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to Henry Knox
1 July 1785
Avery, John, 1739-1806
Avery, Secretary of the State of Massachusetts, informs Knox that Governor Thomas Cushing has requested that several cannon at West Point be returned to Massachusetts.
GLC02437.03162
[Resolutions regarding the town of Hempden]
19 June 1795
Resolves relating to boundaries and deeds of the inhabitants of the town of Hempden as well as payments for tracts of land. Noted as written at the House of Representatives, most likely that of Massachusetts.
GLC02437.06446
[Resolves of the General Court]
12 June 1795
Resolve to grant settlers in a town more time to pay for the sale of the eastern lands. Noted as written in the House of Representatives, most likely that of Massachusetts.
GLC02437.06440
[Knox's certificate of membership to the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture]
1 August 1795
Russell, Thomas, 1749-1796
Signed by Russell as President of the Society and John Avery, Secretary. Contains the Society's seal. Docketed by Knox.
GLC02437.10323
Copy of an Act to establish the Kennebeck and Penobscot Corporation
24 June 1802
The corporation is also referred to as the "first Maine Turnpike Corporation." Contains the following copied signature of John C. Jones (Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives), David Cobb (President of the Massachusetts Senate), and...
GLC02437.10345
[Henry Knox's seven-year appointment as Justice of the Peace for Lincoln County]
9 March 1802
Strong, Caleb, 1745-1819
Signed by Massachusetts Governor, Caleb Strong. Signed by John Avery as Massachusetts Secretary of State.
GLC02437.10342
[Appointment of Knox as Justice of the Peace in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts]
22 June 1804
Strong signs as Massachusetts Governor. Also signed by John Avery, Secretary of State. Verso contains a note dated 25 February 1805 signed by Lieutenant Governor Edward Robbins. Much of the text of this note, including part of Robbins's signature...
GLC02437.10348
[Act allowing Henry Knox and others to build a canal from the Connecticut River to Boston]
9 March 1792
Cobb, David, 1748-1830
Act allowing Henry Knox, John Coffin Jones, David Cobb, Benjamin Hichborn, and Henry Jackson to construct a canal connecting the Connecticut River to Boston. Signed for David Cobb, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts; Samuel...
GLC02437.05339
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
19 November 1788
Phillips, Samuel, 1752-1802
Commonwealth of Masachusetts set of resolutions to create separate districts within Massachusetts with representatives from each district. States the common dates for election of representatives and establishes that elected representatives must then...
GLC02444
to Colonel Avery
08 August 1800
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Knox tells Avery that he should be receiving "five tons of seasoned oak timber" from Captain Hatevil Libbey "commanding the Schooner Jenny." Avery should pay the $35 freight fee. Knox will ship out more lime and lumber "in about a week or ten days...
GLC02437.07440
[Resolve]
January 27, 1802
Signed by Edward H. Robbins (Speaker), David Cobb (President), and John Avery. Noted as a true copy. A resolve from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the House of Representatives regarding the petitioners in Hampden, Maine. The Legislature...
GLC02437.07710
[Continental Congress appointments for Massachusetts]
December 4, 1777
Document attested to by Massachusetts Secretary of State Avery. Announces the men chosen as delegates to the Continental Congress from Massachusetts for the following year. Lists John Hancock, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge...
GLC00436
[Agreement and appointment of William Sever]
2 November 1776
Sever, William, fl. 1766-1776
Cosigned by William Sever, John Avery, and Timothy Foster. Witnessed by Alexander Gray and Seth Loring. Agreement in which Sever, Avery, and Foster are bound to Henry Gardner (Treasurer of Massachusetts) in the amount of ten thousand pounds, unless...
GLC01412.51
[Appointment of John Wheelwright as Commander of the privateer ship The Neptune]
December 24, 1779
Jay, John, 1745-1829
Countersigned by Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, and John Avery.
GLC01450.002
[Appointment of Lathrop Lewis as coroner of Cumberland County, Massachusetts]
1 September 1796
Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803
Partially printed document signed by Adams as Massachusetts Governor and John Avery as Secretary. A note on the verso dated 7 March 1797 and signed by William Graham and Samuel Freeman attests that Lewis took the oath of office. Adams' signature is...
GLC00945.02
[Appointment of Daniel Howard as state senator]
12 May 1788
Hancock, John, 1737-1793
Appoints Howard as a Massachusetts state senator from "Plimouth" County. Partially printed document signed. Signed by Hancock as Governor. Countersigned by Avery as secretary.
GLC00945.05
Account of Robert Livingston, Jr. re: labor performed on the Manor
1766/10/26
GLC03107.03074
[Resolution of Massachusetts Legislature]
19 June 1788
Signed approved by Hancock. Also signed by Theodore Sedgwick, Speaker of the House, and Samuel Phillips, President. Certified as a true copy by John Avery as Secretary. Concerns levying taxes on the polls and estates in Worcester County...
GLC04432
[Orders for the Sheriff of Dukes County to hold elections for representatives to Massachusetts General Court]
20 April 1779
Massachusetts Bay Council
Signed by John Avery as deputy secretary. Also signed by members of the Massachusetts Bay Council: Jeremiah Powell, Artemas Ward, B. Greenleaf, Thomas Cushing, Moses Gill Benjamin Austin, Daniel Davis Timothy Danielson, Oliver Prescott, A. Fuller...
GLC04547
to Joseph B. Varnum
June 13, 1805
An official letter written in Boston from John Avery, the Secretary of State for Massachusetts. It informs Varnum of his election to Major General of the Third Division of the Militia of the Commonwealth by the two branches of the Legislature.
GLC03845.05
[Commission of William North as a Major in the United States Army]
16 November 1786
Bowdoin, James, 1726-1790
Partially printed document signed by Massachusetts Governor James Bowdoin countersigned by Secretary John Avery. North among troops raised by order of Congress on 20 October 1786. Features paper seal.
GLC02542.11
[Commission of William North as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Massachusetts artillery]
9 May 1776
Partially printed document signed by John Avery as deputy secretary of the council. Also signed by members of the Massachusetts Bay Council, including: Jer. Powell, Artemas Ward, B. Greenleaf, Richard Derby, John Whitcomb, Moses Gill, John Taylor, B...
GLC02542.26
Resolve confirming a grant of land of thirty miles square to the heirs of Birgadier Waldo, on certain conditions, July 4, 1785
4 July 1785
Resolution by a General Court committee regarding lands given originally to Beauchamp and Leverett but now perhaps part of the Waldo patent. Authored by Phillips, Wells and Dane as members of the committee. Read and accepted by the Senate and...
GLC02437.09128
[Resolution regarding taxes on the Waldo patent]
February 18, 1794
Resolution by the Massachusetts State Senate regarding taxes paid on the Waldo patent. States that while Knox is only in possesion of about one third the land on the patent he is being assessed taxes for the entire property. Decrees that all taxes...
GLC02437.09251
[Resolution regarding distribution of lands in the Waldo patent]
February 16, 1798 - February 23, 1798
Sumner, Increase, 1746-1799
Appointing a surveyor to settle a dispute over lands within the Waldo patent. Some of the lands recently granted to Waldo's heirs were withing the holding of the Plymouth company, and this overlap must be resolved. Also signed by Samuel Phillips...
GLC02437.09264
[Massachusetts Congressional resolution]
February 12, 1803-February 18, 1803
Jones, John Coffin, 1750-1829
Resolution in response to the petition of Gustavas Swan and other settlers in a region of Knox's Waldo patent lands. Allows the residents an extra year to pay for the lots of land on which they have settled, and outlines the terms of the arrangement...
GLC02437.07787
2 June 1804
Writes that he was directed to inform Knox that both houses of the Legislature in Massachusetts have elected him to serve as "a Counsellor to advise the Governor in the executive part of Government the current year."
GLC02437.07858
to John Avery
February 27, 1805
Freeman, Samuel, 1743-1831
Recommends Caleb Graffam for the office of Sheriff. Also mentions that his son, Samuel Deane Freeman, would like to live in Oxford county if he can find employment, so he recommends him for the post of Register of Probate. Provides a biography of...
GLC02437.07918
6 June 1805
Unsigned, but handwriting suggests the author is Henry Knox. Addressed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, who was John Avery. Writes, "I respectfully accept the honor conferred by the legislature electing me a member of the Council for advising...
GLC02437.07939
7 June 1805
Writes to inform Knox that the Governor [Caleb Strong] requests Knox's presence in the Council Chamber as soon as convenient.
GLC02437.07940
GLC02437.09265
[A muster roll of Capt. Claps Company]
1 November 1779
Brown, Andrew, ?-1797
Muster roll for of Captain Lemuel Clap's company in the Massachusetts Guard. Lists name, rank, and enlistment date of men in the regiment. Almost all the men enlisted 11 August, though some later. A third of the men in the company are named Clap...
GLC01450.241.04
[Appointment for Simon Elliot as captain]
December 13, 1786
Appoints Elliot as an Adjutant in the militia with the rank of captain under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln. This militia was being raised to put down Shay's rebellion. At the time it was actually an illegitimate militia put together by the...
GLC01450.448.03
[Appointment for Simon Elliot as Major General]
18 June 1796
Appoints Elliot to the rank of Major General in the first division of the Massachusetts Militia. Massachusetts state seal affixed. Signed by Samuel Adams as Governor of Massachusetts. Also signed by John Avery as "Secretary." Docket on verso attests...
GLC01450.448.04
[Appointment of Simon Elliot as major general]
15 November 1800
Appoints Simon Elliot as Major General in the Massachusetts Militia. Elliot had been appointed to the same rank in 1796, which the document mentions. Signed by Caleb Strong as Governor of Massachusetts. Also signed by John Avery as "Secretary."...
GLC01450.448.06
[Appointment of Nathaniel Dearing as a captain in the Massachusetts militia]
February 1, 1777
Partially printed document signed by John Avery as deputy secretary of the council. Also signed by members of the Massachusetts Bay Council, including: Artemas Ward, Caleb and Thomas Cushing, John Winthrop, Moses Gill, B. White, John Taylor, William...
GLC01450.520.01
[Massachusetts Order to recruit aid to fight against the British in New Jersey]
30 June 1780
One broadside from Massachusetts calling for recruiters, officers and town selectmen who "are fired with love of Freedom and scorn to be Slaves" to fight against the British army in Morristown, New Jersey. Message printed by John Avery.
GLC01495
[Massachusetts state pardon for Scripture Frost for counterfeiting coin]
13 November 1787
Frost was sentenced to stand in pillory for 1 hour and to 2 years hard labor. Conditionally pardoned excepting that Frost pay a 25 Pound ($40) fine. Signed and sealed by John Hancock as governor. Written by Secretary to the Governor John Avery, Jr....
GLC01988
[Instructions from the Assembly of Massachusetts Bay to the Delegates in Congress].
1778/03/11
Warren, James, 1726-1808
Countersigned by John Avery as secretary. Resolution empowering the president of the council to sign the instructions for the Massachusetts delegates in regard to the Articles of Confederation and for the secretary to furnish those delegates with...
GLC05666.02
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