Genealogical And Biographical Research: A Select Catalog Of National Archives Microfilm Publications (Part 1) National Archives Trust Fund Board

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1:

Foreword

Introduction

The National Archives Microfilm Publication Program

Types of Microfilm Publications
Catalogs of Microfilm Publications
Microfilm Prices
Microfilm Specifications

Research Rooms

Land Records

Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group 49

Military Bounty Land Warrants
Donation Land Claims
Other Records
Private Land Claims Files

Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21

Court Cases Relating to Private Land Claims

Records of the Veterans Administration, Record Group 15

Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
Civilian Government Employees

General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59

Applications and Recommendations
Other State Department Records Relating to Appointments

General Records of the Department of Justice, Record Group 60

Records Relating to the Apointment of Federal Judges, Attorneys, and Marshals

Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, Record Group 48

Appointment Papers

Records of the Post Office Department, Record Group 28

PART 2:

Table of Contents

"Old Loan" and Tax Records

Records of the Bureau of the Public Debt, Record Group 53

Continental Loan Office Records
Other "Old Loan" Records

Records of the Internal Revenue Service, Record Group 58

Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1826-1874
(Alabama-North Carolina)

PART 3:

Table of Contents

"Old Loan" and Tax Records (cont.)

Records of the Internal Revenue Service, Record Group 58 (cont.)

Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1826-1874 (cont.)
(Pennsylvania-West Virginia)

Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 217

Southern Civilians

War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109

PART 4:

Table of Contents

Southern Civilians (cont.)

Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780's-1917, Record Group 94

Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21

General Records of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 56

Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92

District of Columbia Residents

Records of the Government of the District of Columbia, Record Group 351

Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21

Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 217

Other Governments

Records of the Spanish Governors of Puerto Rico, Record Group 186

Amnesties and Pardons

Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780's-1917, Record Group 94

General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59

Naturalizations

Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21

Aliens Residing in the United States

General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59

Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85

Attorneys

Records of the Supreme Court of the United States, Record Group 267

FOREWORD

The National Archives and Records Administration is responsible for administering the permanently valuable, noncurrent records of the federal government. The holdings of the National Archives now amount to more than 1.7 million cubic feet. They date from the First Continental Congress and consist of the basic records of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. The Presidential libraries of Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan and the Presidential projects of Richard M. Nixon and George Bush contain the papers of those Presidents and many of their associates in office. These research resources document significant events in our nation's history, but most of them are preserved for continuing practical use in the ordinary processes of government; for the protection of individual rights; and for the research use of scholars, students, and other individual researchers.

INTRODUCTION

This catalog lists records published on microfilm by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) that are useful for genealogical and biographical research. Extensive searches were made of available microfilm publications to select those that contain the most valuable information about individuals. The records described here include such standard genealogical records as Revolutionary War pensions and bounty land warrants. Most of this catalog, however, details less well-known sources, such as land records, civilian government employees' records, and amnesties and pardons. Other microfilm records commonly used for genealogical research are described in the companion catalogs listed below.

The publications described in this catalog are arranged by topic. For each publication, a brief description of the records and the type of information they contain is provided. The contents of each roll of film are listed; however, where the publication titles are self-explanatory and the publication consists of a single roll, the description and roll listing may have been omitted. For a few microfilm publications containing many rolls, only those rolls identified as containing information of a biographical or genealogical nature are listed.

Researchers should also be aware that three important limitations face genealogists doing research at the National Archives. First, the colonial period is not documented; few records predate the Revolutionary War. Also, in the 19th century, the government did not touch the lives of individual Americans to the extent that it does today.

The second limitation arises from the nature of archives. Records are arranged to reflect their original purpose, usually just as they were kept by the agency that created them. It is not possible to rearrange them in ways that might be more helpful to genealogists.

Third, NARA keeps only federal records. Births, marriages, and deaths have not been primary concerns of the federal government. These records are best found in family, local, and state records.

The records listed in this catalog are from the following record groups:

This catalog was compiled by Cynthia G. Fox and edited by Constance Potter and Katherine V. Coram.

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES MICROFILM PUBLICATION PROGRAM

Since 1940 the National Archives has been microfilming selected groups of federal records that have high research value. Under this program, negative microfilm is retained by the National Archives and positive prints are made from these master negatives and sold at moderate prices. The chief purposes of the program are to make archival sources more easily accessible to libraries, research centers, and individuals and to ensure against loss of valuable information should the original records be destroyed. In this way, microfilm publications are a partial answer to the researcher's need for more extensive publication of archival materials because they provide a relatively inexpensive method by which he or she can obtain facsimile reproductions of entire series of documents.

Although the microfilm publication program is one of the oldest continuing programs of the National Archives, it was not firmly established financially until 1948, when a grant of $20,000 from the Rockefeller Foundation provided for accelerated production of microfilm and ensured the continuation of the program through the establishment of a revolving fund. By 1995, more than 265,000 rolls of master negative microfilm had been produced.

National Archives microfilm publications now provide basic documentation for research in the fields of American, European, Far Eastern, African, and Latin American history as well as in local history and genealogy. They are also valuable for work in other fields, such as economics, public administration, political science, law, and ethnology. As the program has developed, more emphasis has been placed on microfilming groups of records that are directly related to one another, as in the case of records relating to the same general subject or to a specific geographic area. In this way researchers can obtain reasonably complete documentation in many fields of interest. For example, a number of microfilm publications document diplomatic, consular, and naval relations between the United States and the Far Eastern countries of China, Japan, and Korea from the late 18th century. Similarly, almost complete coverage of relations between the United States and other countries throughout the world is provided. Microfilm publications have also been produced concerning the administration of affairs in individual territories of the United States.

Types of Microfilm Publications

National Archives microfilm publications are divided into two series, identified by "M" numbers and "T" numbers. In general, records selected for filming as "M" publications have high research value for a variety of studies, and the ratio of research value to volume is high. Usually each publication reproduces an entire series of records. Most "M" publications include explanatory material prepared by archivists to help researchers glean information from the filmed records more easily. "M" publications usually have an introduction that describes the origin, content, and arrangement of the filmed records and lists related records. Some introductions also include special aids, such as indexes and registers.

Descriptive pamphlets (DPs) are available for many "M" publications. Each pamphlet contains the publication's introduction (including special lists or indexes prepared to simplify the use of the microfilm publication) and a table of contents that identifies the material contained on each roll. "M" publications that have descriptive pamphlets are indicated in this catalog by the symbol "DP" at the end of a publication title. The pamphlets are made available on request to prospective purchasers so they can evaluate more thoroughly the value of the publication's contents for their research.

"T" publications, unlike "M" publications, do not usually reproduce a complete series of records; that is, they may contain only segments, by date or subject, of a larger series. In many cases, "T" publications were produced in response to specific reference requests. Also, over the years the National Archives has accessioned as record material microfilm produced by other federal agencies. Some of this film, when it is not defense classified and is deemed of sufficient research value, is reproduced and made available for sale as "T" publications. These publications are reproduced and sold exactly as they were filmed; they contain no introductions, nor are descriptive pamphlets available for them. All of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) records described in this catalog are "T" publications that were filmed by and accessioned from the INS.

Catalogs of Microfilm Publications

This catalog is one in a series describing National Archives microfilm publications related to subjects of high research interest. Each catalog was compiled through an extensive review of all microfilmed records to locate publications relevant to each topic. The catalogs contain both detailed descriptions of the records and roll-by-roll listings for each publication.

The current catalogs in the series cover the following topics:

• American Indians
• Black Studies
• The 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, and 1920 Federal Population Censuses
• Diplomatic Records
• Federal Court Records
• Genealogical and Biographical Research
• Immigrant and Passenger Arrivals Military Service Records

In addition, the National Archives has prepared a comprehensive catalog, _Microfilm Resources for Research,_ that lists microfilm publications by record group. These catalogs are currently, or soon will be, available through the National Archives gopher. Printed versions of these catalogs can also be ordered. For information about fees and the ordering of these catalogs, please write to

Publications and Distribution (NECD)
National Archives
Room G9
Seventh and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20808

or call toll free 866-272-6272. If you live in the Washington, DC, area, please call 202-501-7190.

Microfilm Prices

All microfilm publications of National Archives records are for sale. You can buy either individual rolls or a complete set. The prices as of May 15, 1996, are $34 a roll for domestic orders ($39 a roll for foreign orders) for positive film copies. These prices are subject to change without advance notice. Shipping is included in these prices.

A check or money order made payable to the National Archives Trust Fund must accompany each order. Orders may also be charged to VISA or MasterCard accounts. Government agencies, educational institutions, and businesses may purchase microfilm on an accounts-receivable basis but must submit purchase orders.

you are not buying a complete set, also state the specific roll number(s) you wish to purchase.

If you need more information on how to order, details of specific shipping charges, or help identifying which rolls of a publication you wish to purchase, please contact Publications and Distribution (NECD), National Archives, Room G9, Seventh and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408.

Microfilm Specifications

All microfilm sold through the National Archives microfilm publications program is silver-halide positive microfilm. Rolls are 35mm or 16mm reel microfilm on plastic reels. Reduction ratios range from 12.1 to 20.1; the number of frames on each reel varies.

RESEARCH ROOMS

Chart of Research Rooms

LAND RECORDS

Much of the present-day United States was once a part of the public domain--land owned by the federal government and subject to sale or other transfer of ownership under laws passed by Congress. The records of transactions whereby the government transferred land to individuals either by sale or by grant are called "land-entry papers"; the documents that guarantee title to such land are called "patents."

The United States has used the public domain for several purposes. During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress promised bounty land to individuals as an inducement to enter and remain in military service. After the Revolution and following several other conflicts between 1812 and 1855, the federal government issued bounty land warrants to veterans and their heirs as a reward for military service. It also used the promise of free or inexpensive land as a means of encouraging settlement or development of a particular area. Early settlers in a region not yet opened for public sale were often allowed to exercise rights of preemption when the land was later made available. They did so by submitting affidavits and claims showing that they had built a permanent structure or made other required improvements to their preempted tracts as well as proof that they had occupied the tract for a certain period.

Before the Civil War, the government gave land to persons who would make their homes in Florida, Oregon, and Washington State because settlement was a way to confirm a claim to the territory when ownership was disputed by another nation. These grants were known as "donation entries" since individuals received the land free of charge. The government made other land grants to ensure that land would be used for specific purposes, such as timber culture or to help finance the extension of transportation facilities westward.

The earliest claims to land in the United States came in the form of "private claims." These claims asserted a right to ownership of a particular tract based on a grant, purchase, or settlement that took place before the United States acquired sovereignty over the land. Much of the land in what is now the United States was granted or settled between 1685 and 1853, while it was under the rule of France, Great Britain, Mexico, or Spain. Whenever the United States acquired land from a foreign government, it established a board of commissioners or some other agency to adjudicate private land claims. Because these agencies rarely completed their work, the claims were often referred to other agencies, such as the district office of the General Land Office or the United States district courts.

The land records held by the National Archives are found primarily in Record Group 49, the Records of the Bureau of Land Management (which succeeded to the duties of the old General Land Office), or Record Group 21, the Records of District Courts of the United States, because the circuit and district courts were often responsible for the final adjudication of private land claims.

Researchers particularly interested in land records from either of these record groups may wish to visit either the National Archives in Washington, DC, or one of the regional archives listed above since relatively little of this material has been microfilmed. Researchers should also be aware that many state archives or similar agencies have custody of land records that substantially duplicate the information found in the federal records. Records for states that were never part of the public domain--the 13 original states, Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii--are also maintained by state or local officials rather than by the federal government.

Records of the Bureau of Land Management (Record Group 49)
Military Bounty Land Warrants

Military bounty land warrants were certificates issued to eligible veterans giving them the rights to free land in the public domain. Applications for warrants were processed by a succession of administrative units of the War Department until 1849. In 1841 the Secretary of War placed the responsibility for bounty land matters with the Pension Office, which was transferred in 1840 from the War Department to the newly created Department of the Interior. A warrant was redeemable at any local office of the General Land Office, the agency that was responsible for the disposition of public lands.

Most veterans sold their bounty land warrants. In such cases, the land-entry papers document the land entry by the purchaser rather than by the veteran and his family. For the bounty land applications filed by veterans, see the section on Records of the Veterans Administration below.

U.S. Revolutionary War Bounty Land Warrants Used in the U.S. Military District of Ohio and Related Papers (Acts of 1788, 1803, 1806). M829. 16 rolls. DP.

This microfilm publication reproduces U.S. Revolutionary War bounty land warrants, dated 1789-1833, and related papers dated as late as 1880.

Register of Army Land Warrants Issued Under the Act of 1788, for Service in the Revolutionary War: Military District of Ohio. T1008. 1 roll.

War of 1812 Military Bounty Land Warrants, 1815-1858. M848. 14 rolls. DP.

This microfilm publication reproduces 105 bound volumes containing two series of military bounty land warrants issued between 1815 and 1858 to veterans of the War of 1812 and four volumes of indexes to the warrants.

Donation Land Claims

The donation entry files concern land given away in return for certain conditions of settlement. Under the terms of an act of Congress of 1850, certain white settlers and mixed-blood Indians in the Oregon Territory (which then included Washington) and certain settlers arriving there between December 1, 1850, and December 1, 1853, were entitled to land. The area granted depended upon the marital status of the settler and the date of settlement and varied from 160 to 640 acres. Settlers were required to live on the land and cultivate it for 4 years.

The first two publications described below, "Abstracts of Donation Land Claims," contain registers that fully identify each claim by name of claimant, land office, and the certificate number. The registers can be used to locate files on the third publication, M815, "Oregon and Washington Donation Land Files."

Documents for the completed land entry in the land files themselves include the notification of settlement, which describes the land either by legal description (range, township, section, and fraction of section) or by natural features (metes and bounds), sometimes accompanied by a plat; an affidavit of settlement, which may include date and place of birth and, if applicable, marriage; proof of cultivation; an oath that the land had been used for cultivation only; for naturalized persons, proof of citizenship (not filmed on M815, however); and the donation certificate, which shows name of entryman, place of residence, description of land, date of patent (document guaranteeing title), and volume and page number of the recorded patent in the National Archives.

Abstracts of Oregon Donation Land Claims, 1852-1903. M145. 6 rolls. DP.

The records reproduced in this publication consist of a 12- volume series in which the General Land Office abstracted the basic facts concerning claims to "donation" land in Oregon, 1852-1903. An alphabetical index to this series, identified as volume 13, has been filmed at the front of roll 1 of this microcopy.

Abstracts of Washington Donation Land Claims, 1855-1902. M203. 1 roll. DP.

The records reproduced in this publication consist of a 3- volume series in which the General Land Office abstracted the basic facts concerning claims to "donation" land in Washington Territory and Washington State, 1855-1902. An alphabetical index to this series, identified as volume 4, has been filmed at the beginning of the roll.

Oregon and Washington Donation Land Files, 1851-1903. M815. 108 rolls. DP.

This microfilm publication reproduces unbound papers executed for Oregon and Washington donation land claims, 1851-1903. The inclusive dates have been derived from the dates of the first notification and the last donation certificate. Occasionally, some of the correspondence relating to donation lands is dated as late as 1967.

The donation claims files are arranged alphabetically by name of state and thereunder by name of land office. For each office there is a main series for approved claims, arranged by final certificate number. There are some variations in the arrangement of records. Sometimes there are separate series for canceled claims, arranged by final certificate or by notification number. There are wide gaps in the sequence of numbers in the canceled donation claims series because many of the numbers were assigned to approved donation claims.

Documents within the files are arranged as nearly as possible in the order in which they were maintained by the clerks in the land offices. A few patented claims filmed at the beginning of the series of patented donation claims maintained by the Oregon City land office are in a slightly different order. The records for a typical donation claim are filmed as follows: the endorsement on the outer page, followed by the final certificate, the notification, and the other documents in chronological order. For the files not having final certificates, the notations on the outer page have been filmed first, followed by the notification and other documents. For canceled or rejected claims, some documents may not be present, especially the final certificate.

Other Records

List of North Carolina Land Grants in Tennessee, 1778-1791. M68. 1 roll. DP.

The volume reproduced on the single roll of this microfilm publication was prepared in the Office of the Secretary of State of North Carolina in 1791 and submitted the same year to Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State of the United States.

There are five parts to the report, each made up of a list arranged by grant number with six columns giving the following information: number of grants, name of grantee, number of acres, year the grant was made, county in which the land was located, and position of the land, usually indicated by reference to the watercourse on which it was situated. The volume is not indexed.

Lands in North Carolina and Tennessee were never part of the federal public domain; therefore, the General Land Office had no jurisdiction over land transactions in those states.

Private Land Claims Case Files

Private land claims case files concern ownership of a particular tract based on a grant, purchase, or settlement that took place before the United States acquired sovereignty over the land. Types of records include correspondence, reports, maps and plats, petitions, affidavits, transcripts of court decisions, and deeds and abstracts of title. Because proof of title was required, wills, deeds, marriage certificates, and assignments may be found among these records. These records are usually certified copies of original documents. Most of the records were created during the adjudication of claims by agencies of the United States. They do not include the original grant or other documents of the previous government, except perhaps some copies in translation. The records are arranged by docket number with indexes.

Genealogical information in the claims varies. Some claims mention only the name of the claimant and the location of the land. Other claims include such additional information about the claimant as place of residence at the time the claim was made and the names of relatives, both living and dead. Often there is more information about heirs than about the original claimant.

The private land claims case files, particularly those for California, can be difficult to use. Researchers interested in California records often find it helpful to begin with the Spanish Archives at the California State Archives in Sacramento.

Records of District Courts of the United States (Record Group 21)

Court Cases Relating to Private Land Claims

These records document court cases relating to private land claims. They may include information from General Land Office docketed case files as well as records relating to the proceedings of cases in the U.S. district courts.

Index to Private Land Grant Cases, U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1853-1903. T1214. 1 roll.

Index to Private Land Grant Cases, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California. T1215. 1 roll.

Index by County to Private Land Grant Cases, U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of California. T1216. 1 roll.

Private Land Grant Case Files in the Circuit Court of the Northern District of California, 1852-1910. T1207. 28 rolls.

Land Claims Case Files and Related Records, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1844-1880. M1115. 16 rolls.

Records of the Veterans Administration (Record Group 15)

Bounty Land Warrant Application Files

A bounty land warrant application file contains the documents relating to claims for bounty land: an application by the veteran or his widow for a warrant, sometimes a discharge certificate submitted by the veteran or his heirs as evidence of service, and a jacket showing whether the claim was approved or disapproved. Selected Records From Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900. M805. 898 rolls. DP. This publication reproduces records of interest to genealogists selected from 80,000 pension and bounty land warrant application files based on the participation of American military, naval, and marine officers and enlisted men in the Revolutionary War. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900. M804. 2,670 rolls. DP. This microfilm publication reproduces in their entirety 80,000 pension and bounty land warrant application files based on the participation of American military, naval, and marine officers and enlisted men in the Revolutionary War. These two extensive publications are described in detail in Descriptive Pamphlets M804 and M805, which may be obtained on request from Publications and Distribution (NECD), National Archives, Room G9, Seventh and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408, or by calling 1-866-272-6272. If you live in the Washington, DC, area, please call 202-501-7190.

CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

The National Archives has microfilmed records from many record groups relating to civilian employees of the executive and judicial branches of the federal government. The types and dates of records vary from agency to agency. They include letters of application, recommendation or endorsement, and acceptance; registers of appointments; and letters of resignation.

Most records relating to civilian employees give the full name, position held, agency, place, and dates of employment. Some also show state, territory, or county of birth; age; place from which appointed; and salary. Letters of application and recommendation may include a considerable amount of biographical information about the applicant, such as education, employment history, military service, political activity, and name of a relative. The amount of material in the files varies; it can be voluminous if the position sought was an important one.

Microfilmed letters of application and recommendation and other records of the State Department, appointment files and other records of the Justice Department, appointment records of postmasters, and Interior Department appointment papers are described in this section.

General Records of the Department of State (Record Group 59)

Applications and Recommendations

In the early years of the United States, the State Department was responsible for the conduct of foreign affairs and most aspects of domestic administration not relating to war or finance. Over the years, most of the domestic functions were transferred to other agencies. Because of these varied duties, the Department of State maintained letters of application and recommendation for a variety of federal offices until 1901. Because many of these letters are from or about prominent people, they have a unique biographical value.

The following microfilm publications reproduce letters of application and recommendation for positions in various branches of the federal government. The bulk of the records relate to positions with the State Department or diplomatic or consular officers. The records are arranged in 4- or 8-year blocks by Presidential administration(s) and thereunder alphabetically by the surname of the applicant or person recommended. Descriptive pamphlets that include lists of applicants' names are available. Similar records for the Presidency of George Washington are in the custody of the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.

State Department Letters of Application and Recommendation During the Administrations of:

John Adams, 1797-1801. M406. 3 rolls. DP.

Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809. M418. 12 rolls. DP.

James Madison, 1809-1817. M438. 8 rolls. DP.

James Monroe, 1817-1825. M439. 19 rolls. DP.

John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829. M531. 8 rolls. DP.

Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837. M639. 27 rolls. DP.

Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler,
1837-1845. M687. 35 rolls. DP.

James Polk, Zachary Taylor, and Millard Fillmore, 1845-1853.
M873. 98 rolls. DP.

Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan, 1853-1861. M967. 50 rolls. DP.

Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, 1861-1869. M650. 53 rolls. DP.

Ulysses S. Grant, 1869-1877. M968. 69 rolls. DP.

Other State Department Records Relating to Appointments

List of United States Consular Officers, 1789-1939. M587. 21 rolls. DP.

This microfilm publication reproduces the State Department's list of U.S. consular officers, 1789-1939. For each consular post, the name of each consular officer is provided, along with his title or grade, nationality, place of birth, residence when appointed, and date of appointment. Occasionally, a date of death, retirement, termination of service, or transfer to another post is given. The lists are arranged alphabetically by post, then by the class of officer, and finally by date of appointment.

List of United States Diplomatic Officers, 1789-1939. M586. 3 rolls. DP.

This microfilm publication reproduces the State Department's list of U.S. diplomatic officers, 1789-1939. For each diplomatic post the name of each officer is provided, along with title or grade, nationality, place of birth, residence when appointed, and date of appointment. Occasionally, a date of death, retirement, termination of service, or transfer to another post is given. The lists are arranged alphabetically by country, then by the class of officer, and finally by date of appointment.

Resignations and Declinations Among the Records of the Department of State, 1789-1827. T730. 1 roll.

This microfilm publication reproduces the first of eight chronological series of letters received in the Department of State declining or resigning from appointments in the federal service. The letters in this series are arranged alphabetically by name of writer.

General Records of the Department of Justice (Record Group 60)

Records Relating to the Appointment of Federal Judges, Attorneys, and Marshals

The following microfilm publications reproduce the Justice Department appointment files for Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. (Records for other states are not available on microfilm.) The records are arranged by the Presidential administration in which the applicant filed for a position of federal judge, attorney, or marshal. Thereunder they are filed alphabetically by the name of the applicant. The descriptive pamphlets that accompany these publications include lists of applicants names. General records, which include lists of applicants and other documents not readily identifiable with any one individual, are microfilmed at the beginning of the appointment records for each Presidential administration. Before 1853 the Secretary of State handled the correspondence pertaining to appointments of judicial and legal offices of the federal government.

Records Relating to the Appointment of Federal Judges, Attorneys, and Marshals for the Territories and States of Idaho, 1861-1899. M681. 9 rolls. DP.

Oregon, 1853-1903. M224. 3 rolls. DP.

Utah, 1853-1901. M680. 14 rolls. DP.

Washington, 1853-1902. M198. 17 rolls. DP.

Index to Names of U.S. Marshals, 1789-1960. T577. 1 roll. 16mm.

This microfilm publication reproduces an alphabetical list giving dates and places of service.

Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior (Record Group 48)

Appointment Papers

The following microfilm publications reproduce appointment papers chiefly for positions under the direct control of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior and filled by Presidential appointment. Included are letters of application and recommendation, petitions, oaths of office, bonds, and reports from the Commissioners of Indian Affairs or the General Land Office. Some of the documents relate to the removal or resignation of appointees.

The papers are arranged by office or position, thereunder alphabetically by name of applicant or incumbent, and thereunder by date the document was received in the Appointments Division. The publications are listed alphabetically by state or territory.

Interior Department Appointment Papers

Arizona Territory, 1857-1907. M576. 22 rolls.

California, 1849-1907. M732. 29 rolls. DP.

Territory of Colorado, 1857-1907. M808. 13 rolls. DP.

Florida, 1849-1907. M1119. 6 rolls.

Idaho, 1862-1907. M693. 17 rolls. DP.

Mississippi, 1849-1907. M849. 4 rolls. DP.

Missouri, 1849-1907. M1058. 9 rolls. DP.

Nevada, 1860-1907. M1033. 3 rolls. DP.

Territory of New Mexico, 1850-1907. M750. 18 rolls. DP.

New York, 1849-1906. M1022. 5 rolls. DP.

North Carolina, 1849-1892. M950. 1 roll. DP.

Territory of Oregon, 1849-1907. M814. 10 rolls. DP.

Wisconsin, 1849-1907. M831. 9 rolls. DP.

Wyoming, l869-1907. M830. 6 rolls. DP.

Records of the Post Office Department (Record Group 28)

Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1789-1832. M1131. 4 rolls.

This microfilm publication reproduces four volumes that document dates of appointment of postmasters and, after 1814, dates of establishment of post offices. The first volume is a chronological list of first returns of postmasters and can be used primarily to verify service. Volumes 2 through 4 are generally arranged alphabetically by post office on a national rather than a state basis. The records before 1824 do not show the names of the counties in which the post offices were situated. Some of the pages are not entirely legible.

Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-September 30, 1971. M841. 145 rolls. DP.

The records in this publication are arranged alphabetically by state (territory, possession, etc.), and thereunder by county (parish, district, etc.). They show the dates of Presidential appointments of postmasters and the dates of their confirmation by the Senate. The records do not contain any other personal information on postmasters. They do not contain the names or other information on postal clerks, mail contractors, or mail carriers.

National Archives Trust Fund Board
National Archives and Records Administration
Washington, DC
1983, electronic rev. 1995