rebellion by Nov. 11.
Restrictions: Access by permission of state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
Notes: In keeping with traditions established in the colonial period, the state secretary is custodian of foundation records of the Commonwealth, including this series. Printed broadside with seals of signatories. Evans 15832
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Scope and Content: Maps have been collected by the state secretary by legislative directive or on account of historical value.  Items are manuscript or printed, on various materials.
Notes: Between 1886 and 1891 all maps in the Archives collection were numbered chronologically.  Some numbered maps were stored with and described as part of existing series.  Other maps relating to existing series (e.g., boundary commissions) were physically removed from them.  These and other maps were bound between 1886 and 1891 into 69 volumes known as: Third series; oversize maps were stored loose on rollers and were known as: Numbered series.  Maps previously bound into a five-volume set entitled: Ancient plans, grants were transferred to the new volumes.  Maps acquired through 1900 were grouped in a new sequence by date, although continuing the previous numbering sequence; after 1900 maps were simply numbered as they were accessioned.  Some maps acquired after 1891 were interleaved in the original 69 volumes, but most were left unbound.  A bound volume showing the 1899 boundary line between Massachusetts and Rhode Island was marked as v. 70 at a later date, and in the 1950s several maps were put into two volumes marked v. 71 and 72.  Third series and: Numbered series were combined in 1989 to form: Maps and plans.  The practice of numbering maps accessioned as a whole or substantial part of another series was discontinued in 1986.  But generally individual maps accessioned even with private provenance may still be numbered and shelved as part of this series. Map numbering omits 3100-3999.
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Scope and Content: The Historical Records Survey was established in Massachusetts in 1936 as a part of the Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). One of many federal government-sponsored projects created to provide employment to white-collar workers during the Depression, the survey employed clerical workers and professionals to inventory unpublished records and documents in public and private archives across the nation. The Historical Records Survey was federally funded and directed until Aug.1939, when federal law required state administrative sponsorship and greater financial responsibility for the projects. The Massachusetts state secretary was sponsor with the WPA, now renamed the Work Projects Administration. Lack of funding and the need to staff war projects led to the discontinuation of the survey in 1942. –In Massachusetts, the Historical Records Survey undertook, among other projects, an inventory of early American portraits located in the state. Physical surveys, mailings, and other correspondence were used to identify and locate potential portraits, with forms or cards used to compile information. Massachusetts was initially surveyed for portraits through 1800, but eventually through 1825, by 1937. An initial two-volume catalog, American portraits, 1620-1825, found in Massachusetts (Boston, Mass. :  Historical Records Survey, 1939) (alpha by sitter) was published May 1939. Subsequent dates for data collection were eventually extended through 1860, but the planned supplementary third volume was never published. –By Aug.1937, the Massachusetts team was called to coordinate the portrait survey in other New England states and New York, to produce state checklists and catalogs, to be distributed to a limited number of major public libraries and historical societies repositories. State projects included: Connecticut (preliminary checklist, work discontinued in 1940); Maine: preliminary catalog: American portraits, 1645-1850, found in the state of Maine (Boston, Mass. : Historical Records Survey, 1941), published Nov. 1941, work on final volume  extended to 1860 in 1942; New Hampshire: preliminary check list to 1850 distributed Dec. 1941, extended to 1860 in 1942; New York: preliminary check list to 1840 as of 1942; Rhode Island: preliminary checklist distributed 1941, revisions undertaken in 1942, extended to 1835; Vermont: initial checklist to 1825, to 1860 by 1940, records returned to Vermont, Jan. 1941.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (I) Project files  (II) Survey files ; arranged within each subseries by state
Notes: The Massachusetts office was closed July 20, 1942, and materials were deposited with the Forbes Library in Northampton. Transferred to the State Library in 1972 and to the Massachusetts Archives in 1980. While in State Library custody series was microfilmed for the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution (reels 1238- 1249–see (OCoLC)86118609) –Photographs (subseries I, box 5) separated during original processing
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Arrangement: Vols. arranged by topic, thereunder generally chronologically
Restrictions: Access by permission of state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
Notes: Vols. 15, 19, 38, 94-98 each bound in two, designated: A, B. Vol. 34 bound as portfolio.  Vols. 99, 192 each bound in two.  Vols. 280-281 boxed in five
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Scope and Content: The Historical Records Survey was established in Massachusetts in 1936 under the direction of the federal government’s Works Progress Administration (WPA).  In 1939, under federal mandate requiring state sponsorship of the survey, the state secretary shared direction of it with the WPA, now renamed Work Projects Administration.  In Massachusetts the Historical Records Survey also undertook a survey of black historical records in the state.  The project focused on locating and describing relevant materials, including those dealing with abolitionism, in the Boston Public Library and to a lesser extent in other repositories, including the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Harvard College Library, the State Library, and the New Bedford Free Public Library.  Survey files were developed with the intention of publishing guides to the records; however, lack of funding and the onset of World War II led to the the termination of the survey in 1942 with no publication having been issued.  This series contains information gathered by field workers and recorded on survey forms, lists and inventories created from the data, and some administrative files relating to the survey.
Notes: Upon termination of the project in 1942, unpublished survey materials were deposited with the Forbes Library in Northampton. They were transferred to the State Library in 1972 and to the Archives in 1980
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Scope and Content: The Historical Records Survey was established in Massachusetts in 1936 under the direction of the federal government’s Works Progress Administration (WPA).  In 1939, under federal mandate requiring state sponsorship of the survey, the state secretary shared direction of it with the WPA, now renamed Work Projects Administration.  In Massachusetts the Historical Records Survey undertook a number of projects including surveys of county records, local government records, church and synagogue records, and manuscript collections.  Survey files were developed with the intention of publishing guides to the records; however, lack of funding and the onset of World War II led to the termination of the survey in 1942 with only a few publications having been issued.  Survey files include survey forms, lists of repositories, notes, draft reports, historical sketches, and related materials, interspersed with correspondence and administrative materials.
Arrangement:  In six subseries: (1) County survey files  (2) Town survey files  (3) Miscellaneous  (4) Legal research files  (5) Manuscript survey files  (6) Church survey files; arranged within each subseries alphabetically by locality
Notes: Upon termination of the project in 1942, unpublished survey materials were deposited with the Forbes Library in Northampton. They were transferred to the State Library in 1972 and to the Archives in 1980
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Scope and Content: After the settlement of Revolutionary War debts with the federal government in 1793 (see: Massachusetts. General Court. Committee for Methodizing Accounts. Disbursement books of Revolutionary War expenses, 1774-1790 ((M-Ar)2350X)), the Committee for Methodizing Accounts became responsible for fulfilling claims for military pay and other expenses charged to the government but not paid out. As claimants came forward the committee would certify and pay balances accordingly. The committee in this period consisted of John Deming, who was discharged as of July 15, 1794 per Resolves 1794, May Sess, c 36 (June 17, 1794) and was instructed to pass on the duties of certifying and paying claimants to the secretary and treasurer of the Commonwealth. –The volume records the details and certification of payment claims by Revolutionary War soldiers and officers handled by the secretary and treasurer per Resolves 1819, c 95 (Feb. 8, 1820), and contains entries up to 1824.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Cover title: Memoranda of certificates respecting balances due to officers of the American Revolutionary Army belonging to the Massachusetts line, made to the Governor & Council by the Secretary and Treasurer of the Commonwealth pursuant to a resolve of the 8th February 1820
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