Overview
Texas State Archives
Texas. Secretary of
State.
Secretary of State public printing records
1835-1906, undated
bulk 1874-1897
Public printing was supervised by the Texas Secretary of State during the period of the Republic and early statehood; and beginning in the early 1870s, the Secretary of State was always the member of the Board of Public Printing in charge of its records. These records consist of minutes of meetings, correspondence, accounts, printing orders, samples, claims, bids, and contracts, all relating to public printing. Dates are scattered, covering the period 1835-1906 and undated, the bulk dating 1874-1897.
These materials are written predominately in
English with scattered
Spanish throughout.
4.46 cubic ft.
Restrictions on Access
Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the State
Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage
areas by staff members.
Restrictions on Use
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and
may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials
received
by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The
researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17
U.S.C.).
Technical Requirements
None.
Agency History
During the Republic and early statehood it was the practice of Congress and the Legislature to select a public printer whose duties were supervised by the Secretary of State; this was confirmed by acts approved by the 1st Texas Congress on November 15 and 18, 1836. On December 18, 1837, Congress approved an act to provide for the publication of the laws and journals of the Republic of Texas, with the Secretary of State required to contract for the printing and to arrange for its distribution.
The duty of editing and then distributing the printed laws and journals of each session of the legislature was affirmed by the 1st Texas Legislature in the act to define the duties of Secretary of State, approved May 9, 1846. The 8th Legislature on November 22, 1859 provided that the Secretary of State, the Treasurer, and the Comptroller should advertise for proposals to print the laws and journals, governor's messages, reports, and other printing. They would award a contract and the printer would be supervised by the Secretary of State. The duties of these three were expanded by the 13th Legislature on February 17, 1873 when they constituted a board for examination and approval of the accounts of the Public Printer. The composition of the board was changed by the 14th Legislature, March 14, 1874 to include the Governor, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General. A Board of Public Printing was created by the 15th Legislature, June 27, 1876, composed of the Attorney General, the Treasurer, and the Secretary of State, with the Secretary of State in charge of the records. The Board was abolished by the 36th Legislature, April 5, 1919 and its functions transferred to the State Board of Control.
Scope and Contents of the Records
Public printing was supervised by the Texas Secretary of State during the period of the Republic and early statehood; and beginning in the early 1870s, the Secretary of State was always the member of the Board of Public Printing in charge of its records. These records consist of minutes of meetings, correspondence, accounts, printing orders, samples, claims, bids, and contracts, all relating to public printing. Dates are scattered, covering the period 1835-1906 and undated, the bulk dating 1874-1897.
The Republic of Texas records relating to public printing consist mainly of correspondence of the Secretary of State and the Congressional Joint Committee on Public Printing, with the public printer and applicants for that position. Other records include contracts, advertisements for bids, bids submitted, accounts, samples of printed materials submitted with bids, and orders of the Secretary of State for printing supplies. These date 1836-1846, undated.
Post-annexation records relating to public printing include minutes (mainly of the Board of Public Printing), 1862 and 1874-1896; two letter press books containing copies of outgoing correspondence from the Board of Public Printing, 1881-1891; account books of the Board of Public Printing, 1879-1902; and assorted other records, with the total date span of 1848-1906.
This series was created to document the activities of public printing in Texas, including the contracting and supervising of the public printers, and keeping track of the expenditures involved.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily
reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to
provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
Arrangement of the Records
These records are arranged by State Archives staff into two chronological groups (Republic and statehood). Republic records are arranged chronologically, and statehood records are arranged by type of record (and chronologically within each type).
Index Terms
The terms listed here were used to catalog the
records. The terms can be used to find similar or related
records.
Corporate Names:
Texas. Board of Public Printing.
Texas (Republic). Dept. of State.Texas (Provisional government, 1835). Dept. of State.
Subjects:
Printing, Public--Texas.Printing, Legislative--Texas.
Document Types:
Minutes--Texas--Printing, Public--1862, 1874-1896.
Correspondence--Texas--Printing, Public--1835-1906.Contracts--Texas--Printing, Public--1835-1906.Financial records--Texas--Printing, Public--1835-1906.
Functions:
Administering public printing activities.
Related Material
The following materials are offered as possible
sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by the
records. The listing is not exhaustive.
Texas State
Archives
Texas Secretary of State general correspondence of the Department of State, Republic of Texas, 1822-1859, undated, bulk 1835-1846, 4.96 cubic ft., 4 reels microfilm
Financial
Records of the Department of State, Republic of Texas, 1837-1845, 0.3 cubic
ft., 1 reel microfilm
Publications
Binkley, William C. (ed.),
<emph render="italic">Official Correspondence of the Texas
Revolution, 1835-1836</emph>
, New York, D. Appleton-Century Co., 1936, 2 volumes.
Jenkins, John H. (ed. and comp.),
<emph render="italic">Papers of the Texas Revolution,
1835-1836</emph>
, Austin, Presidial Press, 1973, 10 volumes.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Secretary of State public printing records.
Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and
Archives
Commission.
Appraisal Information
Texas State Archives staff completed an appraisal of the Texas
Secretary of State holdings already in the custody of the Texas State Archives
in December 1998. Fifty-seven series of these holdings were determined to be
archival, including Public printing records. The complete appraisal report
(in two parts: Republic of Texas records, and non-Republic records) is
available for consultation online at
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/appraisal/sosrepublic.html
and
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/appraisal/sosstate.html,
and also in the search room of the Texas State Archives.
Processing Information
Republic of Texas records processed by unknown Archives staff, unknown dates
Finding aid encoded by Tony Black
in EAD Version 2002 as part of the TARO project,
February 2011 and December 2011
Accession Information
Accession numbers: 1905/007, 1932/002, 1933/004, 1933/005, 1941/006, 1982/336
These records were transferred to the Texas Department of Agriculture, Insurance, Statistics, and History (a predecessor of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission) by the Texas Secretary of State on November 10, 1905; to the Texas Library and Historical Commission by the Texas Secretary of State on September 28, 1932; December 11, 1933; February 21, 1934; and April 24, 1942; and to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Secretary of State on July 25, 1982.
Detailed Description of the Records
Secretary of State public printing records,
1835-1906, undated,
bulk 1874-1897,
4.46 cubic ft.
Republic of Texas public printing records, 1835-1846, undated2-9/361. Republic of Texas public printing records, 1835-1836, undated2-9/362. Republic of Texas public printing records, 1837-18392-9/363. Republic of Texas public printing records, 18402-9/364. Republic of Texas public printing records, 1841-18462-9/365. Photostats, 1836-1838, undatedBox 2211. Republic of Texas public printing records,
2-7/388Memorandum of printing made by N. Amory, contract for printing, etc., 1837-1841
State of Texas public printing records, 1848-19062/9-711Minutes and correspondence, 1881-18822/9-711Correspondence, 1848, 18552/9-711Applications for printing, 1870-18712/9-711Public printing, 1849-18832/9-711Account for public printing, 1855-18592/9-711Public printing, 1882-1901[wallet]2/9-711Public printing, 1902-1903[wallet]2/9-711Attorney General opinion to Board of Public Printing, 19052-13/280Bid for public printing, 19002-13/280Samples for public printing, 1900-19062-13/290Printing orders, 1899-1900Board of Public Printing minute books, 1874-18962-7/429March 1874-September 18762-7/425August 1876-October 18772-7/434September 1877-August 18792-7/430September 1879-September 18842-7/428September 1884-March 1896Board of Public Printing letterpress books, 1881-18914-1/047April 25, 1881-May 1, 18904-2/1252May 16, 1890-October 15, 1891Board of Public Printing account books, 1879-19022-7/454Account book (W.D. Moore, State Printer: delivered by widow to State Investigating Committee, 1902), November 1879-December 18892-7/421Account book (W.D. Moore, State Printer: delivered by widow to State Investigating Committee, 1902), 1880-18882-7/422Account book (W.D. Moore, State Printer: delivered by widow to State Investigating Committee, 1902), 1888-18962-7/422Correspondence, 1898[loose in volume]2-7/427Account book, 1897-18982-7/431Value of printing done at State Printing Office, January 1889-December 18912-7/432State Bindery department accounts, with index, January 1889-May 18912-7/458State Advertising, October 1880-August 19022-7/426Miscellaneous distribution of books, July 1874-November 18812-7/438Distribution of books in counties, 18812-1/518Record of books and publications mailed, 1887-18892-7/423Account book, 1891-18942-7/1166Stationery record, Eugene Von Boeckmann, state contractor, October 1894-January 18972-7/516Record of paper used, February 1901-September 1902