Pennsylvania State Archives Collection

Recordings of transactions made at the Pennsylvania State Store, usually on a daily basis. Information provided includes the date, types and quantities of the goods involved in the transaction, the amount of money involved and the type of payment. Images are arranged chronologically by date of transaction. This collection is part of Treasury Department which was part of the Constitution of 1776.

This collection contains collection of commissary accounts organized by individual commissioners for clothing, magazine and military stores, and issues. Images are arranged in chronological order and thereunder by individual commissary. This collection is part of the Office of the Comptroller General which was created in 1782.

Record of Executive Commissions granted by Governors to fill various public offices across the state. Information given is name of person commissioned, position to which commissioned, date of commission, term of commission, date from which commission was computed, name of the Governor, and name of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Records are arranged chronologically by date of commission. Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of person commissioned. 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.

Annual reports relating to Soldiers' Orphan Schools and their locations with regard to students, teachers, finance, education, and inspection of facilities and operations. The reports are generally consistent, providing annual statistical tables usually exhibiting orders issued, student admissions, discharges, deaths, transfers, parentage, punishments, school population (student and teachers), list of "sixteeners," and educational status. Often pictures of school buildings and students accompany the reports. Also included are inspection reports summarizing the quality of facilities, clothing, and teaching. In addition, there are principal reports discussing the general condition of the school's morality, religion, education, and facilities. For the year 1886, only the inspection report is available. Images are arranged chronologically by year, and thereunder by category or school. This collection is part of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs which is responsible for administering the Pennsylvania National Guard, and administers various programs of assistance to veterans.

List of Soldiers' Orphans Leaving School, 1883, 1886-1888, 1903 information includes: names of students discharged from orphan schools or homes, providing names of principals and locations of schools, and date of discharge. Images are arranged in volumes by year, thereunder alphabetically by orphan school, and then alphabetically by orphan home. This collection is part of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs which is responsible for administering the Pennsylvania National Guard, and administers various programs of assistance to veterans.

Indian trade accounts kept by Treasurer John Reynolds for the Commissioners of Indian Trade. Information provided in the cash summary tables is date of entry, location of trade, and amount. Information provided on individual trader accounts is date of entry, name of trader or merchant, amount on interest, and amount to Province of Pennsylvania. Trader and merchant names include Isaac Norris, Mary Coates, Margaret Coates, William Allen, John Reynalds, Mildred Roberts, Joseph Richardson, William Fisher, Thomas Willing, Joshua Howell, Rachel Pemberton, Mary Sorrell. Benedict Dorsey, Captain Nathaniel Donnell, Robert Suckniss, George Emlen, Charles Harrison, George Allen, Mary Taggart, Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Keinton, James Crampton, Josiah Davenport, Beulah Paschal, Elizabeth Paschal, Richard Wistar, Nathaniel Holland, David Franks, Sarah Hasell, Thomasina Hasell, John Benson, Joseph Fox, Joseph Galloway, James Irvine, Hannah Growden, Thomas Willing, Margarett Hyatt, Jonathan Willis, Joseph Besse, Benjamin Wallace, Ann Ohill, Henry Harrison, Mary Richardson, Elizabeth Griffitts, Thomas Clifford, Amos Strettelt, Frances West, John Bartlett, Robert Burchan, Abel Jenney, Willing and Morris, Edward Pennington, Elizabeth Warner, Anna Warner, Hannah Allen, Barbara Gheer, Benjamin Levy, Robert and Amos Strettelt, John Langdale, Joseph Brown, James Kenney, John Carson, Thomas Child, James Irvine, George Ross, Mildred Roberts, William Parr, Thomas Smaltman, Charles Williams, Henry Martin, Israel Pemberton, Colonel James Bird, Edward Creston, and Croston Sarr. Images are grouped by fort or town and arranged thereunder chronologically by date of entry. These records were created under an early government structure of Pennsylvania.

Records of commitment of prisoners to the Eastern State Penitentiary. Information provided is commitment number, name of person committed, county and court in which tried, crime of which convicted, sentence imposed, citation of indictment, and signature of the clerk of court. Images are arranged numerically by commitment number. This collection is part of the Department of Justice which administers the state correctional institutions for the Commonwealth.

Petitions for nomination of Communist Party candidates for state and federal political office and as presidential electors. Information given is name of candidate, occupation, place of nomination, and office for which nominated. Also present are names of committee members authorized to fill any vacancies and the signatures, addresses, occupations, and dates of signing for all electors. Records are arranged chronologically by year. 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.

Record books of commutations granted to inmates incarcerated at the Eastern State Penitentiary. Information given is date of reception, prisoner number, name of prisoner, age, race, place of birth, number of convictions, location of court in which sentenced, nature of crime for which convicted, date and length of sentence, amount of time expired, date of expiration by commutation, and remarks. Images are arranged chronologically by date of reception. This collection is part of the Department of Justice which administers the state correctional institutions for the Commonwealth.

Conduct ledgers which recorded points earned by inmates incarcerated at the Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon.  Information provided is ledger number, name of inmate, age, crime for which sentenced, date sentenced, date received, county where sentenced, date of which conduct report entry, sequentially assigned conduct report number, maximum marks reported, number of marks to earn consecution, losses or gains, dates of promotions or reductions, and dates of parole and discharge.