Scope and Content: The governor has been chief executive officer of Massachusetts from the chartering of the Massachusetts Bay Company in 1629 to 1774 and from 1780 to the present day. Series consists of correspondence (including but not limited to that addressed to or written by the governor or deputy or lieutenant governor, often involving the government of neighboring jurisdictions) and other public nonjudicial documents created under the provincial charter (1692-1774) and the Commonwealth (from 1780)–and a few related earlier items–not specifically identified with the General Court, the Council, or the governor acting as the Council’s head (i.e., receiving petitions or requests for reimbursement of expenses, or issuing orders, proclamations, or commissions) or otherwise dealing with treaties, truces, or submissions (also to be identified with the Council), or otherwise dealing with legislation, reimbursement of expenses, or vital records (to be identified with the General Court)
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Correspondence [Massachusetts Governor]
Papers relating to the northeastern boundary of Maine [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: The Commonwealth had a continuing interest in the United States-Great Britain dispute over the northeastern boundary of Maine, from the Revolution to the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842; to 1820, as the state of which the District of Maine formed a part; from 1820, and pursuant to St 1819, c 161, an act to provide for separation of the District of Maine as a state, as the holder of title to certain Maine public lands. Series consists of correspondence and reports relating to the dispute sent or received by the governor and others.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Formerly part of state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection
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USO Saigon sign-in register [Massachusetts Governor]
Notes: Sent to Governor Francis W. Sargent in 1973 by United Service Organizations, Inc
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Register of visitors to Massachusetts building at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: The governor and council made an appropriation for an exhibition of arts, industries, and institutions of the Commonwealth at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia (Resolves 1875, c 71). This series was created to register visitors to the Massachusetts building at the exhibition.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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New York Indian treaty files [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: Under the 1786 agreement between New York and Massachusetts settling land claims west of the Hudson River (see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Agreement between Massachusetts and New York relating to western lands, 1784-1793 ((M-Ar)31X)), the Commonwealth retained the right of preemption to purchase lands from the several Indian nations, and the obligation to supervise the sale of any of these lands should the right of preemption be transferred to third parties. After a final sale of such right of preemption in 1792, Massachusetts governors appointed a series of superintendents to observe transactions between the Indians and owners of the preemptive right. The superintendents resided in New York, and tended to their duties in pro forma fashion. Controversy in 1838 following a U.S. decision to relocate all eastern Indians and a subsequent treaty and sale of remaining Indian reservations, caused the Massachusetts governor and council to reevaluate their role in this process, and to demand equitable treatment for the New York Indians.
Arrangement: In 5 subseries: (1) Land conveyances by treaty (2) Legal instruments (3) Correspondence (4) Reports of the Indian Superintendent (5) Printed material; Arranged within each subseries chronologically
Notes: Originally maintained by the Council; by 1885 held by the state secretary
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Letters official [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as chief executive of the state, is responsible for administration of the executive departments and agencies; approval or rejection of all legislative enactments; preparation of the state budget; appointment of state officials; and coordination of affairs among federal government, state, and cities and towns. Letters official consist of letterpress copies of outgoing correspondence of the governor, chiefly from terms of John Andrew (1861-1866), relating to the administration of state government.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year
Notes: Transferred to Adjutant General’s Office at unknown date. Transferred by the office’s war records unit to State Library in 1960s and to Archives in 1981. Volumes numbered 1-417, with some irregularities. Files for 1871-1874 lacking
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Executive Department letters [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as chief executive of the state, is responsible for administration of the executive departments and agencies; approval or rejection of all legislative enactments; preparation of the state budget; appointment of state officials; and coordination of affairs among federal government, state, and cities and towns. The governor also serves as commander-in-chief of the state military. Executive Department letters consist of incoming correspondence addressed to the governor relating to the administration of state government, chiefly during terms of John Andrew (1861-1866).
Arrangement: In three subseries: (1) Letterbooks; arranged by subject, thereunder chronologically; (2) Boxed letterbooks; arranged by subject, thereunder chronologically; (3) Transcripts; arranged chronologically
Notes: Transferred to Adjutant General’s Office at unknown date. Probably arranged topically there by William Schouler, adjutant general, 1860-1866. Transferred by the office’s war records unit to State Library in 1960s and to Archives in 1981. Also known as: Executive letterbooks. Volumes numbered 1-343, with intermediate additions. Volumes numbered W13-246, with intermediate additions and gaps
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Subject files [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: The governor creates subject files to provide background information on various issues relating to the administration of state government.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by term. –thereunder alphabetically by subject
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Transition reports [Massachusetts Governor]
Scope and Content: The governor may request state agency heads to provide transition reports to facilitate the orderly transfer of responsibilities from one gubernatorial term to the next, and to assess the progress and status of state agencies.
Arrangement: Arranged by state agency
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Correspondence relating to Indian and military affairs at Machias [Massachusetts Council]
Scope and Content: The Continental Congress appointed John Allan as agent (later superintendent) of Indian affairs in the Continental Army’s Eastern Department, including New England, the St. John River region, and Nova Scotia generally (Journals, Jan. 14-15, 1777). Later that year, at the urging of Allan and others, and at the request of Congress (Journals, May 13, 1777), the State of Massachusetts Bay’s General Court authorized the raising of troops at Machias to protect settlers of its Eastern (Maine) District and appointed Allan colonel of Indian troops serving the state in the area (Resolves 1777-78, c 277, Sept. 16, 1777), and, the next day, also named him colonel of the troops just raised (c 281) –In these various federal and state posts Allan was to maintain good relations with the Indians who lived in the region to ensure their loyalty to the state and to the Revolutionary American cause, by setting up and supplying truck houses, protecting the Indians, and consulting with them to learn their concerns. The state funded Allan’s activities, expecting ultimate reimbursement from the federal government. Col. Allan wrote extensively to the Council, the General Court’s upper chamber, to gain recognition for Indian loyalty, forward intelligence on British actions, and ensure adequate supplies for the Indians and for colonial troops in the Machias region.
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