Scope and Content: To establish accurate Massachusetts town boundaries, and eventually interstate boundaries as well, beginning in 1885 the Topographical Survey Commission in conjunction with the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (but replaced in this function in 1901 by the Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners) sent out field teams to establish and describe triangulation stations and to set monuments designating boundary lines.  Additional legislation was initiated to authorize the commission to resolve problems with the state boundaries with Rhode Island (Resolves 1897, c 88), New York (Resolves 1897, c 25), and Connecticut (Resolves 1898, c 39). The Connecticut legislation (Mar. 29, 1898) specified that the commissioners were to investigate the condition of the boundary line and determine if remarking was necessary. St 1898 c 299 (Apr. 8, 1898), directed the Topographical Survey Commission to perform an inspection of all state boundary markers every five years, restoring or replacing as necessary. These working papers and reports were created to communicate findings and report progress made on the surveys.
Arrangement: Arranged by topic
Notes: Box 1: Items 1-9. Box 2: Item 10. Box 3: Item 11
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Scope and Content: The Board to Investigate the Subject of the Unemployed inquired into the subject of the unemployed in Massachusetts and measures for their relief by the Commonwealth and its municipalities.  It was to cooperate with county and municipal authorities in devising methods of distinguishing confirmed vagrants from those willing to work (St 1894, c 239, s 4).  To further its investigations in this area, the board tracked the flow of tramps lodged overnight by police in Massachusetts towns, as recorded in this series.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by month, thereunder by town
Notes: Collated 1895
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Scope and Content: The General Court established committees in 1714 and 1715 to promote resettlement of frontier towns in the Province of Maine.  This transcript records claims of persons with land titles predating 1713, made as a preliminary step to such resettlement.
Arrangement: Arranged by location, thereunder by claimant
Restrictions: Original transcripts are restricted as fragile. Access by permission of state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
Notes: Surrendered with related papers in 1724 by Clerk Samuel Phipps to Council committee on Eastern Indians. Has cover title: Eastern claims, 1674-1720.  T.p.: Copy of the ancient book of Eastern claims
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Scope and Content: The Board to Investigate the Subject of the Unemployed inquired into the subject of the unemployed in Massachusetts and measures for their relief by the Commonwealth and its municipalities.  To further its investigations the board held hearings at which private and public sector employers and union officials from throughout the state testified in response to a series of set questions regarding levels of employment/unemployment and wages/trade-union benefits paid, 1892-1894, as recorded in this series.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by hearing date
Notes: Lacks pages 222-295, 1531-1552, 1611-1688
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to St 1819, c 161, an act to provide for separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts as a state, a constitutional convention met in Portland, Oct. 11-29, 1819 and Jan. 5-7, 1820; the resulting constitution was submitted to Maine inhabitants and ratified Dec. 6, 1819.  Attested ms. copy is by Robert C. Vose, convention secretary.
Notes: Sent by convention president William King per order of Jan. 7, 1820 to Governor John Brooks.  At his request placed in Archives (state secretary’s office) by General Court per order of Feb. 4, 1820.  Formerly part of state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection, box 18
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to St 1819, c 161, an act to provide for separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts as a state, a constitutional convention met in Portland, Oct. 11-29, 1819 and Jan. 5-7, 1820.  Transcript of proceedings includes committee reports, resolutions, and orders of the convention.  Attested ms. copy is by Robert C. Vose, convention secretary.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date of meeting
Notes: Sent by convention president William King per order of Jan. 7, 1820 to Governor John Brooks.  At his request placed in Archives (state secretary’s office) by General Court per order of Feb. 4, 1820.  Formerly part of state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection, box 18
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Scope and Content: The Brunswick Convention met Sept. 30-Oct. 9, 1816, to consider separating the District of Maine from Massachusetts as a state.  Transcript of proceedings records its actions.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date of meeting
Notes: Formerly part of state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection, box 17. Cover title: A copy of the record of the Brunswick Convention
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to St 1819, c 161, an act to provide for separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts as a state, a constitutional convention met in Portland, Oct. 11-19, 1819 and Jan. 5-7, 1820; the resulting constitution was submitted to Maine inhabitants and ratified Dec. 6, 1819.  Ratification votes were tabulated under direction of a committee headed by Albion K. Parris.  Attested ms. copy of returns is by Robert C. Vose, convention secretary.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by town
Notes: Sent by convention president William King per order of Jan. 7, 1820 to Governor John Brooks.  At his request placed in Archives (state secretary’s office) by General Court per order of Feb. 4, 1820.  Formerly part of state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection, box 18
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Scope and Content: The attorney general of Massachusetts was authorized by Resolves 1930, c 4 and c 13 to make an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the pension awarded to Oliver B. Garrett as a member of the Police Department of the city of Boston (following an accident on August 2, 1927) and related matters, and to conduct public hearings thereon.  Series consists of transcripts of those hearings, including testimony and exhibits.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: As chief legal officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the attorney-general, at that time Henry C. Attwill, participated in and accrued files relating to the prosecution of Elizabeth M. Skeels, tried in 1919 for the murder of Florence M. Gay, who died of arsenical poisoning in 1917.  Skeels was acquitted.  Series contains trial transcript (Essex Superior Court Criminal Session, Judge Webster Thayer presiding), depositions, autopsy reports, and other court exhibits and filings, as well as correspondence and background materials on court cases stemming from similar circumstances.
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