New York State Governor Alphabetic Card Index to Governors' Appointment Correspondence Files and Other Matters

A0540-78: Arranged by type or topic of card (e.g. titles, applicants, etc.), then chronological by year or gubernatorial administration, then alphabetical by last name, position title, or event.

A0540-99, A0540-05: Alphabetical by name of appointee.

A0540-08: Alphabetical.

A0540-78: The bulk of this accretion is comprised of several sets of cards indexing names and positions appearing in portions of series A0612, Appointment Correspondence Files (Governor). Additional sets of cards index individuals invited to annual legislative receptions; scheduled engagements; "delegates" (no further information provided); and "military secretary file" (no further information provided). The card indexes were compiled by successive gubernatorial administrations to facilitate access to information relating to the increasing amounts of correspondence and other responsibilities of governors and their staff. In particular, they provide access to names of individuals applying for appointment to various positions and individuals recommending others for such positions.

Four sets of cards partially index Appointment Correspondence Files of Governors Frank W. Higgins (1905-1906), Charles E. Hughes (1907-1910), Horace White (1910), John A. Dix (1911-1912), William Sulzer (1913), Martin H. Glynn (1913-1914), Charles S. Whitman (1915-1918), Alfred E. Smith (1919-1920 and 1923-1928), Nathan L. Miller (1921-1922), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1929-1932). These include:

1) TITLES, 1905-1906, 1910-1913, 1915-1920; Title of office or position appears at the top of each card, followed by name of applicant, file code number indicating where in Appointment Correspondence Files the letter was filed, and date (sometimes).

2) APPLICANTS/APPOINTMENTS, 1905-1930: Name of applicant for appointment appears at the top of each card, followed by title/position, name(s) of person(s) endorsing or opposing application, actions taken (e.g. nominated; confirmed; appointed), and dates.

3) ENDORSEMENTS, 1905-1922: Name of individual endorsing an applicant appears at the top of each card, followed by date, name of applicant, title/position, and file code number indicating where in Appointment Correspondence Files the letter was filed. Starting in 1911, the cards only provide name of endorser, date, and file code number.

4) NOTARY PUBLIC LETTERS, 1907-1910: Name of applicant for appointment as notary public appears at the top of each card, followed by date.

One set of cards, labeled "delegates", apparently indexes delegates appointed in 1914 under Governor Martin H. Glynn. Each card provides only name of delegate and address or city of residence. No information is provided on either the specific conference or other event to which these individuals were appointed as delegates, or on which correspondence or other files the cards index.

One set of unlabeled cards apparently indexes engagements (speeches, meetings, etc.) for which Governor Charles S. Whitman was scheduled during 1916-1918. The place or name of the event appears at the top of each card, followed by one or more dates. Occasionally, instead of a second date appearing, there is a brief notation such as "date not fixed," "pending," or "miscellaneous."

One set of cards, labeled "legislative reception," apparently indexes individuals invited to attend annual legislative receptions hosted by Governor Whitman from 1915-1918. According to fragments of an invitation found among the cards, state legislators, members of their families, other state officials, and other individuals were invited to these receptions. Each card provides name of individual invited and address or city of residence.

The last set of cards, labeled "military secretary file," apparently indexes individuals applying for or appointed to military positions under Governor Whitman in 1916. The individual's name appears at the top of each card, followed by one or more dates. Occasionally, instead of a second date appearing, there is a brief notation such as "miscellaneous," "mil. misc.," "date not fixed," or "March not fixed." It is unclear from the records what these notations mean, although it is possible that "not fixed" refers to the appointment date. No information is provided on which correspondence or other files the cards index.

Many sets of cards are incomplete, with either entire years or sections of the alphabet for certain years missing.

A0540-99, A0540-05: These accretions consist of approximately 5,500 index cards produced during the tenures of Governors Hugh L. Carey (1975-1982) and Mario M. Cuomo (1983-1994) recording applicants or appointments. Each card provides space for name of applicant or appointee; agency; position; salary; date recommendation for appointment was sent to the agency; date BDA (notification from the agency that the person would be hired) was received; dates investigation began and ended; date appointment was sent to Division of the Budget; name of person or organization making recommendation; and address and phone numbers of applicant. Cards frequently include notes on results of the recommendation. Cards for surnames filed in letter groups A-E and K-T are missing.

A0540-08: This accretion consists of approximately 1,500 index cards produced during Governor W. Averell Harriman's tenure (1955-1958) regarding applicants or appointments to state offices. Most of the cards provide the name of the applicant or appointee, agency, position, salary, address, and phone number of applicant.

A3218Series A3218, Alphabetic Card Index to Governors' Correspondence Files, also indexes portions of Series A0612, Appointment Correspondence Files, but apparently does not duplicate information in Series A0540

A0612Series A0612, Appointment Correspondence Files, is indexed by this series.

A0540-78: One set of cards, most likely indexing the appointment correspondence files of Governor Martin H. Glynn, became alienated from the series prior to transfer of the records from the State Library in 1978. The alienated cards appear to have been part of the records accessioned as A0540-78, but were mistakenly accessioned as part of series A0525, State Comptroller's Office Assorted Records. The alienated cards, which index appointment correspondence by title, were reunited with A0540-78 in 2009.

A0540-08: This accretion was transferred to Syracuse University from Governor Harriman in 1959. It was later transferred to the New York State Archives in June 2006 and accessioned in January 2008.

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