Scope and Content: Per U.S. Const Art 1, S 2, a country-wide census is conducted every ten years. Originally the data was recorded by hand in triplicate (federal, state, and local). Series consists of Massachusetts state copies (BKS), paralleled or supplemented by microfilm copy (sets kept in the Archives reading room (RR) and with series (SER–incomplete and with some duplication)) as listed below. Maine  (as part of  Massachusetts until 1820) is included for 1790, 1800, 1810. Published censuses (with name index) for Massachusetts and Maine , 1790, available
Arrangement: Chronologically by year, thereunder by county, then by municipality; subseries interfiled by municipality or arranged numerically
Notes: Contents: 1800–Population (RR–7 reels); 1810–Population (RR–6 reels); 1820–Population (with manufacturing) (RR–9 reels); 1830– Population (free/slaves) (RR–10 reels); 1840–Population (free/slaves) (RR–11 reels) –1850–Sched. 1: Population (free) (BKS– 39 v., sched. 3-6 interfiled) (RR–43 reels) (SER–31 reels); Sched. 3: Mortality (BKS–see sched. 1)(RR–1 reel); Sched. 4: Agriculture (BKS– see sched. 1) (RR–3 reels, sched. 6 interfiled); Sched. 5: Industry (BKS–see sched. 1) (RR–1 reel) (SER–5 reels); Sched. 6: Social statistics (BKS–see sched. 1) (RR–see sched. 4) –1860–Sched. 1: Population (free only) (BKS–39 v., 2 cops v. 28-34) (RR–38 reels); Sched. 3: Mortality (BKS–v. 40) (RR–1 reel); Sched. 4: Agriculture (BKS–v. 41-42) (RR–2 reels); Sched. 5: Industry (BKS–v. 43) (RR–1 reel); Sched. 6: Social statistics (BKS–v. 44) (RR–1 reel) –1870-     Sched. 1: Population (BKS–38 v.) (RR–38 reels); Sched. 2: Mortality (BKS–v. 39) (RR–2 reels); Sched. 3: Agriculture (BKS–v. 40-41) (RR– 1 reel); Sched. 4: Industry (BKS–v. 42-43) (RR–1 reel); Sched. 5: Social statistics (BKS–v. 43) –1880–Sched. 1: Population (BKS–36 v.) (RR–39 reels) (SER–35 reels); Sched. 3: Industry (RR–5 reels) (SER– 2 reels); 1890–Population (Civil War veterans/widows) (RR–6 reels); 1900–Population (RR–67 reels); 1910–Population (RR–63 reels); 1920–Population (RR–74 reels) –Maine–1790 (RR–1 reel); 1800 (RR–3 reels); 1810 (RR–2 reels)
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Scope and Content: From 1790 to 1837, population censuses in Massachusetts were limited to those taken decennially by the federal government under constitutional provision.  Starting in 1837 the General Court authorized state decennial censuses to supplement the federal ones, for determining representation in the legislature and other purposes.  These state censuses have been conducted by authority of constitutional and statutory provisions under the auspices of the secretary of the Commonwealth.  St 1914, c 692 directed the Bureau of Statistics to undertake a decennial census of inhabitants and legal voters as required by Amendment Articles 21 and 22 of the state constitution and to make a return of the results to the secretary of the Commonwealth that would show the numbers of inhabitants and legal voters in each town and in each ward of cities in Massachusetts.  This register of final count includes total numbers of families, males, females, and veterans by ward or district; also the total number of legal voters for each county, including additions made as a result of a final count.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by municipality
Notes: Cover title: Decennial census of 1915–final population count
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Scope and Content: From 1790 to 1837, population censuses in Massachusetts were limited to those taken decennially by the federal government under constitutional provision.  Starting in 1837 the General Court authorized state decennial censuses to supplement the federal ones, for determining representation in the legislature and other purposes.  These state censuses have been conducted by authority of constitutional and statutory provisions under the auspices of the secretary of the Commonwealth.  St 1855, c 439 directed that a census of inhabitants of each city and town be taken.  The secretary provided city and town officials with printed forms to insure uniform results.  The enumeration itself was made under the officials’ authority.  Completed forms were returned to the secretary’s office and bound into the volumes comprising this register.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by municipality
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Scope and Content: From 1790 to 1837, population censuses in Massachusetts were limited to those taken decennially by the federal government under constitutional provision.  Starting in 1837 the General Court authorized state decennial censuses to supplement the federal ones, for determining representation in the legislature and other purposes.  These state censuses have been conducted by authority of constitutional and statutory provisions under the auspices of the secretary of the Commonwealth.  Amendment Articles 21 and 22 of the state constitution, ratified in 1857, changed the basis of representation in the Massachusetts legislature from inhabitants to legal voters.  The purpose of the 1865 decennial census, authorized by St 1865, c 69, was to enumerate the numbers of both legal voters and inhabitants in each city and town.  The secretary of the Commonwealth provided city and town officials with printed forms to insure uniform results.  The enumeration itself was made under the officials’ authority.  Completed forms were returned to the secretary’s office and bound into the volumes comprising this register.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by municipality
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Scope and Content: As custodian of the foundation records of Massachusetts, the state secretary was, from 1826 to 1971, responsible for engrossing on parchment acts and resolves that had been passed by the General Court to be engrossed (St 1826, c 37; St 1971, c 34).  (In 1971 the function was assumed by the General Court.)  Registers of acts and resolves received for engrossment was created to track bills to be prepared for final passage in the legislature.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date received
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Part of this responsibility is to print ballots for statewide and national elections and to publish their results.  Series was created as a listing of candidate names with municipality of residence and party affiliation for each election year.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically, thereunder by office, and then by county/district
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Scope and Content: As early as the seventeenth century, the Massachusetts legislature provided pensions to soldiers wounded or disabled while in military service. Throughout the Revolutionary War, pensions continued to be issued at the state level to members of the Continental Army, as authorized by the Continental Congress. In addition, Massachusetts also provided post-war bonuses (bounties) in the form of monetary payment or a grant of land in Maine to veterans meeting certain requirements. Because so few individuals were disabled in service or qualified for bounties, the state granted pensions or bounties to only several hundred individuals. From 1789 pensions were funded by the federal government, from 1792 new pensions were administered by it, and from 1806 veterans of state troops and militia were also eligible. From 1818, Congress expanded pension eligibility for Revolutionary War service beyond invalidism, adding thousands to the rolls. However, to qualify, veterans often needed to obtain certificates of service from the state.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date of application
Notes: Spine title: Certificates of service. –Contents: [v. 1] Applicants for pension 1832/list of pension applicants 1832, July 1832-Feb. 1833. [v. 2] Old soldiers book of certificates, Feb. 1834-Feb. 1836. [v. 3] v. 1 on spine, May 1843-Feb. 1846. [v. 4] v. 2 on spine, Feb. 1846-July 1852,. [v. 5] v. 3 on spine, July 1852-1885. Data for Feb. 1833-Feb. 1834: See Muster rolls of the Revolutionary War ((M-Ar)57X), v. 53, p. 140; data for 1836-1842 lacking
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Scope and Content: The state secretary (since 1961 through a unit currently called the Commissions Section) attests to all commissions of office signed by the governor, administering the oath of office to and/or recording the name of these and other public appointees.  Registers were created by the secretary to provide a chronological listing of commissions classified by office title, serving as partial index to: Massachusetts. Commissions Section. Register of civil commissions, 1775-1975 ((M-Ar)184X) –Subseries (1) lists agents, board members, commissioners to qualify civil officers, special commissioners, constables, coroners, court appointees, trustees, judges, inspectors, medical examiners, harbor pilots, and public warehousemen (before 1916).  Information in both subseries includes name, residence, dates of appointment and qualification, and notes on termination of appointment.
Arrangement: In two subseries: Subseries (1) Civil officers classified, 1855-1948 (8 v.) ; Subseries (2)  Public warehousemen, 1916-1937 (1 v.); Both subseries arranged at vol. level chronologically by year span, thereunder within each vol. by office –arranged by county. –then arranged  by date of appointment
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Scope and Content: The state secretary (since 1961 through a unit currently called the Commissions Section)  attests to all commissions of office signed by the governor, administering the oath of office to and/or recording the name of these and other public appointees. Resolves 1780, Oct Sess, c 58 authorized the governor and council to appoint persons empowered to administer oaths of office to public officials receiving commissions, called commissioners to qualify civil officers, dedimus justices, or, more recently, commissioners to qualify public officers. St 1829, c 125 authorized the governor to appoint commissioners residing in other states or U.S. territories to administer oaths and take depositions on behalf of the Commonwealth, and to take acknowledgment of deeds or contracts to be recorded in the Commonwealth. Such commissioners were to take oath of office before a justice of the peace, to be filed with the state secretary. St 1856, c 253 provided for appointment of such commissioners in other countries. Register was created to provide a chronological listing of these commissioners by state or country. Information in entries includes date of appointment, name, residence, date qualified, and date of expiration of appointment. –For earlier holdings and a list of related series see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Records of commissions, proclamations, pardons, and other official documents, 1713-1945 (bulk 1747-1936) ((M-Ar)161X)
Arrangement: In two subseries: Subseries (1) Commissioners in other states, 1857-1959; Subseries (2) Commissioners in other countries, 1856-1956; arranged by state, thereunder chronologically
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Scope and Content: All insolvent debtors in the Commonwealth were given the right to apply for a hearing before the county judge of probate to decide distribution of their real and personal property to creditors by St 1838, c 163.  These registers of insolvent debtors were created by the secretary of the Commonwealth from returns submitted to him monthly by judges of probate and masters in chancery, 1844-1898.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by initial of surname of debtor, thereunder by date filed with the secretary
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