Scope and Content: Middlesex County was incorporated on May 10, 1643 (Mass Recs 2:38), continuing under successive governments of Massachusetts, most recently the Commonwealth (1780), as outlined in MGLA c 34.  Administrative powers and duties previously exercised at various times under the laws of the Commonwealth by the county courts of general sessions of the peace, county courts of common pleas, and circuit courts of common pleas, were assigned to commissioners in Middlesex and other counties, per St 1827, c 77 (1828).  The government of Middlesex County in this and other respects was abolished as of the effective date of St 1997, c 48 (approved July 11, 1997)
Arrangement: In two segments: (1) Boxes A1-30–1829-1905; arranged chronologically (2) Boxes B1-71, 1906-1997;  arranged by docket number
Notes: Files also contain unnumbered items through 1908 which from 1909 are classified as: Orders ((M-Ar)2154X)
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Scope and Content: The Office of Federal State Relations and a predecessor unit under the coordinator of intergovernmental relations have been responsible for relations among the governor, federal government, cities and towns of Massachusetts, and other states.  From 1974 it was  under the administration of the lieutenant governor. Since at least 2007 the responsibility for this function has been assigned to a senior advisor on the governor’s staff.  The Washington office, which serves as the primary intermediary between state officials and the Massachusetts Congressional delegation and as liaison between the state and federal governments,  is currently called the Office of Federal State Relations for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by term, thereunder by subject
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Scope and Content: Commissioners appointed by the governor in 1837 to reduce Massachusetts common law relating to crimes and punishments to a systematic code prooduced this ms. draft criminal code in 1840.
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Scope and Content: As part of a survey of the Commonwealth commissioned by the governor in 1830 in order to prepare an accurate map of Massachusetts, geographic locations of base points were determined by calculations made from trigonometrical and astronomical measurements in the field.  Series consists of original drawings of compensating base apparatus designed by Simeon Borden in 1832 for the trigonometrical survey, of which he was in charge from 1834.
Notes: Memorandum by C.O.B. on item F57a (with accompanying transcript signed: L.H.B., Dec. 2, 1903) states that drawings were given to him by Borden, and that a full set with description was presented by Borden to the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia in 1843; in 1844 they were in possession of Prof. A.D. Bache, superintendent of the U.S. Coastal Survey, Washington. Set probably incomplete
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Scope and Content: St 1869, c 420, which established the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics (commonly known as the State Board of Health), gave the department responsibility for the public water supplies of Massachusetts under the designation of sanitary investigations.  Successive public health agencies continued this responsibility, eventually known as the Drinking Water Program, by 1914 under the State Board of Health, and by 1919, under the Dept. of Public Health, through the Division of Sanitary Engineering and the Division of Water and Sewage Laboratories, and ultimately, 1969-1975, through the Division of Environmental Health. Effective July 1975 (per St 1974, c 806), the division was transferred to the new Dept. of Environmental Quality Engineering (later Dept. of Environmental Protection) under the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.
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Scope and Content: The Experimental School for Teaching and Training Idiotic Children conducted at the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind from 1848 was incorporated by Massachusetts as the Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Youth in 1850.  It was renamed Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded in 1883 and Walter E. Fernald State School in 1925.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by client, thereunder chronologically
Restrictions: Mental retardation client information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 123B, s 17. For conditions of access consult repository
Notes: Scheduled as: Educational evaluation files
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Scope and Content: The State Board of Agriculture, established by Massachusetts in 1852, was replaced successively by the State Dept. of Agriculture in 1918 and the Dept. of Agriculture in 1919. That body was renamed the Dept. of Food and Agriculture in 1975.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections, duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.  Pursuant to MGLA c 54, s 117, upon examination by the governor and council, voting returns are replaced in their envelopes and transmitted along with a certificate of examination to the secretary’s office where they are kept as a permanent record.  Certificates of examination of voting returns, signed by the governor and council, attest that returns for presidential electors, members of Congress, state and county officials, and proposed constitutional amendments and other ballot questions from initiative or referendum petitions have been examined and accepted.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by office, county, and municipality
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections, duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.  Certificates of qualification of governor and lieutenant governor are the printed oaths of office administered by the secretary to those assuming the offices in accordance with the state constitution (Const Pt 2, C 6, Art 1). –For a listing of related commissions 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: Arranged chronologically by date of qualification
Notes: Contents: Vol. 1: 1851-1876.  Vol. 2: 1877-1957.  Vol. 3: 1959-2007.  Resignation of Gov. W.F. Weld, 1997.  Resignation of Gov. A.P. Cellucci, 2001.  Appendix: Order of ceremonies for administration of oath of office to M. Romney, K.M. Healey, and councillors, 2003, with proclamation by state secretary of qualification of M. Romney and K.M. Healey; 2007, proclamation by state secretary of qualification of D.L. Patrick, T.P. Murray
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections, duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.  Certificates of qualification of state officials are the printed oath forms signed by officials assuming constitutional offices, or seats in the Council,  Senate,  and House of Representatives of the General Court, in accordance with the state constitution (Const Pt 2, C 6, Art 1). –For a listing of related commissions 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: Arranged chronologically by year of election, thereunder by type of election (general/special), then by office, then chronologically by date of oath (may be year following election)
Notes: Files for 2008 general election lacking
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