Series 2: Commitment Books, 1858-1927
Scope and Contents
Series 2 contains small ledgers called commitment books, completed annually from 1858 to 1927, that list Kingston tax-payers and their account details.
Generally, each account lists the number of polls (adult male voters), the poll tax due, personal property tax due, real estate tax due, total tax due, and the date the tax was paid. Interest and abatements are included when these adjustments were made.
Dates
- 1858-1927
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted.
Extent
6 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Residents are listed in alphabetical sections, but within each section, names might appear out of strict alphabetical order. In combined volumes, residents are listed first, followed by non-residents. Non-resident listings include their towns of residence.
Before 1915, there is one volume per year. In 1915, each year has two volumes, residents and non-residents, except for 1918, 1921, 1926 and 1927 which are represented in single volumes, with two alphabetical lists included. Three volumes are missing: 1877, 1878 and 1922. Two volumes contain multiple years: the lists for 1891 can be in the back of 1881, and the lists for 1887 are in the back of 1882. There is one volume in Box 47 that is not identified by year. When a volume lists tax assessments for a particular purpose, it is noted in the list.
Repository Details
Part of the Kingston Public Library Local History Collections Repository