Research


New York State Governor Journals of Governors' Actions and Decisions


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
These volumes provide a chronological record tracking actions taken and decisions made by the governor. Pursuant to Laws of 1858, Chapter 64, the governor was required to record in these volumes all applications made to him for appointments, pardons, commutations of sentences, or other gubernatorial actions, and to keep on file the original documentation relating to each application.
Title:
Journals of governors' actions and decisions
Quantity:

58 cubic feet

58 volumes

Inclusive Dates:
1859-1916
Series Number:
A0607

Arrangement

Chronological by date of action or decision.

Scope and Content Note

These volumes provide a chronological record tracking actions taken and decisions made by the governor. The records were kept pursuant to Laws of 1858, Chapter 64, which required the governor to record in books all applications made to him for appointments, pardons, commutations of sentences, or other gubernatorial actions, and to keep on file the original documentation relating to each application. Each volume covers one calendar year and begins with a statement indicating that the governor was sworn in to office (when applicable), followed by a transcription of the governor's annual message to the legislature.

The volumes then list other actions and decisions of the governor as they occurred, including: appointments and nominations of civil, judicial, and military officers; names of applicants for appointments, pardons, communtations of sentences, or restoration of citizenship rights; resignations accepted by the governor; messages (transcribed or abstracted) to the Senate or Assembly, often sent as transmittal messages accompanying reports to the legislature (reports not included in these volumes); grants or refusals of extradition requests ("requisitions") from governors of other states; titles or introductory numbers of legislative bills received, signed, or vetoed, often accompanied (for vetoes) by transcriptions of the governor's veto message to the legislature; and expenditures approved.

Entries in volumes covering 1859-1906 are handwritten. Beginning in 1907, entries are typewritten.

Related Material

A0599 Extradition Requisition and Mandate Registers and Blotters

A0608 Blotters of Governors' Actions and Decisions and

A0622 Ledgers of Governors' Actions and Decisions, contain related records which are often referenced in relation to requisitions and mandates.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Series A0625, Index to Notary Appointments and Ledger of Applications for Office, partially indexes this series.

Volume list is available at the repository.

Custodial History

Volume 45 was reintegrated with this series after previously having been misfiled as Volume 1 (mislabeled as Volume 3) of series A0625 (old collection #625).

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Access Terms

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Detailed Description

Dates Contents Box

Accretion: A0607-78
1859 Governor's Actions and Decisions 1
1860 Governor's Actions and Decisions 2
1861 Governor's Actions and Decisions 3
1862 Governor's Actions and Decisions 4
1863 Governor's Actions and Decisions 5
1864 Governor's Actions and Decisions 6
1865 Governor's Actions and Decisions 7
1866 Governor's Actions and Decisions 8
1867 Governor's Actions and Decisions 9
1868 Governor's Actions and Decisions 10
1869 Governor's Actions and Decisions 11
1870 Governor's Actions and Decisions 12
1871 Governor's Actions and Decisions 13
1872 Governor's Actions and Decisions 14
1873 Governor's Actions and Decisions 15
1874 Governor's Actions and Decisions 16
1875 Governor's Actions and Decisions 17
1876 Governor's Actions and Decisions 18
1877 Governor's Actions and Decisions 19
1878 Governor's Actions and Decisions 20
1879 Governor's Actions and Decisions 21
1880 Governor's Actions and Decisions 22
1881 Governor's Actions and Decisions 23
1882 Governor's Actions and Decisions 24
1883 Governor's Actions and Decisions 25
1884 Governor's Actions and Decisions 26
1885 Governor's Actions and Decisions 27
1886 Governor's Actions and Decisions 28
1887 Governor's Actions and Decisions 29
1888 Governor's Actions and Decisions 30
1889 Governor's Actions and Decisions 31
1890 Governor's Actions and Decisions 32
1891 Governor's Actions and Decisions 33
1892 Governor's Actions and Decisions 34
1893 Governor's Actions and Decisions 34
1894 Governor's Actions and Decisions 35
1895 Governor's Actions and Decisions 35
1896 Governor's Actions and Decisions 36
1897 Governor's Actions and Decisions 36
1898 Governor's Actions and Decisions 37
1899 Governor's Actions and Decisions 37
1900 Governor's Actions and Decisions 38
1901 Governor's Actions and Decisions 38
1902 Governor's Actions and Decisions 39
1903 Governor's Actions and Decisions 39
1904 Governor's Actions and Decisions 40
1905 Governor's Actions and Decisions 41
1906 Governor's Actions and Decisions 41
1907 Governor's Actions and Decisions 42
1908 Governor's Actions and Decisions 42
1909 Governor's Actions and Decisions 43
1910 Governor's Actions and Decisions 43
1911 Governor's Actions and Decisions 44
1912 Governor's Actions and Decisions 44
1913 Governor's Actions and Decisions 45
1914 Governor's Actions and Decisions 45
1915 Governor's Actions and Decisions 46
1916 Governor's Actions and Decisions 46