Letters Patent (PA), 1814-1874, 1902-1927

About This Collection

This collection contains letters patent granted by the Governor for the creation of private corporations. Information given is the date letter patent was granted, name of the company, where company was located, and signature of the Governor. Records are arranged chronologically by date letter patent granted. 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 Corporation Bureau which monitors and maintains records on both profit and non-profit corporations and on ancillary transactions relating to such corporations.