Pennsylvania State Archives Collection

Images of a collection of the receipts of the Council of Safety from July 20, 1776 - April 16, 1777. The loose receipts in this collection contain specific information which includes the date of transaction, persons involved, the reason for the transaction and the amount of money or specific description of items exchanged. Information contained in these receipts include orders from officers for men, supplies, rations or meals, guns and ammunition, money paid to soldiers or private citizens for goods or services, inventory lists of stores and Stewards stores aboard the ship Montgomery, lists of settled accounts, reimbursement for women in private homes that gave soldiers meals, money paid to clean, mend, appraise, buy and sell guns, a gunlock factory account, money given to provide for families of militiamen, and reports by citizens of damages done to their homes when enemy military troops were quartered in their private homes during their absence. In cases where the military is mentioned, the receipt lists the purpose of the transaction as well as the name of the company, commanding officer and occasionally where that particular group of men were marching.

Images of a record of the receipts of the Board of War from March 14, 1777, through September 24, 1777. The receipts document money given out. Each receipt lists the name, date, amount and reason for the transaction. Also included is the location of the Board of War, in the Pennsylvania War office in Philadelphia, and a signature of a member of the board, sometimes even stating the persons position. Also included is correspondence of a private citizen requesting a settlement of accounts with the War Board.

Accounts, 1781, A record of orders given to State Treasurer, David Rittenhouse, to pay a given amount to a person named. Listed are the amounts to be paid, reason for payment, payees name and place of residence. Each order is signed and dated by the person giving the order (usually President Joseph Reed or Vice President William Moore.) Also included are receipts, signed by the person receiving the amount, attesting that they were paid, and specifying the date, sum of money handed out and who it was paid by. Accounts of Public Buildings and Grounds, A record of payment, ordered by the President or Vice President of the Supreme Executive Council, to various craftsmen and tradesmen for their supplies, labor, or skills used to build, repair or renovate state buildings or grounds. These projects included work on buildings, laying floors, bridge repair, building a library and courthouse, collecting wood for firewood, repairs made to clocks and ringing town bells. A ledger of accounts paid to carpenters for their work, materials, help in demolition, etc., is also present. Noted are the persons name, date of work, amount paid and a general description of the job accomplished. Accounts of the Commissioners Appointed to Settle the Connecticut-Pennsylvania Claims, A record of payment by the Supreme Executive Council to the Commissioners who worked to settle the Connecticut-Pennsylvania dispute. Payment was made to compensate agents and solicitors (lawyers) for expenses incurred traveling between states, temporary residency, daily expenses, and the procurement of documents to help with the case. Also noted are receipts given in payment for the above mentioned services. Receipts are dated, signed by payee (David Rittenhouse), list amount received and contain the recipients signature verifying that payment was made. Depreciation Pay Interest Reports of the Comptroller General, A record of orders identifying persons entitled to interest due on depreciation certificates of pay. Each order names the recipient, date interest was due, the soldiers rank and company, the principle amount of the certificate and the amount of interest. Also included are lists of men who qualified for depreciation pay, amount of principle and lists of men who actually applied for it. These lists also record the name of office issuing the qualifiers, the date and the signature of parties involved. Report of the Auditors of Accounts of the Depreciation Pay of the Pennsylvania Line, A record of M. Nicholsons audit of the depreciation pay given citizens and soldiers in keeping with the General Assemblys Act of 1781. Included is an explanation of who received payment, what was paid, where payment was received and why it was given. Nicholsons report also includes a list of persons overpaid in this distribution, place of residence and amount paid.

Images of Certificates of ship masters certifying the name of the ship master, ownership of the vessel, and certifying that no foreigners have any share in the property of the vessel. Also present are bonds to the king by the ship master and merchant attesting to the same. Information provided on the certificates is name of the ship master, type of vessel, name of vessel, where anchored, ship burthen in tons, number of any guns mounted on the vessel, number of crew members, number of crew members who were His Majesty's subjects, where the vessel was bound and also the next port after that to which bound, name of naval officer by whom surveyed, and date of certificate. The bonds to the king give the date of the bond, name of the shipmaster, name of the vessel, name of merchant providing bond, amount of the bond, and date of the bond.

Images of a record that contains bonds and petitions filed with the President of the Supreme Executive Council by debtors, creditors, and the Commissions of the Bankrupt. Data found on the documents differ with each case, but usually the bankrupt persons name, occupation, and amount of debt appears. Specifics concerning the claims of creditors are occasionally noted and the amount of bond submitted is recorded.

Images of records of Supreme Court cases in which the execution of the Court's judgment was carried out to enforce payment of debts. Information provided by the dockets includes names of plaintiff, defendant, and their attorneys; suit and court costs; and the nature of the judgment and of the action of the court to recover costs.

Images of an account of vessels arrived kept by Captain Nathaniel Falconer, Health Officer of the Port of Philadelphia. Information provided is date of arrival, description of vessel, name of vessel, name of commander, name of port from which last sailed, record of vessels visited and fee collected, and the number of passengers and servants on each vessel. Disclaimer: The Pennsylvania State Archives provides digital access to a wide variety of historical documents, some of which may be considered offensive by current standards. The Archives does not endorse views expressed in these historical collections, but presents these collections to aid in scholarly research.

Entries usually give the name and residence of the married couple, the date and amount of bond paid, and the name of any co-bonder.

Images of record books of ships piloted. Information provided is date of entry, name of vessel, name of commander, name of pilot, from whence sailed, and the number of persons on board. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.

Images of a record of the receipts of the Committee of Safety. Entries are neatly written in two ledger books with the date of receipt written at the top right hand corner of the page. Each entry states the name of the payee, amount paid, the reason the money was owed and a second signature (seemingly the person who collected the amount.) The amounts are also recorded and totaled together at the bottom of the page.