Women's History Resource Guide (RG 1 - RG 19)

General Index to Women's Resources at the PA State Archives

Pennsylvania State Archives Women's History Resource Guide

Record Groups

Record Group 1
Records of the Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture was created in 1895 to encourage the development of agriculture, horticulture, forestry and related industries. A State Board of Agriculture, having been established in 1876 to investigate subjects relating to improvements in agriculture, continued to function alongside the Department in an advisory capacity. Legislation passed in 1919 and 1923 abolished the State Board of Agriculture, the Agricultural Commission and the Livestock Sanitary Board, thereby consolidating regulatory activities pertaining to agriculture within the Department. Functions relating to forestry had been transferred to the Department of Forestry in 1901. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for promoting the efficient marketing of farm products and for dealing with appropriate investigator and service problems. The Department acts to stem the deleterious effects of animal and plant disease as well as the spread of insect pests. In addition, the government body implements measures in order to safeguard the public against impure or misrepresented foods, fertilizers and pesticides. The State Farm Products Show Commission and the State Harness Racing Commission serve as administrative commissions within the Department of Agriculture.

• Glass Lantern Slides of Pennsylvania Market Houses, 1920. {#1.9}
  • The file consists of lantern slides of interior and exterior views of public markets in Pennsylvania, [ca. 1920]. Slides include images of African American and white women at market.

Record Group 2
Department of the Auditor General

The Office of the Auditor General formed in 1809 in order to replace and assume many of the duties previously held by the offices of the Comptroller General and the Register General. The offices of the Comptroller General and the Register Genera had originally formed in order to liquidate claims against the state for services performed during the Revolutionary War and to assist in the final settlement of public accounts. In 1821, the Office of the Escheator General the US government dismantled the position's prior duties relating to the estates of individuals dying intestate without heirs or kindred, then fell under the purview of the Auditor General.

By 1859, the Auditor General had gained recognition as an elective office. The Fiscal Code of 1929 transferred the function of collecting taxes from the Department of the Auditor General to the newly created Department of Revenue. Under the Code, the Department developed into a true auditing agency.

As the chief auditor of the state's fiscal affairs, the Auditor General is responsible for insuring that the Commonwealth receives all moneys to which it is entitled and that public money is spent legally and properly. The Auditor General adjusts claims against the Commonwealth, examines tax settlements made by the Revenue Department, and oversees the examination of practically every financial transaction involving the state.

• Index to Churches and Beneficial Societies, 1831. {Series #2.16}
  • Arranged alphabetically by name of church or beneficial society. An index created in 1831 that lists the names of all the churches, seminaries, and beneficial societies then active in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . This series includes various women's societies, seminaries, and other organizations.

Record Group 7
Records of the General Assembly
Digitized

Legislative power is vested in a General Assembly, which consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The General Assembly has the authority to enact laws, appropriate funds and levy taxes. Additional powers of the legislature include the proposal of constitutional amendments, the impeachment of public officials, the maintenance of investigatory authority, and the confirmation of certain executive appointments. The first State General Assembly was a unicameral body established under the Constitution of 1776. The authors of the Constitution equipped the legislature with vast powers which enabled it to dominate the other two branches of state government. This imbalance was corrected with the adoption of subsequent constitutions, beginning with the Constitution of 1790. The 1970 document created a bicameral assembly and a popularly elected governor. For additional materials relating to Legislative Service Agencies, see the Records of the Legislative Reference Bureau (RG-36).

• Committee Book, 1785. {Series #7.1}
  • Committee record book for the first session of the Tenth General Assembly. Information provided is name of committee, committee number, names of those serving on the committee, and a brief description of the business assigned to the committee. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Minute Books, 1779-1781, 1783-1784, 1788. {Series #7.2}
  • Minute books of the sessions of the original unicameral General Assembly. Information provided is date of session, description of bills introduced and voted upon, motions made, names of members voting yea or nay and appointments made. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Committee Bills, 1971-1972, 1977-1978. {Series #7.4}
  • Bills submitted by committees in the House of Representatives. Includes documents and issues pertaining to women.
• Committee Books, 1790-1819. {Series #7.5}
  • Record of petitions received and bills sent to committees. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Committee Hearing Transcripts, Testimony and Reports, 1965-1974. {Series #7.6}
  • Transcripts of hearing testimony and reports of the various committees of the House of Representatives. Information provided in the hearing transcripts is name of committee, House bill number, printer's number, place and date of hearing, names of those present, subject of bill under consideration, names of those giving testimony and transcript of the testimony taken. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Committee Minutes, 1945-1978. {Series #7.7}
  • Minute books and committee record sheets of the committees of the House of Representatives. Information provided in the minute books is date of meeting, names of the members present, names and numbers of bills considered by the committee, motions made by members of the committee, names of members making and seconding motions, names of each member voting yea or nay, and signature of the secretary of the committee. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Dead Bills, 1965, 1973-1976, 1979-1980.{Series #7.8}
  • Records of House bills that died in committee. Information provided is number of bill, title of bill, transcript of proposed bill, names of sponsors, date introduced, date sent to committee, name of person by whom introduced and their seat number, date returned to committee, and the complete text of the bill. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• History of House Bills and Resolutions, 1953, 1959, 1962-1964, 1971-1972. {Series #7.9}
  • Published histories of bills and resolutions introduced in the House of Representatives. Information provided is House bill or resolution number, act number where applicable, printer's number, names of legislators by whom introduced, date bill or resolution was introduced, text of the bill, and date referred to committee or date approved. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• House and Senate Bills and Resolutions, 1971-1978. {Series #7.10}
  • Original House and Senate bills and resolutions. Information generally provided is bill or resolution number, date of bill or resolution, names of sponsors, and text of the bill or resolution. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• House File, 1790-1903. {Series #7.11}
  • Among the legislative topics addressed in the House File are petitions asking that marriages be annulled. Other records concern elementary education, immigration, regulation of the practice of medicine, regulation of the sale of butter, regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages, prohibitions relating to the Sabbath, Fugitive Slave Act, and women's issues.
• Journals, 1791-1810, 1959-1962, 1969-1978. {Series #7.12}
  • Legislative journals of the activities of the House of Representatives commencing February 24, 1791. Information provided is date of session, numbers and titles of bills considered, a description of the business conducted and votes taken, and messages delivered by the Governor or the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Legislative Journal Papers, 1974-1978. {Series #7.13}
  • Papers used for preparing the published Legislative Journals concerning the activities of the House of Representatives. Information provided is date of session, numbers and titles of bills considered, a description of the business conducted and votes taken, and messages delivered by the Governor or the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Minute Books, 1797-1798, 1813-1814, 1821-1822, 1856, 1957-1980. {Series #7.14}
  • Minute books of the House of Representatives. The minute book for December 20, 1797-January 4, 1798 contains a record of petitions received and testimony taken in the investigation of contested elections in Montgomery County. The minute books dated December 17, 1813-March 28, 1814 and December 4, 1821-April 2, 1822 are records kept by the Clerk of the House of Representatives tracking the votes on legislation. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Official Bills of the House of Representatives, 1971-1980. {Series #7.16}
  • Official bills of the House of Representatives including bills returned from preceding session, tabled and miscellaneous bills, judiciary bills returned, bills vetoed by the Governor together with reasons for the veto, bills on the Speaker's desk pending action, House Resolutions and Concurrent Resolutions, Bills Vetoed by Governor and Read over the desk and laid on the Table, House and Senate Bills Pending Action, Bills Signed by the Governor, and Bills Table Automatically or by Motion. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• Official Resolutions, Senate Bills and Governors' Messages, 1979-1980.{Series #7.17}
  • Copies of House and Senate bills and resolutions and messages from Governor Richard Thornburgh to the House of Representatives informing the House that he had signed a particular piece of legislation. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• Record of Action on Bills in the House, 1881. {Series #7.18}
  • Record book of actions taken on bills in the House of Representatives. The type of information provided is bill number, date introduced, name of sponsor, date referred to committee, committee to which referred, date reported out of committee, number of readings, and final disposition of the bill. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• Records of Citations, 1969-1970, 1973-1974.) {Series #7.19}
  • Records of resolutions, legislative citations, and expressions of sympathy and congratulations issued by the House of Representatives. The two volumes are a record of bills before the House providing bill number, date introduced, surname of sponsor, very brief description of subject, and date reported out of committee. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Record of House and Senate Bills, Veto Bills, and Messages Remaining on the Table, 1980. {Series #7.20}
  • House and Senate bills, veto bills, and messages remaining on the table in the House of Representatives at the end of the session. Information provided is date of bill or message, number and title of bill, and the transcript of the bill or message. Includes bills pertaining to women.
• Committee Hearing Transcripts, Testimony and Reports, 1855, 1872, 1915, 1933, 1940-1941, 1955-1956, 1959-1961, 1963, 1965-1985. {Series #7.29}
  • Individual transcripts are generally indexed internally by names of witnesses. Typed transcripts of committee hearings and testimony. Information provided is name of committee, date of hearing, names of committee members present, index of witnesses, and verbatim transcript of the testimony given. Among the materials present are the May 5, 1936 preliminary report of the Joint Legislative Committee investigating poor relief pursuant to the House Resolution 110-1935, House Bill 322 (on employment discrimination), no-fault divorce, etc. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Committee Books, 1810-1850, 1897-1899. Digitized Rolls 3513-3514 for the period up to 1850. {Series #7.38}
  • Register of letters and petitions received by Senate committees. Information provided is date petition or correspondence was received, committee to which referred, and a brief description of the subject of the petition or correspondence. Includes documents from and pertaining to women.
• House Resolutions in the Senate, 1969-1972. {Series #7.46}
  • Transcripts of House resolutions introduced into the Senate. Information provided is resolution number, names of sponsors, date passed in the House, transcript of the resolution and date introduced in the Senate. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• History Ledgers of House and Senate Bills and Resolutions, 1905-1909, 1932. {Series #7.47}
  • Ledgers of House and Senate Bills and Resolutions providing a legislative history of each bill or resolution introduced. Information provided is House or Senate bill or resolution number, names of sponsors, date introduced, name of bill or resolution, date sent to committee and name of committee to which sent, date reported out of committee, dates of readings, and disposition of the bill or resolution. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• History of Senate Bills and Resolutions, 1953, 1959, 1961-1962, 1964, 1971-1972. {Series #7.48}
  • Published volumes entitled History of Senate Bills and Resolutions in the Senate that were prepared by the Secretary of the Senate and the Legislative Reference Bureau. Information provided is date of session, bill or resolution number, title of bill or resolution, names of sponsors, and a description of the actions taken. Includes documents pertaining to women.
• Work Time Book for Cleaning Women, 1919-1923. {Series #7.83}
  • Monthly time book of work performed by cleaning women employed by the Senate. Information provided is name of employee, dates on which she worked, total number of days worked for the month, rate of pay per day, and amount paid for the month.

Record Group 10
Records of the Office of the Governor

The Constitution of 1790 and succeeding constitutions have placed supreme executive power in the Office of the Governor. As the chief executive officer of the Commonwealth, the Governor is responsible for directing and supervising the activities of the administrative departments, boards and commissions under his authority in order to insure the faithful execution of the laws of the Commonwealth. The Governor is the commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state, except when they are called into federal service. Legislative and judicial powers, including the remission of fines, the commutation of sentences, the granting of reprieves and pardons in conjunction with the recommendations of the Board of Pardons, and the right to veto bills of the General Assembly, are vested with the chief executive. The Governor is also responsible for submission of the state budget for consideration by the legislature. Though Senate confirmation is required for some appointments, either directly or indirectly, the Governor controls the appointment of patronage positions within most state administrative agencies. The Governor is elected for a four-year term and may serve a consecutive term.

Pennsylvania Commission for Women, 1962-1986

• Commission History Files, 1962-1986. {Series #10.46}
  • Files documenting events sponsored by and/or associated with the Pennsylvania Commission for Women. The types of documents filed include correspondence, minutes, annual reports, newspaper clippings, memoranda, Governor's proclamations, proposals, brochures and pamphlets, training manuals, Senate Bills, photographs, fiscal information and budget reports, service purchase contracts, press releases, publications, speeches, travel vouchers, and employee evaluations. Since much of the employee information files contain Social Security numbers, consideration will be taken in by the State Archives as to whether they will be accessible to researchers. The events and organizations that the commission documented in its files include the Bicentennial Women's Center, Equal Rights Amendment, Parent Outlook Program, Women's Equality Day, and the National Women's Education Fund.
• Correspondence from Readers of Commission Reports and Publications, 1974-1978. {Series #10.47}
  • Miscellaneous correspondence to and from the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.
• Newsletters of Women's Organizations, 1972-1985. {Series #10.48}
  • Miscellaneous newsletters and pamphlets from feminist and women's issues groups such as the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association), Pennsylvania Federation of Women's Clubs, League of Women Voters, and the American Association of University Women.

Governor Robert P. Casey, 1987-1995.

• Issues File, 1987-1994. {Series #10.3}
  • Letters and accompanying documentation concerning topics of public interest received by the Governor's Office which generated a large volume of correspondence and received special handling by the staff. Due to volume, this file was maintained separately from the general correspondence file. Issues include: Abortion, AIDS, Child Abuse, Child Support, Children / Youth, Christian Heritage Week Petitions, College Funding, Cost of Living Allowance, Day Care, Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania, Domestic Violence, Drugs, Education, Education Funding, Gay Rights, Gays in the Military, Home Schooling, Homeless, State Board of Nursing, Office of Minority and Business Enterprise, Pornography, Prevailing Wage, Sex Education, Welfare Reform, WIC Program, Widow Tax, Women in the Military, Woodhaven Center, Affirmative Action, Sexual Minorities, Women's Commission, Commission on Ethnic Groups, Equal employment, Native Americans, NOW, Women and the Law, Alice Paul Day, ERA, and women representatives.
• Proclamations, 1987-1995. {Series #10.5}
  • Official proclamations issued by the Governor concerning days, weeks and months of official celebration and observances. Examples of topics include Women's History Month and Alice Paul Day.
• General File, 1917-1920.{Series #10.31}
  • Miscellaneous files from the Council of National Defense & Committee of Public Safety. The files include studies and polls, lantern slides, blueprints, photographs, and county histories detailing each county's role during World War I. Includes information on the Women's Land Army.
• Scrapbooks, 1917-1920. {Series #10.36}
  • Newspaper clippings, press releases and memoranda detailing the activities and promoting the ideas of the Council of National Defense & Committee of Public Safety. News Clippings of the War Commission (World War I), 1917-1921. Many of these may have been used as propaganda tools during World War I to entice recruitment, heighten troop morale, support farm productivity, and press the necessity for home front support. Includes information on women during the war.

Bureau of Affirmative Action

• Commonwealth Agency Files, 1972-1987. {Series #10.23}
  • Files documenting the affirmative action plans of Commonwealth agencies. The amount of material and content of the files vary from agency to agency. Typical records that can be found in this Series include correspondence, memoranda, affirmative action plans, training programs, pamphlets, hand written notes, and job evaluation sheets. Since many of the job evaluation sheets have Social Security numbers, consideration will be taken in by the State Archives as to whether they will be accessible to the researcher.
• General Subject File, 1970-1985. {Series #10.24}
  • Subject files dealing with issues of the Bureau of Affirmative Action. Some of the subjects covered include the Affirmative Action Work Group, Department of the Navy, March of Dimes, sexual harassment, and the Civil Service Commission, among others. The files contain memoranda, minutes, newspaper clippings, research papers, statistical studies, news releases, newsletters, and correspondence. Such items document women in the work place, sexual harassment, etc.

Record Group 11
Records of the Office of Health

The Act of April 27, 1905 (PL 312) created The Department of Health in order to replace the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics, a government body that had been established in 1885. The Department has the authority to enforce all statutes pertaining to public health and the rules and regulations passed by Pennsylvania's Advisory Health Board. The Advisory Health Board is composed of eleven members appointed by the Governor and is charged with establishing rules and regulations for the prevention of disease, the protection of lives and health, and the provision of health services to counties and other political subdivisions. In addition to enforcing statutes and regulations pertaining to public health matters, the Department works to prevent and suppress outbreaks of disease and to ensure high quality health care at a reasonable cost. In order to ensure its goals are met, the department coordinates a comprehensive statewide health program. As part of its responsibilities, the Department of Health operates numerous State Health Centers which serve as the primary public health service units in their communities. The Department funds bureaus and programs concerned with the control and prevention of cancer and communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, conducts laboratory research, collects health statistics on preventative and educational programs for mothers and their children as well as drug and alcohol abusers, and regulates pharmaceutical drugs, devices, and cosmetics. Over the years, the responsibilities of specific bureaus and divisions within the Department of Health have been shifted, reorganized, or transferred to other departments. Related materials will be found in the Records of the Department of Environmental Resources (RG-43), Records of the Department of Education (RG-22) and Records of the Department of Public Welfare (RG-23).

• Quarterly Reports of Abortions Performed, 1974-1979, 1980-1985, {#11.58}
  • Reports filed by hospitals, physicians or facilities that were approved to perform abortions under Act 209 of September 10, 1974 (The Abortion Control Act, 35 P.S. 6606). Information found in these reports is the total number of abortions performed during each quarter and the name and address of the reporting facility. Types of institutions performing abortions include health clinics, women's centers, Planned Parenthood clinics, physicians' offices, hospitals and medical centers. Other information found includes the name of the contact person regarding the data reported and statistical tables showing the number of abortions performed broken down by weeks of gestation, type of procedure, age of woman, and the woman's state and county of residence.
• Legal Opinions, 1920-1965. {Series #11.2}
  • Records of legal cases and opinions relating to the operations at the Department of Health consisting of certificates, letters, memoranda, rules and regulations. Divided by program, each file contains a listing of major decisions or events concerning specific topics. Examples of the types of materials found in the various files include nurse wifery, labor sanitation, and maternal and child care.
• Reports, 1886-1987. {Series #11.15}
  • Among the items found are annual and biennial reports of the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics, Department of Public Health, and the Department of Health, 1886, 1942-1944, 1950-1952, 1955-1967, 1969-1974, 1982-1983, 1984-1985; Pennsylvania Health Bulletins, 1912, 1916-1917; Rules and Regulations of the Department of Health, 1928; Organization and Functions of the Department of Health, 1938; a Manual for Public Health Nurses, 1940; State Health Plans, 1976-1987; and a study of maternal mortality in Pennsylvania, 1976.
• Prenatal Care and Pregnancy Evaluation Reports, 1974-1980. {Series #11.17}
  • A record of a five-year federally sponsored project initiated in 1972 to study prenatal care and pregnancy. Information provided on the 21 page confidential questionnaire includes a card and interview number, the mother's name (masked) and mailing address (township, borough or city), the child's name (masked), the date of the delivery, the outcome of the delivery, the name of the hospital, the name and address of the attending physician or clinic, the date of interview, the name of the interviewer, the date the records were abstracted, and the names of the abstractor, encoder, and verifier. There are 61 questions relating to prenatal care and maternal behavior, 15 questions relating to the mother's socioeconomic background, and 32 questions concerning medical information contained in hospital or other health department records.
• State HIV Planning Council Minutes, 1991-1993. {Series #11.24}
  • The State HIV Planning Council was created by a Federal Act in 1990 to coordinate strategy for dealing with the emergent epidemic of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases resulting from the spread of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV). Meetings dealt with issues such as the role of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS; funding for testing, research, and prevention; and the impact of immigration on the future course of the epidemic. Also addressed were problems of racial and ethnic representation, the passage of state legislation concerning HIV, budgetary concerns, and statistical profiles of HIV/AIDS cases in Pennsylvania. The HIV Planning Council was disbanded in 1996 and its responsibilities were merged into those of the Bureau of Preventive Health Programs.
• Migrant Health Program Patient Files, 1963-1988. {Series #11.31}
  • The patient files contain a registration sheet and medical records prepared during each patient visit. Information found includes the patient's name, date of birth, home address, local or camp address, race, and date of visit. Some records contain such additional information as the patient's occupation and the names of parents, dependents, next of kin, and employer. This series includes information on women.

Record Group 13
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission was created in 1945 to consolidate the functions of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, the State Museum and the State Archives. Charged with the responsibility of preserving the Commonwealth's historic heritage, the Commission administers the state archival and records management program and numerous museums and historical sites. The Commission also assists local historical societies and governmental agencies in all matters regarding historical preservation, conducts research and publication programs to promote Pennsylvania history, and manages the State Records Center. The Commission operates through its Bureau of Archives and History, Bureau of Museums, Bureau of Historic Sites and Properties, and Bureau of Historic Preservation.

The State Archives was originally created as the Division of Public Records in 1903 as an administrative unit in the State Library. A State Museum was also created under the State Library in accordance with legislation passed in 1905. As part of a general reorganization in 1919, the State Library became the State Library and Museum. In 1923, the State Library and Museum was made an administrative unit of the Department of Public Instruction along with the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, which had functioned as an independent commission since its establishment in 1913. Under the Department of Public Instruction, the State Library and Museum worked through five sections: the General Library, Law Library, Library Extension, Archives and History, and the State Museum.

• Administrative and Correspondence Files of the Executive Director, 1945-1988. {#13.1}
  • Governor's house, Women's Advisory Committee, 1967-1974.
• Reports, Correspondence, and Research File Relating to the War History Program, 1938-1947. {Series #13.48}
  • Research files, budgets, organizational charts, procedures, reports, surveys, published articles, photographs, and correspondence of the War History Program directed by State Historian Sylvester K. Stevens and Assistant Historian Marvin H. Schlegel. The War History Program collected records used to document Pennsylvania's involvement in World War II. Their efforts resulted in the publication of three volumes. The research file contains a rich assortment of original records that are divided into the subcategories labeled Economic Aspects, Social Aspects, Governmental and Political Aspects, Personalities, Industrial Contributions to War Production, Newspapers, and War Casualties. The records relating to industrial contributions to the war effort contain approximately eighty photographic prints depicting women working in factories. In addition, there are raw materials such as annual reports, correspondence, photographs, and literature relating to the contributions of colleges and universities, Civil Air Patrol, teacher shortages, war production training, and Pennsylvania women's clubs.
• Administrative and Correspondence Files of the Curators and Directors, 1965-1978. {Series #13.71}
  • Administrative records, memoranda, and correspondence files of the Curators of Archaeology, Natural Science, Fine and Decorative Arts, Military History, and Science, Industry and Technology in the William Penn Memorial Museum. Subject folders for correspondence include Pennsylvania Federation of Women's Clubs and the Women's Advisory Committee.
• Administrative Files of Directors and Assistants, 1923-1944. {Series #13.85}
  • Budget records, museum exhibit materials, photographs, and correspondence files of Director Frederic A. Godcharles (1923-1931), Director C. F. Hoban (1932-1935), Assistant Director Gertrude B. Fuller (1936-1939), Acting Assistant Director Henry W. Shoemaker (1939), and Assistant Director Mabel E. Bitner (1938-1944). The museum exhibits for the period 1932-1935 included American Indian Exhibits, Evolution of Home Heating, Pennsylvania Authors, and Pennsylvania Notable Women.
• Administrative and Public Relations File of Research Assistants, 1942-1946. {Series #13.99}
  • Correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings and photographs relating primarily to the Commission's education programs on the theme "Pennsylvania: Keystone of Democracy" and the War History Program. The Research Assistants of the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission were the forerunners of the present day Public Information Office. They collected, researched, and publicized information on Pennsylvania's contribution to the war effort during World War II. Among the 280 photographs are images of women employed in war production.

Record Group 15
Records of the Department of Justice

The Department of Justice represented the government in litigation involving the Commonwealth and was responsible for providing legal advice to the Governor and all departments, boards and commissions. The head of the Department and chief law enforcement officer of the state was the Attorney General, whose appointment was first mentioned in the Constitution of 1776. Prior to 1923 the Department of Justice was known as the Attorney-General's Department. Included in the Department of Justice were the Board of Pardons, first established in 1874, and the Bureau of Correction, which was created in 1953 to administer the state correctional institutions formerly maintained by the Department of Welfare. The Attorney General became an elected officer in accordance with a constitutional amendment approved in 1978. The first elected Attorney General assumed office in 1981, and the functions of the Department of Justice were transferred to the Office of the Attorney General, and to the Governor's Office Bureau of Corrections, which later became a Department in its own right. The Commonwealth was one of the first political entities to abolish the use of corporal punishment for crime and to replace it with a system of rehabilitation through incarceration.

• General Correspondence, 1958, 1963, 1965, 1967-1974. {Series #15.2}
  • Correspondence of the Attorney General relating to such diverse subjects as the Affirmative Action Program, Labor and Industry, Pennsylvania Program for Women and Girl Offenders, Legal Protection of Women, and Residency of Married Women for Tuition.
• News Clipping File, 1973-1978. {Series #15.5}
  • Newspaper clippings relating to such diverse subjects as abortion, adoption, adultery, affirmative action, Child Abuse, Homosexuals, Ku Klux Klan, Racial Discrimination, and Sex Discrimination.
• Speech and Press Release File, 1972-1977. {Series #15.6}
  • Transcripts of speeches delivered by Attorneys General J. Shane Creamer. Information is date of speech or press release and the text of the speech or release. Subjects include cases before state and federal courts, consumer protection, crime statistics, and grant announcements issued by the Department of Justice. Topics of speeches include women and the law and women's liberation.
• State Prisoner Statistical Reports of Weekly Admissions and Discharges, 1953-1962.{Series #15.15}
  • Weekly census, population counts, admissions and discharge statistical reports. Information provided in census records include breakdowns of the prison population by race, adults and juveniles, "lifers," "barr walker cases," habitual criminals, deficient delinquents, "death house" inmates, and infants. Records include the State Correctional Institution for Women

Record Group 16
Records of Labor and Industry

The Department of Labor and Industry was created in 1913 to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth relating to the welfare and safety of industrial employees. It replaced the Department of Factory Inspection, an outgrowth of the Office of Factory Inspector, which had been established in 1889. The Department administers laws and programs relating to workmen's compensation, workmen's unemployment insurance, labor relations, mediation, minimum wages for women and minors, conditions of labor, fair employment practices and employment security.

• Annual Reports of the Commissioner of Labor and Industry, 1913-1916.{Series #16.1}
  • Reports compiled by the Bureau of Statistics and Information in the Department of Labor and Industry for the benefit of the General Assembly. Information given includes statistical breakdowns of the number of employed persons in Pennsylvania by gender, race, citizenship status and the types of employment. Information is provided on various classes of industry and reveals each industry's capital market value, the number of days of operation, the number of male and female employees, the average daily wages paid, and the percentages of males and females, "Negroes" and foreigners employed in each industry. Accident statistics are also categorized by industry and reveal the causes and nature of the accidents reported. Other statistical charts provide breakdowns on disease rates and wage rates by industry. Narrative reports of the Industrial Board reveal the standards and codes adopted, "timely tips" issued for the benefit of employers and workers by the Department, and mediation and arbitration activities that occurred during the year. For the year 1915, there are also reports on the Workmen's Compensation Bureau and the State Workmen's Insurance Fund.
• Annual Reports of the Factory Inspector, 1890, 1892-1897, 1899-1911. {Series #16.2}
  • Reports prepared by the Factory Inspector for the Bureau of Industrial Statistics, and after 1893 for the Governor, concerning the conditions observed at the manufacturing facilities inspected during the year. Accident reports generally give the name of the manufacturer, the location, the date of the accident, the name of the injured person and his or her place of residence, the cause of the accident, the extent of the injury, and where the victim was treated. Other statistical reports on factory inspections generally give the name of manufacturer, the type of goods manufactured, the number of male and female employees, and the number of females under the age of 12 and between the ages of 12 and 16. Also found is information concerning sanitary conditions observed, the date the inspection was conducted, and occasional explanatory notes. From 1903, the statistics on employees are also categorized by type of industry and by the inspection district and give the total number of male and female employees, of minor children aged 14-16, and of minors dismissed for lack of a certificate by reason of being underage or illiterate. Some reports also contain narrative summaries on sanitary conditions, women's and child labor and related topics.
• Biennial Report of the Department of Labor and Industry, 1919-1920. {Series 16.3}
  • Report consists of narratives submitted by each of the Bureaus responsible for Employment, Inspection, Mediation and Arbitration, Workmen's Compensation, Industrial Board and Hygiene and Engineering. A report on the Industrial Board summarizes rulings on petitions, the approval of safety devices, industrial codes and on such labor practices as allowing minors to run motion picture machinery or work with explosives or allowing women to work on railroads or streetcars. Studies and surveys conducted by the Board include one on the "Colored" population of Pennsylvania, an industrial safety study conducted in cooperation with Bryn Mawr College, and a sketch on the wartime activities of the Industrial Board. The report from the Bureau of Workmen's Compensation provides a breakdown of funds disbursed and the report from the Bureau of Mediation and Arbitration discusses wages and capital lost as a result of the 555 labor strikes that occurred in 1920. The Bureau of Employment reported on the status of soldiers returning to work, immigrant employment, and the new Bureau of Rehabilitation that assisted disabled workers and veterans in finding employment. Moreover, the series includes information on women's and children's labor laws.
• Legislative Voting Records, 1911-1936. {Series #16.46}
  • Information generally provided for each legislator's voting record includes the year of the legislative session, type of session (general, special, extraordinary), bill number, bill title or purpose, legislative journal page, the person's vote (yea, nay, not recorded) and often the total tally of yeas and nays. Lists and charts documenting the voting records of various legislators, primarily on labor-related topics such as workers' rights, industry regulation, pollution, taxation, the elderly and child and female laborers.
• Reports and Related Records, 1919-1927. {Series #16.4}
  • Activity reports of the Department of Labor and Industry, and related publications and studies. The activity reports include biennial reports of the Department for 1919-1920, quadrennial reports for 1919-1923, biennial reports of the Industrial Board for 1919-1920 and an annual report of the Bureau of Workmen's Compensation, 1921. Also present is a survey of the Workmen's Compensation Board and Bureau, 1927, and a report of the Division of Industrial Hygiene and Engineering covering the period from January 1, 1922 to July 1, 1922. The publications and studies include A Compilation of Labor Laws of the Commonwealth, 1849-1921; Labor Law Administration in Pennsylvania by Robert H. Wettach, 1921; and Female and Child Labor in Pennsylvania, ca. 1920.
• Area Labor Market and Manpower Reports and Newsletters, 1954-1967. {Series #16.7}
  • Bimonthly reports and newsletters relating to various regional labor markets in the Commonwealth. Narrative descriptions summarize changing unemployment rates, anticipated labor needs, past changes in the unemployment rate, the anticipated labor supply, and the composition and adequacy of the current unemployed labor force. Also present is information on training programs, labor turnover rates for various manufacturing firms, hours and earnings, housing and other community facilities, the effects of federal programs in aiding distressed areas, and economic redevelopment program activities. Tables give breakdowns of the number of non-agriculture wage and salary workers and the unemployed population by gender. There are also breakdowns by gender for each industry and information concerning labor turnover in various types of manufacturing industry.
• Labor Market Area Reports, 1964-1968. {Series #16.10}
  • Reports on labor market conditions in Pennsylvania containing narrative descriptions summarizing changing unemployment rates, labor needs, the historical fluctuations in the unemployment rate, the anticipated labor supply, the composition of the current unemployed labor force, and the anticipated adequacy of the labor force. The reports also provide information on training, labor turnover rates for various manufacturing firms, statistics on hours and earnings, housing and community facilities, the effects of federal programs in aiding distressed areas, and community redevelopment activities. Tables give breakdowns of the total labor force and the number of unemployed workers by gender
• Motion Picture Films, Including World War Informational Films, [ca. 1941-1943]. {Series #16.14}
  • Public information films (16 mm) obtained by the Bureau of Employment Security from federal government agencies. Most were made during World War II and deal with such topics as the role of women in the war effort and the use of railroads by the military. Titles include:
    • • "All Out for Victory" (Job Mobilization) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Community at War" (War Manpower Mobilization Board) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Glamour Girls of 1943" (Job Mobilization) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Lifeline of the Nation" (Railways) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Railroaders Always" (Military Railroad Service) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Woman Power" (Job Mobilization) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Women of Steel" (Job Mobilization) (16mm, 1 reel)
      • "Women on the Warpath" (Willow Run, PA Job Mobilization) (16mm, 1 reel)
• Labor Dispute Case Files, 1938-1943, 1951-1953. {Series #16.16}
  • Preliminary reports and summary final reports, memoranda, and correspondence concerning mediation of labor dispute cases. Information given generally includes the case number, the name and location of the company, the type of industry, the nature and cause of the dispute, the craft concerned, and the duration of the dispute. The final disposition reports reveal terms of the final settlement, the number of employees affected (broken down by gender), and the number of firms or employers affected by the dispute. The types of industries represented include the building trades, coal mining, the leather trades, paper manufacture, metal fabrication, clothing manufacture and the lumber industry. Women's case files are included in the series.
• Biannual Report of the Bureau of Rehabilitation, 1921-1922. {Series #16.17}
  • Report documenting the activities of the Bureau of Rehabilitation. Information is provided on the use of federal funds for civilian rehabilitation programs and there are statistical breakdowns by age, race, literacy, schooling, gender, marital status and the number of dependents for displaced employees who were aided in finding new work by these programs.
• Records of the Governor's Committee on the Employment of the "Handicapped", 1954-1978. {Series #16.18}
  • Minutes, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, pamphlets, brochures, and workshop materials relating to the Governor's Committee for the Employment of the "Handicapped". "Handicapped" women's correspondence is included in this collection.
• Accident Prevention and Industrial Hygiene Course Book for State Factory and Building Inspectors, 1937. {Series #16.19}
  • Training course book used for a course conducted under the joint auspices of the United States Department of Labor's Division of Labor Standards, the Institute of Local and State Government, the University of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State College and the University of Pittsburgh. Contains test questions, narrative text, and procedures for inspecting industrial facilities. Subjects covered include basic safety inspection requirements, the fundamentals of conducting safety inspections, maintaining good housekeeping, the use of safety guards, and restricting access to areas where machinery is operating. There is also material relating to safety issues in particular "women's industries" such as laundry and textiles.
• Biennial Report of the Industrial Board, (printed), 1921-1922. {Series #16.20}
  • Report specifying the duties and powers of the Industrial Board, summaries of meetings held, and summaries of the safety services provided. Information found includes the nature of industrial sanitation and safety standards enforced, types of head and eye protection employed, and safety precautions to be followed in laundries, tunnel construction, air compressor operation, the use of scaffolding and ladders, and the operation of locomotive boilers. There is also a list of safety appliances approved by the Board including electrical devices, motion picture devices, mechanical appliances and fire protective devices. Separate industrial codes applying specifically to women and children are given and there are abstracts of surveys on women's homework and the employment of children in theater and educational motion pictures.
• Departmental Bulletin Books, 1925-1930.{Series #16.21}
  • Bulletins issued from the Secretary to the various bureaus of the Department of Labor and Industry. Information found includes new laws governing the agency and the functions of each bureau, regulations concerning the employment of minors, Act 466 regulating employment of women, and the definitions of the "forward," "penalty," "petition," and "administration" clauses in department regulations.
• Digest of the Transactions of the Industrial Board, 1914-1916. {#16.41}
  • Yearly summaries of the activities of the Industrial Board. Each recap is broken down into different sections, usually topics or codes which the board was considering during that year. Issues such as administrative actions, child labor law, codes of operation, code amendments, new codes, fire prevention and women's labor law.
• Monthly Bulletin Books, 1914-1934. {Series #16.28}
  • Public information bulletins issued monthly by the Department of Labor and Industry. Information is also found concerning a variety of safety issues, accidents reported, employment statistics, sanitation, child labor, workmen's compensation, health, industrial relations, and female labor. .
• Monthly Reports of Work Injuries in Pennsylvania, 1972-1975.{Series #16.29}
  • Summary reports on work related injuries reported to the Bureau of Occupational Injury and Disease Compensation, the predecessor of the Bureau of Worker's Compensation. The reports highlight the causes of injuries in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries, the leading characteristics of such injuries, and a monthly comparison of work injuries in manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries for the preceding two years. Included are statistical tables and charts revealing gender and age distributions of injured workers, the nature of the injuries and the accidents that caused them, and the number of fatalities and long term disabilities.
• Pennsylvania Labor and Industry Review Books, 1939-1945, 1947-1949. {Series #16.31}
  • Books containing public information pamphlets published quarterly by the Department of Labor and Industry. These reviews generally provide summaries of the functions and activities of the various boards and bureaus in the Department, rules and interpretations issued by the Industrial Board, and lists of departmental publications. Between 1941 and 1945 each review pamphlet was dedicated to a specific theme such as labor, industry, health in industry, safety, inspection, wartime transportation, plastics, textiles and women's labor.
• Reports File, 1906-1958. {Series #16.32}
  • Reference reports and studies maintained by the library of the Department of Labor and Industry. The reports relate to such topics as accidents and safety, asbestosis, building permits and housing, unemployment rates, disabled and older workers, interstate cooperation and compacts, labor unions, industrial disputes, and women's labor.
• Selected Readings on Occupational Diseases, [ca. 1940]. {Series #16.34}
  • Edited by J.C. Phillips, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and technical adviser for Works Progress Administration Project #16712, these readings were designed to help define occupational diseases for the purpose of determining appropriate compensation. The readings define the scope of the problem of occupational disease, provide a classification of occupational diseases, describe experiences in specific industries, provide technical analyses of various types of occupational disease, explore the methods of dispensing occupational disease compensation, and give a legislative and administrative history of occupational diseases in America and abroad. A section is devoted to women and occupational disease and methods are given for reporting and conducting statistical analysis of such diseases to assist in achieving more timely diagnosis, prevention and control.
• Special Bulletin Books, 1924-1963. {Series #16.35}
  • • No. 3, Industrial Home Work in Pennsylvania-1923 (1 volume)
    • No. 4, Labor Laws-1924 (1 volume)
    • No. 5, Labor Laws-1925
    • No. 9, Union Wage Scale and Hours of Labor-1925
    • No. 10, Conference on Women and Children in Industry
    • No. 11, Industrial Home Work and Child Labor
    • No. 26, Philadelphia Migratory Child Workers and School Attendance (1 volume)
    • No. 27, History of Child Labor Legislation in Pennsylvania
    • No. 29, Hours and Earnings of Men and Women in the Silk Industry
• Also include information regarding women's labor law, wage discrimination, fair wage law, child labor, industrial homework, and the 1925 Conference on Women in Industry.
• Annual Reports, 1937-2005. {Series #16.47}
  • A nearly complete run of Labor Relations Board annual reports, dating from the inception of the Board in June 1937. The style of the reports varies over the years, although the type of information contained in them remains basically unchanged. There was a year-by-year volume numbering system utilized until its discontinuation in 1977, with subsequent reports containing either one, two, three or even four years in one single document. The studies include data on the cases which were heard during the course of the calendar year or years, both specific and cumulative, a general accounting of the overall activities for the time period in question, as well as information related to new laws enacted which had a direct impact on the Board and its work. Information on women's labor is included in this series.
• Legal Files, 1937-1968. {Series #16.37}
  • Legal briefs, appeals, court opinions, court orders, and related court papers concerning adjudication cases brought before the Labor Relations Board that were appealed in the judicial system. The cases concern employee representation, collective bargaining, and unfair labor practices. Women's cases are included in this collection.
• Minutes, 1937-1977. {Series #16.38}
  • Minutes of the meetings of the Labor Relations Board that was created by Act 295 of 1937 for the purpose of establishing harmonious understanding between labor and industry. The motions generally relate to cases involving representation of employees, collective bargaining, and unfair labor practices which were brought before the board by labor and management representatives under the Provisions of the Labor Relations Act.

Record Group 19
Records of Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs
Partially Digitized

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is responsible for administering the Pennsylvania National Guard, the Pennsylvania Veterans Commission, the State Armory Board, the Scotland School for Veterans Children, and veterans' homes in Erie, Hollidaysburg, Spring City (Chester County), Scranton and Pittsburgh. It also administers various assistance programs to veterans. Established in 1793 as the Adjutant General's Department and recognized as the Department of Military Affairs under the Administrative Code of 1923, the government body assumed the name of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in 1995. The head of the Department is the Adjutant General, whose office and duties are defined in the 1793 code. Once included in the Department, the State Athletic Commission was placed in the Department of Revenue in 1937. The Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission's functions were transferred from the Department of Military Affairs to the Department of Transportation in 1970.

• Bonus Administration Files for the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War, 1898-1987. {Series #19.221}
  • Administrative files created in conjunction with Pennsylvania's reimbursement of funds and bonuses to veterans for honorable service in the Spanish American, World War I, World War II, Korean and Vietnam wars. Main files include: correspondence, forms, news releases, newspaper clippings, newsletters, statistics, and copies of related legislation. The bulk of the records are related specifically to the World War II bonus. Two additional topics covered are Pennsylvania's World War II Repatriation of War Dead program, and the Real Estate Tax Exemption plan for veterans. The series includes women who served in both World War II and Vietnam.
• Civil War Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1861-1866. {Series #19.11}
  • Arranged by regiment and thereunder by company. Included in the Series are the following subseries: Alphabetical Rolls. The rolls are arranged alphabetically by the soldiers' surnames. Entries usually give the name, rank, civilian occupation, and residence; the unit, regiment, company, and commanding officer; and the date and place where the roll was taken. Particulars about sickness or injuries are also sometimes noted. Descriptive Lists of Deserters. Lists give the names, ages, places of birth, height, hair and eye color, civilian occupations, and ranks of deserters; the units, regiments, and companies to which they were assigned; and the dates and places from which they deserted. Muster-In Rolls. Entries usually list the name, age, rank, unit, regiment, and company of the soldier; the date and place where enrolled; the name of the person who mustered him in; the term of enlistment; the date of mustering in; and the name of the commanding officer. Remarks concerning promotions and assignments are sometimes recorded. Muster-Out Rolls. The dated lists ordinarily give the soldier's name, age, rank, unit, regiment and company; the date, place, and person who mustered him in; the period of enlistment; and the name of the commanding officer. Particulars concerning pay earned, promotions, capture by the enemy and the like regularly appear. Muster and Descriptive Rolls. Generally the rolls provide name, age, town or county and state or kingdom of birth, civilian occupation, complexion, height, eye and hair color, and rank; the unit, regiment, company and commanding officer; and the amount of money received for pay, bounties, and clothing. The muster rolls also document women who enlisted as men and were later discovered. On such individual enlisted as Charles D. Fuller (D-46). However, Fuller was "discovered to be a female," according to a notation on the muster out roll.
• Commissions File, 1861-1929. {Series #19.14}
  • Record of the commissioned officers serving under the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Entries on these copies of the commissions list the names and residences for each of the officers, the dates of the commissions, the dates from which ranks were to be held, and the brigades to which they were assigned. Included are letters regarding elections of officers, recommendations for transfers, offers to organize companies, and applications to serve in the military or in non-military support roles. Requests from women are included.

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