FRC Jurisdictions Portal
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This top community organizes Firearms Research Center holdings by jurisdiction. It provides separate collections for U.S. states, territories, the District of Columbia, and the federal jurisdiction, spanning the territorial period to the present.
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- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and selected municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, company records, and oral histories tied to specific places and periods.
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Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 13 (1823)(1684)"every trooper of the respective colonies of this country, shall furnish and supply himself with a good able horse, saddle, and all arms and furniture, fitt and compleat for a trooper, and that every foot soldier, shall furnish himselfe, with a sword, musquet and other furniture fitt for a soldier, and that each trooper and foot soldier, be provided with two pounds of powder, and eight pounds of shott, and shall continually keep their armes well fixt, cleane, and fitt for the king's service."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 335-38 (1823)(1705)The militia included "all male persons whatsoever, from sixteen to sixty years of age ... to serve in horse or foot." An infantryman needed "a firelock, muskett or fusee well fixed, a good sword," cartridge box, and ammunition. He had to bring six rounds of ammunition to muster. Additionally, he had to "have at his place of abode two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shott, and bring the same into the field with him when thereunto specially required." A horseman needed the usual tack and ammunition accoutrements along with a pair of pistols and a sword. He had to bring eight rounds of ammunition to muster. At his usual place of abode, he also had to keep a well fixed carabine, two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shot. The act made it unlawful for creditors to seize a militiaman's arms as payment for debts. If a creditor nevertheless took someone's militia equipment, the seizure would "be unlawful and void." Any "officer or person that presumes to make or serve the same" (e.g., a sheriff serving a writ of attachment) would "be lyable to the suit of the party grieved, wherein double damages shall be given upon recovery."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 205-07 (1823)(1701)Provided 500-acre land grants, with the proviso that the grantee keep "upon the said land one christian man between sixteen and sixty years of age perfect of limb, able and fitt for service." Such men should be "continually provided with a well fixt musquett or fuzee, a good pistoll, sharp simeter, tomahauk and five pounds of good clean pistoll powder and twenty pounds of sizable leaden bulletts or swan or goose shott to be kept within the fort directed by this act besides the powder and shott for his necessary or usefull shooting at game..."Item type:Item, Laws and Acts of Her Majesties Colony of Rhode Island, and Province-Plantations Made from the First Settlement in 1636 to 1705, at 48 (1896)(1700)Persons subject to militia service also had to serve on watch and ward (day and night guard duty in towns). Mandatied that each militiaman appear with a "Good & Sufficient muskett or Fuze a Sword or Bayenet, Catooch box or Bandelers wth twelve Bulets fit for his Piece half a Pound of Powder & Six good Flints."Item type:Item, 9 Stat. at Large of South Carolina: Containing the Acts Relating to Roads, Bridges and Ferries, With an Appendix, Containing the Militia Acts Prior to 1794, at 617-19 (David J. McCord ed., 1841)(1703)Included "all and every the inhabitants from the age of sixteen years to sixty." It required "each person or soldier" to appear "with a good sufficient gun, well fixed, a good cover for their lock, one good cartridge box, with at least twenty cartridges of good powder and ball, and one good belt or girdle, one ball of wax sticking at the end of the cartridge box, to defend the arms in rain, one worm, one wier and four good spare flints, also a sword, bayonet or hatchet.Item type:Item, The Charter and the Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence-Plantations in America, 1719, at 86 (Sidney S. Rider, ed. 1895)(1718)Provided that "all male Persons ... from the Age of Sixteen, to the Age of Sixty Years, shall bear Arms." Arms were "one good Musket, or Fuzee, the Barrel whereof not to be less than three foot and an half in length," plus a sword or bayonet, a pound of gunpowder, thirty bullets, six flints, and a cartridge box.Item type:Item, 1715 N.C. Sess. Laws 29(1715)The Militia of this Government shall consist of all the Freemen within the same between the years of Sixteen years & Sixty. This included free blacks. Each militiaman had to provide himself with "a good Gun well-fixed Sword & at least Six Charges of Powder & Ball."Item type:Item, 1 The Colonial Laws of New York from the Year 1664 to the Revolution 231-32 (1896)(1691)Lowered the minimum militia age, so that "noe person whatsoever from fiftieen to Sixty years of Age remaine unlisted." For every foot soldier, "a well fixed muskett or fuzee" for officers, "a good pike or Sword or lance and pistoll." At home, every foot soldier was to have "one pound of good powder and three pound of Sizeable bulletts," and every Trooper (horseman) had to "have at his usuall place of abode a well fixed Carabine with belt and Swivell and two pounds of fine powder with Six pounds of Sizeable bulletts."Item type:Item, 1715 N.C. Sess. Laws 30(1715)"And Be It Further Enacted by the Authority afors'd that all such persons who by this Act are exempt from Enlisting themselves or appearing at Muster as afors'd shall be ready at any time of danger to wait & attend the commands of the Governor or Commander in Chief for the time being completely provided with Arms & Ammunition on Penalty of Ten Pounds for such neglect to be levied by Warrant from the Governor or Commander in Chief as before in this Act is appointed for other times."Item type:Item, 1 The Colonial Laws of New York from the Year 1664 to the Revolution 161 (1896)(1684)Ensured that persons exempted from the militia still kept the militia arms in their homes.Item type:Item, 23 W. Clark, State Records of North Carolina 63 (1904)(1715)Ch. 46, An Act Concerning Servants & Slaves: Directed "that every Christian Servant shall be allowed by their Master or Mistress at the expitation of his or her time of srvice Three Barrells of Indyan Corn & two new Suits of Apparrel of the Value of Five ounds at leasr or in liey of one suit of Apparrel a good well-fixed Gun, if he bwe a Manservant."Item type:Item, 1699 N.H. Laws ch. 1: An Act for Restraining and Punishing Privateers and Pirates: Penalty for Nonappearance in Armes, in 1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 656 (1904)(1699)"And all and every person and persons that upon orders given him or them shall refuse to repair immediately with his or their Arms well fixed and Ammunition, to such place or places as shall be appointed by the said Officer, and not readily obey his Command in the premises, shall be Imprisoned without Bail or Mainprize, until the next General Session of the Peace within the same County, and by the Justices of the same Court fined, not exceeding Ten Pounds, or be corporally punished, not exceeding Ten Stripes, at the direction of the Justices."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 335-38 (1823)(1705)The militia included "all male persons whatsoever, from sixteen to sixty years of age . . . to serve in horse or foot." An infantryman needed "a firelock, muskett or fusee well fixed, a good sword," cartridge box, and ammunition. He had to bring six rounds of ammunition to muster. Additionally, he had to "have at his place of abode two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shott, and bring the same into the field with him when thereunto specially required." A horseman needed the usual tack and ammunition accoutrements along with a pair of pistols and a sword. He had to bring eight rounds of ammunition to muster. At his usual place of abode, he also had to keep a well fixed carabine, two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shot. The act made it unlawful for creditors to seize a militiaman's arms as payment for debts. If a creditor nevertheless took someone's militia equipment, the seizure would "be unlawful and void." Any "officer or person that presumes to make or serve the same" (e.g., a sheriff serving a writ of attachment) would "be lyable to the suit of the party grieved, wherein double damages shall be given upon recovery."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 205-07 (1823)(1701)Provided 500-acre land grants, with the proviso that the grantee keep "upon the said land one christian man between sixteen and sixty years of age perfect of limb, able and fitt for service." Such men should be "continually provided with a well fixt musquett or fuzee, a good pistoll, sharp simeter, tomahauk and five pounds of good clean pistoll powder and twenty pounds of sizable leaden bulletts or swan or goose shott to be kept within the fort directed by this act besides the powder and shott for his necessary or usefull shooting at game..."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 13 (1823)(1684)"every trooper of the respective colonies of this country, shall furnish and supply himself with a good able horse, saddle, and all arms and furniture, fitt and compleat for a trooper, and that every foot soldier, shall furnish himselfe, with a sword, musquet and other furniture fitt for a soldier, and that each trooper and foot soldier, be provided with two pounds of powder, and eight pounds of shott, and shall continually keep their armes well fixt, cleane, and fitt for the king's service."Item type:Item, 1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 537 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1904)(1692)Changed the militia from all "persons" over sixteen to all males over 16. For arms, everyone had to be "well provided w'th a well fixed gun or fuse," plus "Sword or hatchet." Along with the typical colonial requirements for gunpowder and bullets, a knapsack, a cartridge box, a powder horn, and flints. Further, "every Soldier Shall have at his habitation & abode one pound of good pouder & twenty Sizable bullets."Item type:Item, 2 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 284-85 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1913)(1704)"All Male Persons from Sixteen Years of Age to Sixty [] shall bear Arms." The primary arms mandate applied to "every Listed Souldier and Housholder (except Troopers)." In other words, the head of a house was required to have the specified arms, even if the head were not militia-eligible. These arms were "a well fix'd, Firelock Musket, of Musket or Bastard-Musket bore, the Barrel not less than three foot and a half long; or other good Fire-Arms, to the satisfaction of the Commission Officers of the Company." Now, the mandatory equipment included gun cleaning tools: "a Worm and Priming Wire fit for his Gun." Mandatory edged arms were "a good Sword or Cutlash." As for horsemen, they needed "a Carbine, the Barrel not less than Two Foot and half long, with a Belt and Swivel, a Case of good Pistols with a Sword or Cutlash, a Flask or Cartouch Box, One Pound of good Powder, Three Pound of sizeable Bullets, Twenty Flints, and a good pair of Boots, and Spurs.Item type:Item, 1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 221-22 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1904)(1687)Demanded "that no person whatsoever above Sixteene yeares of age remaine unlisted." Equipment was "a well fixed musket" with a barrel at least three feet. The caliber was large: "the bore for a bullett of twelve to the pound." Also necessary were bandoliers and a cartridge box, plus bullets and powder. Officers had the option of allowing their men to have "a good pike and sword" instead of the musket. As for horsemen, "every soldier belonging to the horse" had to bring "a good serviceable horse covered with a good saddle with holsters breastplate and crupper a case of good pistolls and sword and halfe a pound of powder and twenty sizable bulletts . . . And every trooper have at his usuall place of abode a well fixed Carabine with belt and swivel.Item type:Item, 9 The Statutes at Large of South Carolina: Containing the Acts Relating to Roads, Bridges and Ferries, With an Appendix, Containing the Militia Acts Prior to 1794, at 617 (David J. McCord ed., 1841)(1703)Included "all and every the inhabitants from the age of sixteen years to sixty." It required "each person or soldier" to appear "with a good sufficient gun, well fixed, a good cover for their lock, one good cartridge box, with at least twenty cartridges of good powder and ball, and one good belt or girdle, one ball of wax sticking at the end of the cartridge box, to defend the arms in rain, one worm, one wier and four good spare flints, also a sword, bayonet or hatchet.Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 481 (1823) (enacted 1680)(1680)An act for preventing Negroes Insurrections: "No negro, or enacted by the kings most excellent majestie by and with other slave to the consent of the generall assembly, and it is hereby carry arms, of enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from and after fensive: the publication of this law, it shall not be lawfull for any negroe or other slave to carry or arme himselfe with any club, staffe, gunn, sword or any other weapon of defence or offence..."Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 226 (1823) (enacted 1680)(1680)"ALL persons except negroes to be provided with arms and amunition or be fined at pleasure of the Governor and Council."Item type:Item, 1 Acts of Assembly, Passed in the Colony of Virginia, From 1662 to 1715, at 147 (1727)(1684)Prohibited impressing or taking from any person arms "that are already provided, or shall so provide or furnish himself; neither shall the same be liable to be taken by any Distress, Seizure, Attachment, or Execution?"?"Item type:Item, 1 Acts of Assembly, Passed in the Colony of Virginia, From 1662 to 1715, at 147 (1727)(1684)Required free Virginians to "provide and furnish themselves with a sword, musquet and other furniture fitt for a soldier? two pounds of powder, and eight pounds of shott?.Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 403 (1823)(1705)Ch. 49: An act concerning Servants and Slaves: Directed masters at completion of indenture to provide to male servants "one well fixed musket or fuzee, of the value of twenty shillings, at least"Item type:Item, Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations in America 86-87 (1179 [1719])(1718)That every Listed Soldier of the said Militia, shall be always provided with one good Musket, or Fuzee, the Barrel whereof not to be less than three foot and an half in length, to the satisfaction of the Commission Officers of the Company; also one pound of good Gunpowder, thirty Bullets, fit for his Gun, six good Flints, fit for Service; one good Sword, or Baionet, a Cartouch Box, readyItem type:Item, 2 Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801 ch. 61 sec. 5 at 79 (1896)(1700)"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any negro shall presume to carry any guns, swords, pistols, fowling-pieces, clubs or other arms or weapons whatsoever, without his master's special license for the same, and be convicted thereof before a magistrate, he shall be whipped with twenty-one lashes on his bare back." Passed November 27, 1700; repealed by the Queen in Council, February 7, 1705-6.Item type:Item, Samuel Hazard, Pennsylvania Archives. Selected And Arranged From Original Documents In The Office Of The Secretary Of The Commonwealth, Conformably To Acts Of The General Assembly, February 15, 1851, & March 1, 1852, at 160, As to the Act for the better Govemnt[sic] of the City iof Phila. (1852)(1713)§This Act inflicts 5s penalty on persons riding a gallop and 10s for persons trotting, with Drays or their Teams in the streets, and 5th for suffering a Dog or a Bitch going at large; or firing a Gun without licenseItem type:Item, 2 Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801 ch. 144 sec. 5 at 235-236 (1896)(1705)"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any negro shall presume to carry any guns, swords, pistols, fowling-pieces, clubs or other arms or weapons whatsoever, without his master's special license for the same, and be convicted thereof before a magistrate, he shall be whipped with twenty-one lashes on his bare back." Passed January 12, 1705-6. Allowed to become a law by lapse of time in accordance with the proprietary charter, having been considered bythe Queen in Council, October 24, 1709, and not acted upon.Item type:Item, 2 Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801 420 (1896)(1712)"And that no master or commander of any merchant ship or vessel shall fire, or suffer to be fired, on board his vessel, any ordnance or other gun after eight o'clock in the evening, nor before daylight in the morning, without license from the governor first had, under the penalty of ten shillings for every of fense. Nor shall any person presume to fire any gun, guns or small arms within the built part of the said city, without special license from the governor, or some magistrate of the said city for so doing, under the penalty of two shillings and six pence for every offense."Item type:Item, The Documentary History Of The State Of New York 222-223 (1849)(1690)Prohibited the discharge of pistols and firearms in AlbanyItem type:Item, The Colonial Laws of New York from the Year 1664 to the Revolution 40-41 (1894)(1680)Prohibited the giving or selling to, or bartering with, "any Indian," or repairing guns and ammunition of "any Indian," punishable by fine.Item type:Item, Acts of Assembly, Passed in the Province of New York, From 1691, to 1718, at 144 (1719)(1712)"An Act for Preventing, Suppressing, and Punishing the Conspiracy and Insurrection of Negroes, and other Slaves": Prohibition on "any Negro, Indian, Mulatto Slave" from having or using any gun or pistol outside of their master's presence.Item type:Item, 1702 N.H. Laws ch. 7: An Act for the Punishment of Criminall Offenders, in 1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 679 (1904)(1702)Prohibited riding or going armed offensively to cause fear or affray of the people.Item type:Item, 1716 N.H. Laws 91, in 2 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 285 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1904) (enacted 1718)(1718)Required every "householder" to have a musket, bandoliers, cartridge box, bullets, powder, cleaning tools, and a sword. Penalty of six schillings for each arm and two schillings for each other defect.Item type:Item, 1717 Mass. Acts 336(1717)An Act For The Better Regulation Of Fowling: That if any person or persons shall, at any time after two months from the publication of this act, make use of any boat, canoe, float, raft or other vessel, wherewith to approach to, and shoot at any waterfowl, in any part of this province, he or they so offending, shall each of them forfeit and pay, for every such offence, the sum of forty shillings to the informer. And every such offender shall be, and hereby is prohibited and restrained from using a gun to shoot at waterfowl for the space of three years next after his offence, upon the like penalty of forty shillings for each time he shall presume so to offend, to be disposed of in manner as the forfeiture aforementioned.Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 226-27 (1726)(1713)An Act To Prohibit Shooting Or Firing Off Guns Near The Road Or Highway On Boston Neck: That no person or persons, from and after the publication of this Act, may presume to discharge or fire off any gun upon Boston Neck within ten rods of the road or highway leading over the same, on pain of forfeiting and paying the sum of twenty shillings . . . And for the better conviction of persons offending against this Act, it shall be lawful, to and for any Free-holder, to arrest and take into custody any gun so fired off, and render the same to one of the next Justices in Boston, in order to its being produced at the time of trial.Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 271-72 (1726)(1719)An Act For the Punishing and Preventing of Duelling: That whoever ... fight a duel, combat, or engage in a rencounter with rapier, or small-sword, back-sword, pistol, or any other dangerous weapon, to the danger of life, mayhem, or wounding of the parties, or the affray of his Majesty's good subjects, (although death doth not thereby ensue) and be thereof convicted, by due course of law, before the Court of Assize, or Court of General Sessions of the Peace, in the respective Counties of this Province, shall be punished by fine, not exceeding a hundred pounds, imprisonment, not exceeding six months, or corporally punished...Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 272-73 (1726)(1719)An Act in Further Addition to an Act for Erecting a Powder House in Boston: That, from and after the publication of this Act, no gunpowder shall be kept on board any ship, or other vessel, lying to or grounded at any wharf within the port of Boston. And if any gunpowder shall be found on board such ship or vessel lying aground, as aforesaid, such powder shall be liable to confiscation, and under the same penalty, as if it were found lying in any house or warehouse. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no powder be carried through any town upon trucks, under the penalty of ten shillings per barrel for every barrel of powder so conveyed, and so proportionally for smaller cask.Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 189-90 (1726)(1715)An Act For Erecting a Powder-House within the Town of Boston: That, from and after the publication hereof, any person within the town of Boston, that shall presume to keep, in his house or Warehouse, any powder, above what is by law allowed, shall forfeit and pay, for every half-barrel, the sum of five pounds . . . That any person or persons whosoever, that shall throw any squibs, serpents, or rockets, or perform any other fireworks within the streets, . . (shall be fined).Item type:Item, The Charters And General Laws Of The Colony And Province Of Massachusetts Bay 343 (1814)(1700)no person or persons whatsoever in any town or garrison, shall during the time of war, or of keeping a military watch in such town or garrison, presume to discharge or shoot off any gun or guns after the sun's setting or before the sun's rising, unless in case of alarm, approach of an enemy, or other necessary defense, on pain that every person, so offending, and being thereof convicted before one or more of his majesty's justices of the peace, shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings for each gun so discharged, on moiety thereof to and for the use of the poor of the town where the offence shall be committed, and the other moiety to him or them that shall inform or prosecute for the same...