New York State Comptroller memorandum book

1799-1826 D

The New York State Office of the Comptroller was established in 1797. The Comptroller is the State’s chief fiscal officer. The collection consists of a memorandum book (1 volume) dating from 1799 to 1826, kept by Comptrollers Archibald McIntyre (1772-1858) and William Learned Marcy (1786-1857), relating to their oversight of public appropriations. McIntyre was a New York State assemblyman who served as comptroller from 1806 to 1821. Marcy was comptroller from 1823 to 1829 and state governor from 1833 to 1838. McIntyre's entries include extracts of laws enacted 1797 to 1811, with related transactions occurring 1799 to 1811, and an accounting of financial reports. Entries concern lotteries to fund public works and other initiatives, notably the construction and improvement of major roads, such as the Great Genesee Road, and navigation improvements for the Hudson River and other waterways. Education expenses and the purchase of the Elgin Botanical Garden from David Hosack in 1810 are also mentioned. Entries are followed by memoranda of tasks and queries made by William Learned Marcy, 1824 to 1826. Similar notes by McIntyre, 1816 to 1818, begin from the reverse end of the volume, turned over. Entries during the McIntyre administration appear to be written in two different hands.