The Massachusetts state secretary, as official record keeper of the Commonwealth, performed the routine duties of providing certificates, certified commissions and copies of legislation, maps, and other official state documents. Fees charged for such services were specified in St 1795, c 41 (1796) and St 1818, c 97 (1819), with reporting requirements to the legislature so that the secretary's compensation could be determined accordingly. Through 1869, the secretary also provided passports. Ledgers were kept to record fees received by the secretary in carrying out these tasks. Documents typically provided and charged for include certified copies of commissions of justices of the peace and probate, notaries, and coroners. Copies of resolves and acts provided consist primarily of incorporation acts provided to named companies, and those for name changes. Passports were provided to named individuals, with destinations sometimes recorded. Later volumes consist largely of certificates provided to banks, presumably for required reporting. Volumes are dated 1812-1814, 1814-1821, 1821-1833, and 1839-1852. The 1839-1852 volume also includes a record of expenses paid out by the secretary's office for related materials, such as blank certificates. For additional and related passport records, see: Application certificates for passports, 1815-1854 ((M-Ar)126X) and: Registers of passports and certificates of citizenship, 1833-1868 ((M-Ar)128X)
