Pennsylvania State Archives Collection

Images of the earliest surviving records of the Commonwealth including William Penn's charter from King Charles II, the earliest frames of government for the province, the deeds by which Pennsylvania lands were purchased from the American Indian tribes, copies of all of the state constitutions and Pennsylvania's copy of the federal constitution. Disclaimer: The Pennsylvania State Archives provides digital access to a wide variety of historical documents, some of which may be considered offensive by current standards.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.

Images of case files for cases brought before the Court of Admiralty in Philadelphia. Included in the files are descriptions of the proceedings, copies of the record, lists of evidence, depositions, true bills (of indictment), subpoenas, and account records of the ships in question. Information provided typically includes date of session, names of parties and ships involved, descriptions of the courtroom proceedings and case background, and the outcome of the case. Of interest may be the case of George Gibbs vs. the Brigantine "Two Friends." Gibbs' ship, the brigantine "Susanna," was seized as a prize of war by the Dutch ship "Two Friends," and included in the file are both Dutch and English copies of documents used as evidence. Also of interest may be the case of the brigantine "Betsey", which was appealed to the Pennsylvania High Court of Errors and Appeals and tried in 1795 by the Vice Admiralty Court of Bermuda. Other cases include those of the brig "Patty," the ship "L'Empreur," the ship "Elizabeth," "Shaw vs. the ship "Lethe," James Montgomery vs. James Wharton, the Commonwealth vs. Caspar Israelow, and Anderson et. al. vs. Forbes (Commander of the ship "Dolphin"). Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.

Images of reports of inquisitions conducted by a County Coroner and a twelve man panel who had viewed a body attesting to the cause of death. These inquests determined the need for criminal prosecutions, and were used as the basis for conviction at the grand jury inquest if needed. Information provided includes name of decedent; date and cause of death; date of inquest; and county in which it took place. Causes of death listed include criminal acts (assault, murder); medical problems (poison, drinking water, apoplexy, flu, burns, fits, palsey, opium overdoses, and suffocation); and accidents (drowning, being hit by falling trees and logs, sleepwalking out a window, falling from buildings, horses, ladders, and chairs, or into wells, and being run over by wagons or horses, or both). Other causes listed are suicide, natural causes, and "upon the visitation of God." Places where inquests were conducted include Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, Northampton, and Northumberland Counties, and Philadelphia. Other documents sometimes included with the inquisitions are Sheriff's Inquests and Grand Jury Inquests for Oyer and Terminer in Bucks County, death verifications, and witness depositions. 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.

Images of declarations made before the governor or deputy governor in pursuance to "an Act made in September et octavo William III Regis Entitled An Act for Preventing Frauds and Regulating Abuses in the Plantation Trade." Information provided is date of declaration, name and signature of the person making the declaration, name of vessel, name of ship master, type of vessel, tonnage of vessel, where and when vessel was constructed, name of current owner, and declaration that "no foreigner directly or indirectly hath any share or part of interest therein."

Images of transcriptions of land property conveyances, originally taken in execution upon an estate or in a suit by virtue of a writ of fieri facias and sold at public auction by writ of venditioni expinas. Information provided includes names of plaintiff, defendant, grantee, and the Sheriff involved; date of deed poll; property location, size, boundaries and names of neighbors; and date grant was received.

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. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection.

Images of official records of the arrival of foreign passengers at the port of Philadelphia that were required to be kept by captains of ships importing strangers into the province beginning in 1727. Originally, the captains were intended by the Provincial Council to record the names, occupations, and places of residence of all such passengers. Most of the so-called A Lists, however, give the names of adult male passengers only, though twenty-five captains also recorded the names of women, and children. Three captains gave the names of both men and women while omitting children and sixty-four captains also provided the ages of passengers, though this information was not required. The B Lists consist of the signatures required of the passengers to the oath of allegiance to the British Crown and a declaration of fidelity to the proprietor of the province. These were supposed to include the names of all adult male passengers but actually contain only the names of adult male passengers who were well enough on the day of the signing to appear at the courthouse. After 1739, the Clerk of Council signed the names of absent passengers. The C Lists contain the signatures of passengers who signed the Declaration of Fidelity and Abjuration that was required by the Act of May 10, 1729. This Act required all male passengers who were at least sixteen years of age to, within forty-eight hours after their arrival, take both an oath of allegiance that acknowledged the supremacy of the King and an oath of abjuration of the authority of the Pope. The abjuration declared impious and heretical that wicked Doctrine and Position that Princes Excommunicated or deprived by the Pope, or any Authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murthered (sic) by their Subjects . . . (and) that no Foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State or Potentate hath, or ought to have, any Power, Jurisdiction, Superiority, Preeminence or Authority, Ecclesiastical or Spiritual, within the Realm of Great Britain or Dominions thereunto belonging.

The petitions were originally made to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, requesting that he issue a writ of habeas corpus which would then allow the petitioner to appear before the court to inquire into the legality of his confinement. Information provided by the petitions and their accompanying writs includes names of petitioner (detainee), reason for detention (including robbery, desertion, going AWOL, and not re-enlisting after being paid to do so), filing date, and action taken by the court. Other documents filed include manumissions, paper books, memoranda, processes, enlistment papers, and witness lists. Individuals named may include those in charge of jails and workhouses, military commanders of the Revolution, and a Vice Council of France. Most of the cases represented relate either to military affairs or slave holdings. Of special interest are documents from the state of Rhode Island. A related series (RG-033-A-119) Writs of Habeas Corpus for Black Slaves and Indentured Servants, 1784-1787. Many of the writs provide such information as name of slave, place of residence, name of master, type of crime, and sometimes particulars concerning the slave's familial relationships, occupation, and purchase. Disclaimer: Not all records in this collection are digitized. Please visit the PA State Archives to see the rest of the collection. 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.