^A^^ sH.3'-:ro Y^ COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS MSSACHUSETTS ^ INDEX AND GUIDE TO \ STATE LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS 1^02-1882 Compiled by Francis X. Blouin Jr. Massachusetts State Library- George Fingold Library- State House, Boston 1972 MASSACHUSETTS STATE LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS l802-iaS2 During the nineteenth century, the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts experienced an almost complete transformation. The changes which took place during those years touched all aspects of life and segments of society within the state. The popiolation, continually increasing, became in many ways diversified. The mobility of existing population and immigra- tion produced numerous changes in the political, social and intellectual life of the state. Once dependent on agriculture and shipping, the state by 1880 was one of the most industrial- ized in the nation. The nineteenth century population experienced rapid urbanization as nximerous new cities and towns arose throughout the state and population increased in those already in existence. By the l880*s the state seemed much smaller as canals and especially the railroad provided a transportation network which latticed the entire state. One of the more active participants in this process of change was the IVIass, General Court. Though perhaps as much an observer as participant, the General Court , through consider- ation of various petitions and reports placed before it, left behind a mound of legislative documents regarding various as- pects of political, economic, and social life in 19th century Massachusetts, In all more than 15,000 separate pieces of legislation were considered during the years 1802-1882, Most of these dociiments have remained lost between the covers of the enormous volvimes in which the bills and reports are bound. Those which ultimately became acts or resolves could be easily traced, and of course all are referenced, however briefly, in the Journals of the House and Senate, But it has been difficult to locate bills by subject. 11 This index is a subject guide to all resolves, bills, reports, memorials, petitions, messages, letters and public documents formally considered before sessions of the Massa- chusetts General Court from 1^04-1^^2, The bills (general term for legislative documents) are listed by year, b branch of legislature within each subject heading. Hence, for example; 52H252 is House bill number 252 for the year 1B62 (see list of abbreviations and symbols for special cases). It is important to note that prior to IB3I, the legislature held several ses- sions per legislative year whifeh at that time went from May to May of the following year. Hence there are often several bills of the same niimber for each year. The researcher is thus advised to search a bit if the first bill consulted bears no resemblance to the subject at hand. The bills subdivide into two general categories: general bills and reports. Since the reports tend to be more informa- tive, care was taken to describe each report with some indica- tion of content, while limits of space and the nxoraber of bills prevented such attention to be given to each individual bill. Bills generally run no more than 3 pages while reports run as large as I50 pages. Some reports which originally were sub- mitted to the General Court as bills later became public docu- ments. For a list of subjects so published, see appendix I, Bills further subdivide into resolves, petitions, and occasionally, messages and memorials. Messages and memorials are noted while all numbers without special notation should be considered either resolves or petitions, I wish to acknowledge the assistance of a niimber of people in the preparation of this index. The project could not have been completed without the constant encouragement of Mr, I, Albert Matkov, State Librarian, As this index goes to press, Mr, Matkov retires from State service and it is hoped that this index will serve as an appreciation for his years of devoted service to one of the State's most distinguished libraries. 1X1 The staff of the Massachusetts State Library, both past and present, assisted in a variety of ways, particularly Mr, Michael Galvin, who indexed some of the reports, and Mr. Alan Fox, The present staff provided a pleasant and quiet atmosphere which allowed the work to proceed on schedule, Mr, Leo Flaherty of the State Archives answered many questions. Finally, Mr, Geoffrey Patterson cheerfully accepted the burden of typing a difficult manuscript. It is hoped that in some small way this index will aid scholars and histoiy buffs in the study of the history of a state about which much has been written but about which many questions still remain unanswered. Boston, Mass. Francis X. Blouin Jr, July, 1972 INDEX LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED D Bill introduced into the General Court without specific reference to House or Senate. G.C, ,. .General Court. H Mass. House of Representatives. J. P. .. .Justice of the Peace. P. D. .. .Public Document. re-. .. .Regarding or related to. S Mass. Senate. X Extra session. - No nvimber specifically designated. ? No number given. Note: A few reports are collected under one number or under no number at all. These are designated by page numbers which refer to the "B" bound copy at the Mass, State Library. Abatements; 50H124 Of Legal process, see- Legal process Abatoir Co.; 72H393 Abbott Academy (Andover); 69S57i 79H71 Abbott, Benjamin; Portrait of 7^392 Abbott, Hannah J.; 69H436 Abbott, John C. et al. ; 64S4 Abduction, Punishment for; 52H162 Abington (Town of); 47S54, 6IHIIO, 6IHIII, 75S16, g2H21 Abington Bank; 50H79 Abington Gas Light Co.; 6IH6O Abington Mutual Fire Insurance Co.; 56H264 Absence, Leave of; Report re- 62H221 Absence of Members of the General Court; 5^H62 Abstracts of Conveyances, see- Conveyances Abstracts of Registers of Deeds, see- Registers of Deeds Abstracts of Returns of Sheriffs, see- Sheriffs Academies; 27H16, 55H116, 59H261 List of; 27HI6 Reports re- State aid for; 37H44t 5IHI67 Accident Insurance Co. of Boston; 05H85 Accounts; Reports re- $0H61, 52S137 Acknowledgement of Deeds, see- Deeds Acting Assistants, see- Clerk of Courts Actions at Law; 30H2g, 35DXp.57S, 42S50, 52S56, $2S9B, 52H221, 53H56, 54H144, 55H17S, 59S135. 62H157, 62H344, 63S90, 7^Sl64, 30S34, S0H12S, aOH240, 30H241, S0H2^2, SlHll Actions against Counties, Cities and Towns; 65H264 Actions of Tort: 54H32, 6OHIO, 6OHI56, 64H273, gOH19, SIHI7I, S1H266, 31H326 See also- Personal injuries Actions, Personal; 30H22, 30H43, 30H69, 31H69, 61S153, 6SSI7S, SOS25 Acton (Town of); 75S57, S2H123 Report re- new town from; 69H72 Acts and Resolves, see- Laws and Resolves Acushnet (Town of); 6IHI6, 75H195 Acushnet Bridge; 52S71 Acushnet River: 55H?76, 57S207, 62H32 Adams (Town of); 54H109, 65H211, 69H332, 72H211, 72H223, 74H350, 77S153, 7^3172, 31S213, S1H134, S2S35, 82H124 Adams and Bennington Railroad Co. ; 46SI7 Adams and Cheshire Reservoir Co.; 69H153, 73H139 Adams, Edwin: Claims of 77S103, 77S194( report) Adams, John (President, U.S.); 27H6 Adams, .John Q. (President, U.S.); 2SH46, 4^3— Adams ^^tual Fire Insurance Co. ; 51H44 Adams Nervine Asylum; 77H63 Adams Sugar Refinery (Boston); 65H274, 70H342 Adelphic Union Society (Williams College); 27H14 Adjutant General reports of; 20D-, 24D-, 26dH, 31H3, 34H3, 3535, 3639, 3BH31, 39S9, 40312, 40H4, 40HS4, 4135, 42S11, 43315, 43H24, 43H42, 43H70, 43HS1, 44H3, 4539, 4634, 4638, 4735, 4^315, 4937, 52S10, 52H15, 53320, 54S4, 56h6, 57H10, 63H3, 64HI8, 66h8, 70H6, 71399 reports re-militia; 43314, 43336, 5338, 5536, 56S9, 5739, 66H34, 66H34, 66H389, 71399 continued Adjutant General (cont.) Reports re- Office of; 63SI4, 63S137, 63H27, 64SI65, 64S264, 64H55, 64H325, 69H309, 71H45S, 72S64, 76S151, 77S131, 77H317, 79S10S, 79S124, aiH279 Reports re- Quarter-master General; 31H5, 37S12, 37H1, 39S32, 44S7, 47H60, 4SH76, 49H2, 49H7, 49H10, 50S9, 50H7, 51Hia, 51H19 See also- Militia Administration of Criminal Law; 4SH7 Administration of Government; 33H49 Administrators; 62S52, 63SI67, 64SI9I, 69HSI, 77S123, 77H21, 77H47, 77H224, 7^S30, 7SSI64, 7^3169, 7^324^, 73H101, 7SH17b, 7SH241, 80375, 8OSI76, SOHI69, 80H203, aOH346, 81S32, 81 3270, 31H148, 82H50 Special; 59H182, 76S132, 76H345 See also- Executors, Guardians, Real Estate, Trustees, Wards Adoption of Children, see- Children and Youth Adult Blind Poor, Employment of; 49H64 Advertisements; 74H2 Defacement of; 733240 Regulations of; 51332 Aetna Mills; 64HI9 Affidavits; 63316, 7OS63 , 76H14 See also- Dispositions African Methodist Episcopal Church (Boston); 57370 African Slave Trade; 52HI58 Agawam (Tovm of); 753276, 75S294, 80379 Agawam Bridge Co.; 56H295, 61H21, 64SI58, 68H307, 68H352 Agawam River; 32320, 63HI56, 75359, 763156, a3H82, 8OHIOI Aged Indigent, Females; 72H169 Aged Women in Salem, Mass.; 56325I Agencies for Sick and Wounded Soldiers; 63H171 Agents and Inspectors; 49H149, 49H164, 53S39, 53340, 58h8 Of Public Schools; 55357 Report re- Bonds; 70H427 Aglar, Nathaniel; 71H326 Agricultural and Horticultural Societies; 5IHI46, 52HI64 Agricultural Branch Railroad Co.; 47398, 48HIO3, 56SI89, 60S37, 6ISI72, 6539, 65SI36 Extension of; 52H142, 62H231 Reports of; 5333, 5432, 5532, 5632, 5732, 67H177 Agricultural Bureau at V/ashington; 52H13 Agricultural Business; 62H356 Agricultural College, see- Mass. State Agricultural College Agricultural Experiment Station; 82S164, 82S224 Agricultural Fairs and Farmers' Clubs, Protection of; 61H38, 61H185 Agricultural School; 48S85, 50320, 50S25, 5OH88, 6ISI65 Report re- 51H13 55H207, Agricultural Societies; 28H50, 4233, 47S40, 47H20, 53S77, ^