Research

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of three bound volumes, which record the discharge of appointed civil officials named by the governor and the Council of Appointment. Each supersedeas contains the name of the official being discharged, position, date of appointment, date of discharge, the name of the governor authorizing the discharge and the name of either the secretary of state or his deputy. The first volume (1813-1822) concerns discharges of all civil officials, such as surrogates, clerks of the courts, justices, commissioners of excise, commissioners of deeds, and district attorneys appointed by the Council of Appointment.

The second volume (1843-1856) concerns only discharges of commissioners of deeds in other states. The third volume (1858-1881) concerns discharges of all civil officials by the governor. The supersedeas were compiled as a result of Chapter 12 of the Laws of 1778, which named the secretary of state clerk to the Council of Appointment and mandated him to keep a record of the Council's transactions.