Scope and Content: In pre-Revolutionary Massachusetts, the first Provincial Congress ordered a committee to inquire and report on the proper time for the province to provide a reserve of powder, ordnance, and ordnance stores (Journals, Oct. 24, 1774). The committee provided an itemized list of proposed ordnance the following day. Then the congress appointed a Committee of Supplies to work in conjunction with the Committee of Safety to provide for the reception, support, and provision of any militia that might be formed (Journals, Oct, 26, 1774). The committee continued in existence for only a few months after the resumption of the General Court in July 1775 (Resolves 1775-75, c 371 (Nov. 9, 1775)). Its work was assisted by a commissary (Journals, Feb. 11, 1775) and a quartermaster general (Journals, Committee of Safety, Apr. 30, 1775) –During the period of the second Provincial Congress, the Committee of Supplies was empowered to purchase military stores and provisions and to deposit them in suitable places for delivery to the troops by the commissary general (Journals, Apr. 29, 1775). The following day the Committee of Safety was able to report (Journals, Apr. 30, 1775) the presence of ordnance stores at Cambridge and Watertown (at Edward Richardson’s tavern, to which Capt. Waite Foster had been ordered to care for cannon and entrenching tools–Journals, Committee of Safety, Apr. 22, 1775), supply sites that amassed and delivered weaponry and accouterments to the Massachusetts army. Soon thereafter, the third congress appointed Major Nathaniel Barber ordnance storekeeper at Cambridge (Journals, June 7, 1775), succeeded by Ezekiel Cheever (Journals, June 27, 1775). Meantime, four storekeepers of officer rank were authorized (Journals, June 19, 1775). Following his July 1775 assumption of command of the Continental Army in Cambridge, George Washington reorganized Massachusetts ordnance stores and storekeepers. In August, he appointed Cheever to the position of Commissary of Artillery, later renamed Commissary of Military Stores of the Continental Army.
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Ordnance store records [Massachusetts Provincial Congress Committee of Supplies]
Minutes [Massachusetts Provincial Congress Committee of Safety]
Scope and Content: Per a resolve of Oct. 20, 1774, the first Provincial Congress established the Committee of Safety to oversee actions taken for the defense and safety of the Province of Massachusetts Bay during the Revolutionary War. The committee supervised the process of military build-up and provided for procurement and disbursement of arms, munitions, and other supplies through oversight of the Committee of Supplies. Minutes were created to record votes, orders, and resolves of the committee.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Related Catalog Records:
Records [Massachusetts Provincial Congress]
Scope and Content: Three successive provincial congresses (1774-1775) served as the government of Massachusetts in opposition to the governor and council appointed by the English Crown. Series consists of public documents relating to their affairs, as transcribed or referenced in the congresses’ journals ((M-Ar)1704X)
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Proceedings [Massachusetts Provincial Congress]
Scope and Content: Three successive provincial congresses served as the government of Massachusetts in opposition to the crown-appointed governor and council, before and during the outbreak of the Revolution. Proceedings are a daily account of their activities.
Arrangement: In three subseries: (1) Oct. 7-Dec. 10, l774 (2) Feb. 1-May 29, 1775 (3) May 31-July 19, 1775; Arranged within each subseries chronologically by date of meeting
Notes: Owned and annotated by William Lincoln, compiler of published version. Vol. 1 (Oct. 7, 1774-Apr. 15, 1775) presented by nephew William S. Lincoln to state secretary in 1889. Vol. 2 (Apr. 22-May 21, 1775) presented by Lincoln to American Antiquarian Society in 1875; transferred to Archives at request of State Archivist Richard Hale, 1971
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Annual registers of voters [Municipal Clerks]
Scope and Content: The town/city clerk maintains and distributes in printed form the annual register of voters created by the board of registrars of voters, pursuant to MGLA c 51, s 37. Based on the town street list (s 4), the annual register contains the names of all qualified voters in the town for the current year beginning Jan. 1.
Notes: Provenance unrecorded; probably presented to Archives by the New England Historic Genealogical Society after 1990
Related Catalog Records:
Blueprint 2000 final report files [Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor]
Scope and Content: The lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth serves on the Council, chairing it in the governor’s absence, and serves as acting governor as required. Other duties are performed at the governor’s discretion, including direction of the Blueprint 2000 project, created during the last term of Michael Dukakis (l987-1991) under Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy, to identify future Commonwealth problems and to propose solutions to them through analysis of data collected from a variety of citizens. Final report files include that analysis in the form of subcommittee reports, although no overall final report was produced.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by subject
Related Catalog Records:
Blueprint 2000 hearing files [Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor]
Scope and Content: The lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth serves on the Council, chairing it in the governor’s absence, and serves as acting governor as required. Other duties are performed at the governor’s discretion, including direction of the Blueprint 2000 project, created during the last term of Michael Dukakis (l987-1991) under Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy, to identify future Commonwealth problems and to propose solutions to them through analysis of data collected from a variety of citizens. Hearing files were created to collect and analyze testimony at various regional meetings.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Related Catalog Records:
Blueprint 2000 municipal questionnaires [Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor]
Scope and Content: The lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth serves on the Council, chairing it in the governor’s absence, and serves as acting governor as required. Other duties are performed at the governor’s discretion, including direction of the Blueprint 2000 project, created during the last term of Michael Dukakis (l987-1991) under Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy, to identify future Commonwealth problems and to propose solutions to them through analysis of data collected from a variety of citizens. Municipal questionnaires constitute much of this data.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by municipality
Related Catalog Records:
Blueprint 2000 administration subject files [Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor]
Scope and Content: The lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth serves on the Council, chairing it in the governor’s absence, and serves as acting governor as required. Other duties are performed at the governor’s discretion, including direction of the Blueprint 2000 project, created during the last term of Michael Dukakis (1987-1991) under Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy, to identify future Commonwealth problems and to propose solutions to them through analysis of data collected from a variety of citizens. Administration subject files were created to coordinate collection and analysis of such data by various subcommittees.
Arrangement: In five subseries: (1) Economic issues (2) Education (3) Human support (4) Physical environment; (5) Administration. Arranged within each subseries alphabetically by subject
Related Catalog Records:
Child care policy administrative files [Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor]
Scope and Content: The lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth serves on the Council, chairing it in the governor’s absence, and serves as acting governor as required. Other duties are performed at the governor’s discretion. This series was created under Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy (1987-1991) to enable the lieutenant governor to act as advocate for child care policy.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by subject
Related Catalog Records:
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