Maryland. Commissioner of Army Accounts.

By resolution of 20 February 1782, the Continental Congress called for the superintendent of the finances of the United States to nominate a commissioner for each state, approved by the state legislature or executive, to settle the accounts between the state and the United States. The commissioner was to settle and adjust accounts with officers and soldiers as well as individuals who supplied the Continental Army or suffered property damages as a result of its actions. In October 1780, Maryland had chosen a commissioner to settle and adjust pay due officers and soldiers to perform that task, though his office appears to have been subsumed into that of the Auditor General by 1782. In 1783, Congress instructed Governor William Paca to appoint a commissioner of army accounts. James Nourse apparently was named to the post in 1783 or 1784.

In December 1784, Paca recommended to the Continental Congress that John White, the assistant commissioner, replace the recently deceased Nourse. Commissioned in January 1785, White first served only Maryland interests. In May 1787, however, when Congress divided the nation into five districts, White served as commissioner of a district encompassing Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

According to Congressional provisions, the commissioner was to receive accounts and vouchers for monies paid and supplies furnished on the requisition of Congress made before October 1781, and to forward those accounts to the national comptroller of the treasury. Claimants were to do so within a six-month period. The commissioner had to report claims to the comptroller of the treasury within twelve months of his appointment, at which time his service ended.

John White appears to have served until spring 1789. His records were probably transferred to the Maryland auditor general's office, which recorded payments as late as 1798.

From the description of Agency history record, 1782-1789. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122656396