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to white-collar workers during the Depression, the survey employed clerical workers and professionals to inventory unpublished records and documents in public and private archives across the nation.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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Scope and Content: Resolves 1840, c 21; 1841, c 52; 1843, c 47; 1844, c 117; 1845, c 5 and c 83; and 1847, c 81 directed the state secretary as record keeper for the Commonwealth to assemble state-owned records and to purchase or otherwise obtain those held by societies or individuals relating to military service by Massachusetts forces during the Revolutionary War; and to index them.  Resolves 1891, c 100 authorized publication under the secretary’s direction of data derived from the indexing (see below).  Series consists of records so assembled and bound, with indexes created. –Records include enlistment, descriptive, muster rolls; payrolls; receipts for pay, bounties, provisions, clothing; bonds; orders; lists of prisoners, deserters, casualties; lists of prize vessels, contents, privateers; and lists of pensioners.  Personnel include members of the Massachusetts militia, Continental Army, and naval forces.
Arrangement: Arranged by regiment or subject
Notes: Vols. 1-60 compiled by 1885 (see report cited in finding aid below). Vols. 61-62 are rolls purchased from Samuel Drake pursuant to Resolves 1893, c 33.  Vols. 63-76 compiled from 1894 from hitherto unidentified secretary’s records.  Vol. 77 and appendixes A-B listed as unnumbered vols. in 1885 report (p. 33); appendixes are transcripts from mostly unidentified records
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections.  Certain provisions of election law relating to the use of official ballots by local party caucuses were to become applicable upon acceptance by a majority vote of the caucus, held on written request of fifty voters of that party (St 1894, c 504, s 36; St 1895, c 507, s 24; St 1898, c 548, s 100; St 1907, c 560 s 113).  The 1894, 1895, and 1898 acts were to apply in any case to the city of Boston (hence the name “Boston caucus law”), and the 1895 (s 25), 1898 (s 101), and 1907 (s 113) acts provided that notice of such vote be filed with city or town clerk, state party chair, and the state secretary.  This series includes notifications to the state secretary.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 93A
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to MGLA c 42, s 10, county commissioners are authorized to grant permission for removing, covering up, or obliterating boundary markers so long as they make provision for preserving the exact location of the original boundary or mark by proper witness marks or other designation and measurement.  Full description and designation of such witness marks and monuments are recorded in the office of the town clerk of the contiguous towns and copies transmitted to the state secretary.  Notices of changes of town boundaries are the copies transmitted to the secretary, bearing the signatures of county commissioners.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder alphabetically by town
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, boxes 82, 93
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to MGLA c 42, s 2, selectmen of towns must perambulate town boundaries and locate boundary markers once every five years.  A record of the perambulation is kept permanently with the town clerk and copies are sent to the clerk and selectmen of contiguous towns.  Although not required to do so by law, selectmen of many towns also transmit notices of perambulation to the state secretary’s office to certify that perambulation has occurred.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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