Restrictions: Some restrictions apply to this series. Staff member must be present at use
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Scope and Content: To encourage domestic cultivation of hemp and manufacture of hemp products (rope, duck and other sail cloth, and twine), the Massachusetts General Court mandated per Resolves 1786, Sept Sess, c 83, that a bounty be paid by the Commonwealth to anyone raising and manufacturing products from hemp–or raising and selling hemp for manufacture–upon submission to the state treasurer of certificates from local selectmen and the local surveyor of hemp or, if none, a reputable ropemaker. The bounty was increased by Resolves 1787, Feb 1788 Sess, c 102, which also added bounties for other hemp manufactures as inspected by the commissary general. Resolves 1789, Jan 1790 Sess, c 111 continued the bounties through Dec. 1791, again raising the one on hemp. Resolves 1790, Jan 1791 Sess, c 157 appropriated the needed revenues for such bounties (see: Unsold canceled lottery tickets, 1790-1792 ((M-Ar)2263X)), which were continued through June 1793 per Resolves 1791, c 1, and through June 1794 per Resolves 1792, May Sess, c 66.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically in three groups, thereunder alphabetically by initial letter of surname
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Scope and Content: Massachusetts provided for the payment of bounties to its citizens for the killing of certain noxious animals from the earliest times until 1838. Under colonial government, legislation beginning in 1630 (Nov. 9–Mass Recs 1: 81) sporadically mandated payment of a bounty for killing of wolves (and for a few years foxes) by the affected town or the colony. The procedure begun in 1645 (May 14–Mass Recs 2: 103) provided for payment by the town and subsequent reimbursement by the colony (see also 1648 (Oct. 18–Mass Recs 2: 252, requiring producing the wolf’s head–subsequently to be buried–as proof of kill), 1653 (Aug. 30–Mass Recs 4, pt 1: 153), and 1662 (May 7–Mass Recs 4, pt 2: 42)) –Under provincial government, similar legislation (St 1693, c 6) required the town constable to cut off the wolf’s ears when providing a receipt to authorize payment of bounty by town officials. St 1694-5, c 26 provided the prescribed form of certificate (printed and distributed by the provincial treasurer) subsequently to be filed by the town with the treasurer for state reimbursement (modified by St 1720-21, c 8). There was additional provision for killing of wildcats (St 1728-29, c 9) and of bears and catamounts (St 1741-42, c 23), but these laws were of limited duration; they were renewed or revived, but not after 1756 (St 1753-54, c 15) –Under state government, similar procedures for payment of wolf bounties were revived, with wolf ears not only cut off but burnt (St 1782, c 39); bounties were later reinstituted for other noxious animals, but only at the town’s expense (St 1817, c 144), until state reimbursement was added by St 1835, c 102, for bounties on bears, wildcats, and foxes. These laws, codified as RS 1836, c 54, were repealed by St 1838, c 38, which again left financial responsibility for bounty payments with the individual towns.
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Restrictions: Some restrictions apply to this series. Staff member must be present at use
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Restrictions: Some restrictions apply to this series. Staff member must be present at use
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Restrictions: Some restrictions apply to this series. Staff member must be present at use
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Restrictions: Some restrictions apply to this series. Staff member must be present at use
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Scope and Content: HISTORICAL NOTE: The post-Revolutionary Massachusetts legislature endeavored to collect taxes levied to pay war debt and other state expenses, particularly burdening farmers in the western part of the state. Angered by foreclosures and imprisonment imposed for tax delinquency and not receiving satisfaction for grievance petitions filed with the legislature, the protesting farmers rioted and closed courthouses under the leadership of Revolutionary veteran Daniel Shays. The state militia was called out to suppress Shays’ Rebellion in Sept. 1786, in Jan. 1787 a state army was formed for the purpose, and by February the insurgents were defeated. –MILITARY PAYROLL SYSTEM: (For titles of record series cited by number only, see finding aids note below.) Payment of the various troops was by a system of rolls ((M-Ar)987X) organized and paid by the state treasurer. Rolls were written up by each military unit, validated by a local justice of the peace, then sent to the Treasury where the rolls were numbered and the information entered into a roll book ((M-Ar)2310X). The treasurer submitted a warrant for each payroll to the Governor and Council for approval to pay out the amounts listed; these approved warrants were attached to the original payroll. Each soldier wishing to collect his pay submitted an order ((M-Ar)988X, (M-Ar)2313X) to the treasurer, often through a third party, in some cases including a certificate (present series) verifying his service. The soldier or his representative then signed the roll book confirming receipt of this amount. Amounts actually paid out were entered into the treasurer’s blotter by number as part of that month’s payments. Since payees often delayed collecting their debts from the treasurer, orders for Shays’ Rebellion service were still being paid out into the 1790s. –The payment system for Shays’ Rebellion was further complicated by the death of Treasurer Thomas Ivers in April 1787. In that era each treasurer was personally responsible for state funds, so that books had to be balanced and closed out and started anew with each treasurer. Each treasurer created roll books to track new payrolls coming in, with a new numbering sequence, so that duplicate payroll numbers are often found. Many payees had not yet collected on payrolls already submitted to and warranted by Ivers (through Apr. 11, 1787). These unpaid amounts had to be identified and transferred into books of abstracts administered by Treasurer Alexander Hodgdon. Amounts remaining unpaid in 1792 were then again transferred to new treasurer Thomas Davis, whose accounts have not been located. Original organization of records was as follows: –Treasurer Ivers: (1) Old militia rolls, so-called, 1782-1787, numbered 1-276 (not presently located), were comprised primarily of Revolutionary War rolls and also those for Castle Island. Rolls 1-194 data was entered in roll book L. Rolls 195-276 data was entered in roll book M. Warrants for these rolls predate March 1787. Some were entered into Ivers’s last blotter, on Apr. 11, 1787. (2) Rebellion rolls, numbered 277-383, data entered in roll book N. These had warrants dating Mar.-Apr. 1787, also entered in blotter, Apr. 11, 1787. –Treasurer Hodgdon: (1) Rebellion rolls, 1-197, data entered in roll book A, warrants entered into blotter, Dec. 31, 1787-July 1792. (2) Rebellion rolls, 1-238 (Castle rolls included in 204-238), data entered in roll book B, warrants entered into blotter, Dec. 31, 1787-July 1792. (3) Abstract E 4-367, based on Iver’s unpaid rolls 2-367 (368-383 already paid in full), including old militia rolls (1-276, with warrants predating March 1787) as listed in roll books L and M, and unpaid rebellion rolls 277-383 as listed in roll book N; entered into blotter, Dec. 31, 1787-July 1792. (4) Abstracts based on roll books A and B, sent in later than the others. (5) Newall’s Regiment for one-month men. –In Feb. 1787, the legislature established pay rates for those involved in suppressing Shays’ Rebellion and requested that rolls be made out by officers and approved by the governor and council. Resolves 1786, Jan Sess, c 13 (Feb. 6, 1787) set rates for noncommissioned officers and privates, c 50 (Feb. 25, 1787) for officers, and c 61 (Feb. 28, 1787) for cavalry and artillery.
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Scope and Content: Resolves 1797, c 126 (Mar. 2, 1798) authorized the state treasurer of Massachusetts to sell bundles of various state currencies issued during the Revolution. Those issued by Rhode Island were redeemed by it through a certificate to pay with interest, dated June 18, 1898, but as of 1852 the certificate was still outstanding. Resolves 1852, c 56 (May 7) authorized the state treasurer to collect payment from Rhode Island and to take legal steps to enforce this payment if necessary.
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