Research: Military: Guide to Revolutionary War Records
New York State used a variety of methods to finance its Revolutionary War expenses. These included taxes levied on real and personal property, loans from wealthy individuals to the United States that were administered by a Loan Office of the State of New York, loans from individuals to the State that were administered by county loan offices, and the confiscation and sale of the real and personal property of certain loyalists. s
Two officials were responsible for managing the State's funds. The treasurer, first appointed by the Provincial Congress in 1775 and continued by the constitution of 1777, was empowered to collect revenues as necessary and disburse funds in payment of the State's obligations. The auditor general, appointed by the Provincial Congress in 1776 and established by law as the auditor in 1782, was responsible for maintaining and reconciling the public accounts of the State.
This section describes records relating to the maintenance of accounts and loans of the State.
LOAN OFFICE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
A1208. List of Loan Office Certificates from the United States to the State of New York, 1777-1781. .1 cubic foot
Arrangement: None.
The certificates of debt listed were issued through the New York Loan Office for money loaned to the United States by individuals. For each certificate the following information is given: name of lender; certificate number; date issued; nominal value of certificate; discount rate; specie value of certificate; date interest began to accrue; length of time accruing interest through December 31, 1784; and amount of interest due.
COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE
A0824. Entry Documentation for State Agency Expenses, 1784-1909. 3.5 cubic feet
Arrangement: By general type of record or subject.
This series contains accounts, vouchers, receipts, bills, financial statements and other records relating to a variety of State government activities. Included are the following three small quantities of records relating to the Revolutionary War:
- Accounts of Commissioners for Procuring a Sum of Specie in the Southern and Middle Districts, 1781. These accounts contain a short record of land sales by the commissioners (box 2, folder 3).
- Early Accounts of the State, ca. 1780-1800. Many of these accounts appear to concern expenses during the Revolutionary War, and the State's outstanding debt after the war (box 3, folder 1).
- Revolutionary War Confiscated Estates, ca. 1784-1821. Consists of documents concerning claims against the State by widows of loyalists whose estates were confiscated by legislative act, and concerning petitions by purchasers of forfeited estates for the extinguishing of claims against the estates (box 5, folder 4).
TREASURER
A0005. Journals, Ledgers, and Registers of Receipts and Payments by the State, 1775-1925. 352 cubic feet (794 volumes)
Arrangement: Roughly by type of entry book.
This series is undescribed.
Finding aids: Volume list.
