Guide to the Office of the General Treasurer Land Evidence records , 1700-1895


Rhode Island State Archives
Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-222-2353
Fax: 401-222-3199
email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Published in 2009

Collection Overview

Title: Office of the General Treasurer Land Evidence records
Date range: 1700-1895
Creator: Rhode Island. Treasury Dept.
Extent: 0.46 cubic feet other
Abstract: The Office of the General Treasurer Land Evidence records consists of deeds and agreements for land in Rhode Island during the years 1700-1895.
Language of materials: English
Repository: Rhode Island State Archives
Collection number: 1997-137

Scope & content

The Office of the General Treasurer Land Evidence records consists of deeds and agreements for land in Rhode Island during the years 1700-1895. The records include deeds, agreements, records of surveys, certificates of recording of deeds, quit claim deeds, warranty deeds and mortgage deeds. Of particular interest are records including a typed transcription of a record recorded June 6, 1851 documenting the land transfer between Ann F. Herreshoff et.al to Millard Fillmore, President of the United States, for Sandy Point on Prudence Island in Portsmouth, May 23, 1851; a deed of the City of Providence to State of Rhode Island for "a lot of land between North Main Street and the Cove on which the State Jail lately stand," dated June 21, 1839, recorded August 9, 1839 and a deed documenting a transfer between Christopher and William Rhodes to William A. Howard, March 24, 1852 regarding a piece of land known as the "State Farm" in Cranston [unofficial, handwritten transcription .c. 1878].

Access Points

Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics Subject Topics Document Types

Arrangement

The Office of the General Treasurer Land Evidence records are arranged into the following series:

  • Series 1. Land Evidence records, 1700-1895

Historical note

The General Treasurer is elected by the people every four years. The Treasury Department consists of the following divisions: Business Operations; Crime Victim Compensation; Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island; Finance and Investments including Cash Management, Debt Management, and Funds Operations Management; and Unclaimed Property. The annual budget for the General Treasurer’s office is approximately 28 million. Finance and Investments manages approximately $6.3 billion, including $300 million in cash and $6 billion in pensions. The General Treasurer serves as Chair on various boards and commissions such as the RI State Employees’ Retirement Board; RI Refunding Board Authority; and RI Public Finance Management Board. He also serves as a Commissioner of the RI Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation and a Director on the Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority.

The General Treasurer is responsible for the general policy and direction of all areas of the Treasury Department which includes retirement administration, investment of state money and pension funds, business office operations and unclaimed property. The General Treasurer is also responsible for legislation and legislative affairs and information.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: No special restrictions unless otherwise specified.
Use of the materials: Copyright is in the public domain unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to restrict reproduction of materials due to preservation concerns.
Preferred citation: Office of the General Treasurer Land Evidence records, 1997-137, Rhode Island State Archives.
Contact information: Rhode Island State Archives
Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-222-2353
Fax: 401-222-3199
email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: Transferred to the Rhode Island State Archives on December 16, 1997.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Kate Telford.
Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Kate Telford 2009 August 11
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

Series 1. Land Evidence records
Box 1, Folder 1-6

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 1 Deeds and Agreements (1 of 6)
Contents Note: Folder includes Part of Deed, John and Judah Mumford to Jonathan Lewis, North Kingston, n.d.; Part of Deed Joseph Cowen to Dudly Wade, Glocester, n.d. (noted as an abstract from Glocester Records) Pardon Field to Jedidiah Sprague, Glocester, n.d.; Deed Jeremiah Willson, Block Island to John Potter, Land at Mattanick, June 10, 1700; Agreement, Mary Smith, Providence (wife of Jeremiah) to Margaret Smith (wife of Ephraim) of Kingstown, income from ferry Prudence to Portsmouth, October 17, 1722; Quit Clame Deed, Jeremiah Willson to Samuel Potter, South Kingstown, February 17, 1724/5 and Deed, William and Mary Page to Major William Smith of Colony Committee, Providence Court House Lot, December 24, 1729, recorded April 10, 1730.

 1700-1731
Box 1, Folder 2 Deeds and Agreements (2 of 6)
Contents Note: Folder includes Record of Survey, Land of Ezekiell Holiman west of Seven Mile Line at junction of Warwick and Providence, May 22, 1705, Recorded July 3, 1711, (A true copy written June 28, 1733); Certificate of Recording of Deed, Thomas Beadle, Smithfield, May 19, 1738 by Daniel Jenkes, Town Clerk; Deed, Jonathan and Elizabeth Tourtellot to David and Rebecca Thayer, Scituate, January 12, 1760, recorded March 19, 1760; Deed, Allin and Rebekeh Brown, David and Martha Harris, and William and Abigail Smith, all of Providence to Colony of Rhode Island, Court House Lot on Main and Benefit Streets, Providence, March 2, 1761; Certificate of Recording of Deed, Peter Boss to Caleb Gardner, South Kingstown, June 21, 1764, recorded June 25, 1764; Ratable Estate, Nathan Williams, Providence, November 5, 1779; Deed, William Thurber, Samuel Hill and Elizabeth his wife, Benjamin Alger and Mary his wife to Edward Thurber - Camp Hill in Providence , March 15, 1780. [unsigned by landowners, probably a copy and subsequently found with Admiralty papers] and Deed, William Potter, South Kingstown to General Treasurer of Rhode Island - Court House at Little Rest Hill, November 3, 1785.

 1711-1785
Box 1, Folder 3 Deeds and Agreements (3 of 6)
Contents Note: Folder includes Deed, Richard Fry, Sheriff to General Treasurer, execution against John Rice and William Burllinggame, Coventry, May 3, 1785; Deed, Society of Quakers (Clarke Rodman, Richard Mitchell, Samuel Thurston, Benjamin Mott and Benjamin Hadmen) to John Brown, for lots # 15 and 16, March 16, 1793; Deed(2), Joseph Hopkins Jr. West Greenwich to Henry Sherburne, General Treasurer, Land in West Greenwich, June 17, 1799, recorded June 21, 1799; Deed, John and Lois Howland, Eddy and Molly Howland to General Treasurer, Land in Glocester, February 7, 1800; Deed, Asher Robbins, to General Treasurer, land in Newport, November 9, 1802 and Deed, Benjamin and Esther Hoppin to Peter Wanton. Snow - for Cotton Manufacturer in the Town of Johnston, February 20, 1808, recorded February 25, 1808.

 1785-1808
Box 1, Folder 4 Deeds and Agreements (4 of 6)
Contents Note: Folder includes Deed, Charles Feke to Constant Taber, General Treasurer, Newport, March 21, 1810; Quit Claim Deed, Nicholas Brown to Samuel W. Bridgham Attorney General, July 19, 1814, Providence; Deed, Town of Bristol to State of Rhode Island, May 20, 1816; Deed, Obadiah Johnson to General Treasurer, June 22, 1820, Coventry. Includes General Assembly Resolution dated June Session 1831; Deed, William C. Thayer to Lemuel Arnold, Governor of the State, for land to erect building for use of the United Independent Company of Volunteers, Providence, October 10, 1832 and Deed, City of Providence to State of Rhode Island for land called Great Point for purposes of erecting a State Prison or Penitentiary, Providence. July 16, 1835, recorded July 24, 1835.

 1810-1835
Box 1, Folder 5 Deeds and Agreements (5 of 6)
Contents Note: Folder includes Deed, Ann P. and Phila F. Townsend to John Sterne, General Treasurer, for land surrounding the monument to Commodore Oliver H. Perry, Newport, May 24, 1836; Quit Claim Deed, Proprietors of Grand Purchase of Providence to the State of Rhode Island, May 14, 1838, for "lot now occupied and adjoining to the State's jail", recorded June 4, 1838; Quit Claim Deed, City of Providence to State of Rhode Island for "lot of land called the Jail Lot on which the jail of the County of Providence now stands..." April 2, 1838; Deed, City of Providence to State of Rhode Island for "a lot of land between North Main Street and the Cove on which the State Jail lately stand", June 21, 1839, recorded August 9, 1839; Deed, Cory Matteson to Haulsey Matteson, West Greenwich, April 11, 1842 and Deed, Martha B. Farnum to Martha Thurber, North Providence, August 1, 1849, recorded March 4, 1850.

 1836-1850
Box 1, Folder 6 Deeds and Agreements (6 of 6)
Contents Note: Folder includes Warranty Deed, (Typed transcription of record recorded June 6, 1851] Ann F. Herreshoff et.al to Millard Fillmore, President of the United States, for Sandy Point on Prudence Island in Portsmouth, May 23, 1851; Deed, Christopher and William Rhodes to William A. Howard, March 24, 1852 regarding a piece of land known as the "State Farm" in Cranston [unofficial, handwritten transcription .c. 1878]; Mortgage Deed, Copy of mortgage deed of December 20, 1849 from trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church to David W. Hunt, East Greenwich, January 20, 1853; Deed, The Kentish Guards to the State of Rhode Island, East Greenwich, March 29, 1853, recorded March 31, 1853 plus attached resolution of the General Assembly appropriating monies for said transaction; Warranty Deed, Edward and Abby M. Harris to State of Rhode Island, Woonsocket Armory, May 11, 1871, recorded June 20, 1871; Deed, Joseph and Harriet Sherman to Samuel Clark, General Treasurer, for County Court House, South Kingstown, February 10, 1892 and Agreement, Of the North Kingstown Town Council and the State of Rhode Island, for the erection of a wharf for the use of the State in connection with the Quonset Camp Ground, April 3, 1895. (Includes plan of road in North Kingstown from State Wharf to Camp Grounds, June 1894- see C-30 in map database.)

 1851-1895