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 lists of attorneys granted permission to practice in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In order to practice at this level, attorneys were required to have a sponsor. Information given includes names of attorney and sponsor, and date of admission. From 1903 on, either the county of residence or the place of admission of the attorney are also noted. At the end of the first volume (1742-1902) is a "List of attorneys of the Supreme Court of the Province of Pennsylvania admitted at various times previous to the Revolution," which is noted as having been copied from "Sheriff's Deed Book B," and which shows the names of the attorneys, and their dates of admission. For related records, see link below. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Please visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.

Images of a record of applications submitted to the Supreme Executive Council by persons requesting permission to pass through enemy lines. The type of information recorded differs with each document. Most applications are dated with the petitioners name and reason for request to cross into enemy territory listed. On some occasions, more information is provided such as the individuals entire name, names of other party members also making the trip, place of birth and age as well as particulars about children or the death of a spouse or family member. Pre-printed forms are also included, signed by members of the Supreme Executive Council, granting the pass, the amount paid for the pass, persons receiving the pass, the date pass was granted, and the stipulations of the pass which often involved never returning to the state, or being required to apply for a reentry pass.

Images of a record of the appointments arranged in meetings, recorded in the minutes of the Supreme Executive Council. This record includes appointments of men to various positions in the state and local governments. Listings mention the person's name and date of appointment underneath the general title of office. Office appointments are listed for trustees, pilots, surveyors, commissions, trustees, inspectors, surgeon generals, justices of the peace, coroners, sheriffs, clerks, prothonotaries, justices, judges, paymasters, officers, physicians, notaries public. Also included are appointments made for the following state organizations, Supreme Executive Council, Pennsylvania Militia, Board of War, Navy Board, Court of Admiralty of the State, Land Office of Pennsylvania, Board of Property and for the dispute between Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Appointments are organized by individual county. Listings of appointments are mentioned for Philadelphia City and County, Bucks County, Lancaster County, York County, Cumberland County, Bedford County, Northumberland County, Westmoreland County, Washington County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Montgomery County, Dauphin County, Luzerne County, Huntingdon County, Allegheny County, Mifflin County, and Delaware. Empty ledger pages exist for the counties of Lycoming, Somerset and Greene. Also included in this record is a directory of Supreme Executive Council members, arranged alphabetically by appointees surname, Commissioners appointed to appropriate land from the Indians, lists of members of the Supreme Executive Council and a list of the names of counties in Pennsylvania.

Images of a record of petitions filed by persons seeking a military commission. Among the data which may be found are the petitioners name, residence, rank, and the position sought. Information concerning the individuals experience or past military service is also frequently included.

Images of a record of attendance of members of the Supreme Executive Council in 1777. Contained within are charts listing the name of the member, and columns for the dates of each month. A lower case, script p denotes present members.

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 rough notes of minutes from the meetings of the Supreme Executive Council. Entries document events of the meetings, order of the day, mention of business put before the Council. Items pertaining to the business of the Council are also included within the volumes, letters, petitions, payment of funds for various people and groups, reports by Council Committees, orders for money, mentions of court cases, resolutions of the General Assembly, motions of the Supreme Executive Council and applications for military appointments.