A Guide to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Records, 1865-1872 Commonwealth, Secretary of the, Records, 1865-1872 38130

A Guide to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Records, 1865-1872

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 38130


[logo]

Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference)
Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference)
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/

© 2003 By the Library of Virginia.

Processed by: Paige Neal

Repository
Library of Virginia
Accession number
38130
Title
Records, 1865-1872
Physical Characteristics
1.7 cubic feet
Creator
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Physical Location
State Government Records Collection, Secretary of the Commonwealth (Record Group 13)
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth, Records, 1865-1872. Accession 38130, State Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

No acquisition information available.

Historical Information

The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth has evolved from early colonial times when there existed a Secretary of the Colony. Thomas Nelson held the position of the first Secretary of Virginia in 1776. Early Secretaries were elected by the public. An Act of the General Assembly in 1920 changed the election to a joint vote of the General Assembly. In a 1930 Act the duties of the Secretary were redefined with the Secretary of the Commonwealth serving as the ex officio secretary of the Governor, as custodian of many official State records, and as keeper of the Greater and Lesser Seals of the Commonwealth. The office of the Secretary has gradually acquired other functions, such as: service of out-of-state civil process; appointment and regulation of notaries public; and registration and oversight of lobbyists. The Office became a gubernational appointment subsequent to a 1958 Act of the Assembly. The Secretary of the Commonwealth is under the jurisdiction of the Governor's Office.

The Secretary is appointed by the Governor for a term of four years. The Secretary has an Executive assistant and an Assistant who is in charge of prison mail and research duties. The Chief Clerk is responsible for the Governor's Journal and extraditions and acts as general office manager. Major activities are: serving as ex officio Secretary to the Governor; serving as the keeper of the seals of the Commonwealth; compiling and publishing the annual Blue Book; commissioning and regulating notary publics, including the publication of a Notary Handbook and conduct of disciplinary hearings; promulgating the lobbying disclosure requirements, registration of lobbyst, and recording of lobbying reports; servicing the civil process of out-of-state defendants and other parties; and authenticating and certifying the records of the courts and of any state agency.

Scope and Content Information

I. General correspondence, 1865. This series includes routine correspondence addressed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, as well as correspondence addressed to Governor Pierpont and referred to the Secretary. Also includes some outgoing correspondence of Governor Pierpont. Much of the routine correspondence is in relation to appointments, resignations, pardons, elections, and state publications. Some noteworthy correspondence in this series includes: letter from Gov. Pierpont to the General Assembly re: irregularities in the conduct of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum (Jan. 10, 1865); appointment and oath of the Secretary of the Commonwealth (Apr. 1, 1865); inventory of the Executive Mansion (June 2, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont to the Board of Visitors of the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind in Staunton, Va. re: treatment of pupils by the Superintendent (June 7, 1865); letter to Gov. Pierpont from the Superintendent of the State Penitentiary (Aug. 9, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont re: revocation of authorization to pilots (Sept. 10, 1865); circular from the Secretary of the Commonwealth to county justices regarding indigent white persons in their districts (Sept. 12, 1865) - reponses from justices occur over the next several months; special report of the Superintendent of the Western Asylum (Oct. 17, 1865); copy of the charter of the Southern Union Telegraph Co. (Nov. 9, 1865); letter from U.S. Secretary of the Interior William Seward re: ratification of amendment against slavery (Nov. 18, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont to the House of Delegates re: death of Littleton W. Tazewell (Dec. 5, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont to the General Assembly re: Day of Thanksgiving (Dec. 6, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont to the General Assembly re: State Penitentiary guards (Dec. 13, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont to Maj. Gen. Terry re: protection of white citizens in southern and eastern Virginia (December 11, 1865); letter from Gov. Pierpont to Hon. Hugh McCullough, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury re: collection of taxes in Virginia (Dec. 20, 1865).

II. Qualifications, 1865. This series includes qualification documentation for various positions, including judges, commissioners of deeds, inspectors, Sheriff for the City of Richmond, Penitentiary Storekeeper, Harbor Master for the Port of Richmond, Commissioner of Wrecks for Northampton Co., and Inspector of the Public Guard.

III. Proclamations, 1865. Includes three proclamations by Gov. Pierpont: 1865 Sept. 1 re: shall the General Assembly be given power to alter or amend the third article of the Consitution of Virginia; 1865 Nov. 3 re: authorizing the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond to be held in the Capitol; 1865 Dec. 17 re: location of the Wise Co. Courthouse.

IV. Notary Public applications, recommendations and qualifications, 1865.

V. General correspondence, 1866-1872. This series contains the routine correspondence of the Secretary of the Commonwealth regarding appointments, pardons, elections, seals, notaries public and state publications.

VI. Oaths of allegiance, 1870.

VII. Articles of agreement and bonds, 1870-1871. This series includes articles of agreement and bonds for printing and for ruling and binding of state publications.

VIII. Receipts for state publications, 1871. This series consists of letters of receipt for Virginia state publications (Acts of the General Assembly, etc.) from Virginia localities and from other states.

IX. Miscellaneous records, 1865-1872 (oversize). These records include: Governor's message to the General Assembly (printed) (June 19, 1865); Demands from Governors of other states for fugitives from justice (1865); and Blank forms from other states, c. 1865-1872.

Organization

Organized into the following nine (9) series: I. General correspondence, 1865; II. Qualifications, 1865; III. Proclamations, 1876; IV. Notary Public applications, recommendations and qualifications, 1865; V. General correspondence, 1866-1871; VI. Oaths of allegiance, 1870; VII. Articles of agreement and bonds, 1870-1871; VIII. Receipts for state publications, 1871; IX. Miscellaneous records, 1865-1872.

Contents List

Series I: General correspondence, 1865

Arranged chronologically by month.

Back to Top
Series II: Qualifications, 1865

Arranged chronologically by year.

Back to Top
Series III: Proclamations, 1865

Arranged chronologically by month.

Back to Top
Series IV: Notary Public applications, recommendations and qualifications, 1865

Arranged chronologically by month.

Back to Top
Series V: General Correspondence, 1866-1871

Arranged chronologically by year.

Back to Top
Series VI: Oaths of allegiance, 1870

Arranged by year.

Back to Top
Series VII: Articles of agreement and bonds, 1870-1871

Arranged by folder title.

Back to Top
Series VIII: Receipts for state publications from localities, 1871

Arranged by folder title.

Back to Top
Series IX: Miscellaneous records, 1865-1872

Arranged by folder title.

Back to Top