Records of the Treasurer of the United States
(Record Group 50)
1808-1970
3,488 cu. ft.
Table of Contents
- 50.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
- 50.2 RECORDS OF THE CHIEF CLERK
1814-1927
1,059 lin. ft.
- 50.3 RECORDS OF THE CASH DIVISION
1833-1932
400 lin. ft.
- 50.4 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF GENERAL ACCOUNTS
1813-1947
2,000 lin. ft.
- 50.5 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF NATIONAL BANKS
1855-1936
62 lin. ft.
- 50.6 RECORDS OF THE REDEMPTION DIVISION
1873-1933
3 lin. ft.
- 50.7 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF SECURITIES
1862-1933
400 lin. ft.
- 50.8 RECORDS RELATING TO THE POSTAL SAVINGS SYSTEM
1910-30
282 lin. ft.
- 50.9 RECORDS RELATING TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
1871-1925
70 lin. ft.
- 50.10 RECORDS OF THE ASSISTANT TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES
1870-1914
4 lin. ft.
- 50.11 OTHER RECORDS
1808-1970
112 lin. ft.
Established: By the act establishing the Department of the Treasury (1 Stat. 66), September 2, 1789.
Transfers: To newly established Fiscal Service, Department of the Treasury, by Reorganization Plan No. III of 1940, effective June 30, 1940; to autonomous status within the department as part of the functional realignment (SEE Functions statement below) that created the Bureau of U.S. Government Financial Operations (BUGFO), 1974.
Functions:
Historical
Served as the banking facility for the Federal Government. Received, disbursed, and accounted for public funds. Procured, held, issued, and redeemed U.S. paper currency and coin. Provided checking account facilities to all government agencies. Paid the principal and interest on the public debt and on bonds of the Philippine and Puerto Rican governments and of government corporations and agencies. Prepared and issued the Daily Statement of the United States Treasury and other fiscal reports. Maintained the Treasury general ledger accounts of the trust, reserve, and general funds. Directed the activities of Federal Reserve banks when they acted as fiscal agents of the United States. All these functions, except those exercised by the Cash Division, and those of General Accounts Division and Internal Audit Office relating to custody, issuance, and redemption of currency, transferred to Bureau of U.S. Government Financial Operations (BUGFO), effective February 1, 1974, by Treasury Department Order 229, January 14, 1974. Remaining nonceremonial functions transferred to BUGFO by Treasury Department Order 229- 1, March 11, 1974. BUGFO redesignated Financial Management Service by Treasury Department Order 145-21, effective October 10, 1984.
Current
Exercises oversight responsibility for the U.S. Savings Bonds Division (since 1979) and (since 1981) for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and United States Mint (formerly Bureau of the Mint). Performs ceremonial duties.
Successor Agencies: Bureau of U.S. Government Financial Operations, Department of the Treasury ("historical" functions of Office of the Treasurer, SEE Functions statement above, 1974-84); Financial Management Service, Department of the Treasury ("historical" functions only, 1984- ).
Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Office of the Treasurerin RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.
Note: Many records of the Treasurer's Office dated before June 1, 1829, were lost in a fire that destroyed the Treasury Building in 1833.
50.2 RECORDS OF THE CHIEF CLERK
1814-1927
1,059 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Letters received, 1869-1906 (520 ft.). Register of letters received, 1861-1911. Domestic letters sent, 1814-97 (bulk 1831-97). Subject index to letters sent, 1861-1908. General letters sent, 1869-1927 (444 ft.). Letters sent to national banks, 1862-76, and assistant treasurers and designated depositories, 1863-76. Letters sent concerning Indian trust funds, 1876-91, and the railroad sinking fund, 1879-1907. Registers of employees, 1861-1905.
50.3 RECORDS OF THE CASH DIVISION
1833-1932
400 lin. ft.
Textual Records: General ledgers, 1865-1914. Ledgers on specialized functions, including Philippine and Puerto Rican loans, 1833-1932. Journals, 1853-1914. Registers of drafts, 1837- 66, 1915-30. Treasury asset and liability statements, 1876-1931. Statements of cash on hand, 1862-63. Records relating to the issue and redemption of notes and currency, 1837-58, 1870-80. Mexican Indemnity records, 1837-50, and Alabama claims payment records, 1888-95. Records of interest paid on Pacific Railroad loans, 1883-96. Monthly statements of accounts of public officers, including the Treasurer, with the Second Bank of the United States and its branches, 1833.
50.4 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF GENERAL ACCOUNTS
1813-1947
2,000 lin. ft.
Textual Records: General ledgers, 1863-1931. Special ledgers, 1829-1931, including some for accounts with banks, 1829-69, quartermasters, 1862-65, national banks, 1863-1914, and national bank depositories and Federal Reserve banks, 1914-31. Journals of receipts and disbursements, 1863-1915. Journal vouchers, 1916-30. Registers of drafts, warrants, and copies of warrants, 1822-95. Registers of warrants issued, paid, and outstanding, 1895-1947 (registers of warrants dated after June 30, 1912, and transfer and covering warrants after 1928). Copies of the Treasurer's quarterly accounts, 1813-1932, the Treasurer's daily cash statements, 1847-1912, and Treasury asset and liability statements, 1879-1931.
50.5 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF NATIONAL BANKS
1855-1936
62 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Ledgers, 1855-1904. Journals, 1864-1901. Ledger and journal relating to sinking fund accounts of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads, 1879-88. Registers of bonds held as securities for public deposits, 1863-1911, and as backing for national bank note circulation, 1863-1920. Registers of duty collected on national bank note circulation, 1864-1936.
50.6 RECORDS OF THE REDEMPTION DIVISION
1873-1933
3 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Schedules of currency and securities delivered for destruction, 1875-1933. Currency redemption ledger, 1876-80. Record of notes redeemed by affidavit, 1873-81.
50.7 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF SECURITIES
1862-1933
400 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Ledgers for the issue and redemption of gold certificates, 1865-1933. Registers relating to the issue, redemption, and conversion of loans, and interest payments, 1862- 1931. Registers of certificates of indebtedness, 1862-66, with a related journal, 1862-64. Daybook on the issue of notes and fractional currency, 1862-67. Records of bond purchases, 1862-72. Registers of the issue and redemption of certificates of deposit, 1876-1913. Registers of redemption of Pacific Railroad bonds, 1895-1903.
50.8 RECORDS RELATING TO THE POSTAL SAVINGS SYSTEM
1910-30
282 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Records relating to the establishment of the system, 1910-13. Correspondence with members of the Board of Trustees, 1911-13. Correspondence with depository banks, 1911-30 (241 ft.). Registers of securities held as backing for the system, 1911-22.
50.9 RECORDS RELATING TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
1871-1925
70 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Correspondence, 1873-1913. Register of letters received, 1878-1915. Ledgers, 1874-1925. Journals, 1871-1922. Miscellaneous fiscal records, 1872-82. Records relating to bond redemption, 1874-1924. Reports to the First Auditor, 1878-1902. Certificates issued by the Board of Audit, with related records, 1874-95.
50.10 RECORDS OF THE ASSISTANT TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES
1870-1914
4 lin. ft.
Textual Records: Daily issue and redemption reports, 1881-1914. Ledgers of accounts with other assistant treasurers, 1903-12. Statements of transactions with depositories and independent treasurers, 1870-76.
50.11 OTHER RECORDS
1808-1970
112 lin. ft.
Textual Records: General fiscal records of the Treasurer's Office, 1808-1931. Receipt books, 1830-1930. Records of the issue and redemption of securities, and interest payments, 1861-1926. Records relating to the Indian and Smithsonian Trust Funds, 1836- 81. Miscellaneous published material, 1883-1935. Records relating to the loan of silver to the War Department and to the Defense Plant Corporation during World War II, 1942-70.
Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.
This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.
Blogs
Facebook
Flickr
RSS Feeds
Twitter
YouTube