About This Collection
Records of names of persons appointed to state and county offices. Information given is name of person appointed to office, office to which appointed, and date appointed. These include appointments for Secretary of Commonwealth, Deputy Secretary of Commonwealth, Dedimus Potestatem (a person who is not a judge empowered by a writ to act as a judge), Auditor General, Secretary of the Land Office, Surveyor General, Attorney General, Justice of the Supreme Court, Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas, Interpreter of Foreign Languages, Warden of the Port of Philadelphia, Quarantine Master, Health Officer, State Geologist, Clerks of Quarter Sessions and Oyer and Terminer, Road Commissioners, members of the Board of Appraisors, and Auctioneers. Records are grouped by county and office. The Department of State is headed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, whose office was established under the Constitution of 1776. Duties of the Department of State include oversight of the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation which is responsible for issuing commissions to all state appointed and elected officials, maintaining election returns, and recording and filing legislation enacted by the General Assembly.