Series 340: Land Redemption Reports and Ledgers. 1842-1922.

Collection Title: Series 340: Land Redemption Reports and Ledgers. 1842-1922. Auditor (RG 29)  

Creator: Office of the State Auditor (RG 29)

Collection Summary: An assortment of bound ledgers and unbound reports showing lands redeemed in the state. The reports have the following printed information: division of sections, section, township, range, by whom and when redeemed, and by whom and when purchased. The materials are arranged by county and by date.

Access Restrictions: None.

Date(s): 1840-1933.
Volume: 3.0 cubic feet.
Language(s): English.
Finding Aid Created By: Shaun Stalzer in March 2024

Record Group History: The Office of the State Auditor (RG 29) dates back to January 1805, when the Mississippi territorial legislature defined the major duties of the office as follows: “to examine, state, settle, and audit all accounts, claims, or demands arising under any laws or resolutions of the legislature; and to grant every authorized claimant a warrant on the treasurer making due entry and register of all his proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose; and to carefully arrange, file, and preserve all accounts, receipts, vouchers, and papers touching the same.” When Mississippi became a state in 1817, the office of the auditor was enumerated as part of the executive branch in Article IV, Section 25, of the 1817 Constitution. The 1832 Constitution stipulated that the auditor was to be popularly elected to serve a two-year term, while the 1869 Constitution extended the term to four years.  In the modern era, the state auditor is responsible for auditing state agencies, county governments, school districts, and higher educational institutions. The office also: conducts data audits for public schools and monitors state agencies' inventory, advises local governments on accounting matters in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and investigates misuse of public funds.