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.

Scope of Content

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.
Research outputs: FRC reports, datasets, and interpretive materials that contextualize legal and technical developments.

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Browse: open a jurisdiction collection to view items for that state, territory, DC, or the federal jurisdiction.
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Cite: use the item’s identifier and provided links (Original Source and Duke reference) when available.

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Items are described using Dublin Core with standardized fields for Jurisdiction, Date Issued, Category, and Exceptions to support precise discovery and comparison.

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Now showing 1 - 40 of 42

1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 292 (1809)
(1645)
"all negro men and women, and all other men from the age of 16 to 60" could be drafted to carry on war against the Indians
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 307 (1980)
(1755)
Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.
1780 N.J. Laws 42-43
(1780)
And Be It Enacted, That the Captain or Commanding Officer of each Company shall keep a true and perfect List or Roll of all effective Men between the Ages of sixteen and fifty Years, residing within the District of such Company ... And Be It Enacted, That every Person enrolled as aforesaid shall constantly keep himself furnished with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, a Worm, a Cartridge-Box, twenty-three Rounds of Cartridges sized to his Musket, a Priming Wire, Brush, six Flints, a Knapsack and Canteen, under the Forfeiture of Seven Shillings and Sixpence for Want of a Musket, and One Shilling for Want of any other of the aforesaid Articles, whenever called out to Training or Service ... Provided always, That if any Person be furnished as aforesaid with a good Rifle-Gun, the Apparatus necessary for the same, and a Tomahawk, it shall be accepted in Lieu of the Musket and the Bayonet and other Articles belonging thereto. Further required that "each Person enrolled…also keep at his Place of Abode one Pound of good merchantable Gunpowder and three Pounds of Ball sized to his Musket or Rifle
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 385, 425 (1980)
(1756)
Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 15 (1980)
(1746)
Sought to raise 500 troops for a state army expedition against Canada. This act also made it unlawful for an officer "to inlist any young Men under the Age of Twenty One Years, or any Slaves who are so for Term of Life, bought Servants, or Apprentices, without the Express Leave in Writing of their Parents or Guardians, Masters or Mistresses."
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 502-11 (1980)
(1757)
Required most men aged 16 to 50 to enroll in the colony's militia, maintain specified arms and ammunition, and attend three annual training musters. Absences, appearing unarmed, or failing to keep required equipment resulted in fines, enforceable through seizure and sale of property. Captains were required to inspect arms regularly. Selling alcohol to militia members during musters was prohibited and punishable by fine. During invasions, rebellions, or alarms, militia members were subject to court-martial discipline for disobedience or nonappearance, though punishments could not include death or mutilation.
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 425-36 (1980)
(1756)
Established a colonel to command New Jersey's frontier forces and required him to oversee discipline, training, and military readiness. He was obligated to conduct regular inspections of forts and posts, maintain at least eighty men on patrol, keep detailed records of enlistments, discharges, deaths, and military activities, and submit periodic reports to the governor and legislature. The colonel was also required to take loyalty oaths and swear to maintain accurate muster rolls and payroll records to prevent fraud and ensure proper compensation of soldiers.
E. Wayne Carp, To Starve The Army At Pleasure: Continental Army Administration and American Political Culture, 1775-1783, at 66-67 (1984)
(1776)
George Washington ordered the quartermaster general to stamp all Continental Army tools with the insignia "CXIII" to limit embezzlement of military equipment.
1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 292 (1809)
(1645)
"all negro men and women, and all other men from the age of 16 to 60" could be drafted to carry on war against the Indians
9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 281-82 (1821)
(1777)
Act of May 5, 1777, ch. 3: An act to oblige the free male inhabitants of this state above a certain age to give assurance of Allegiance to the same, and for other purposes. WHEREAS allegiance and protection are reciprocal, and those who will not bear the former are not entitled to the benefits of the later, Therefore Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all free born male inhabitants of this state, above the age of sixteen years, except imported servants during the time of their service, shall, on or before the tenth day of October next, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation before some one of the justices of the peace of the county, city, or borough, where they shall respectively inhabit; and the said justice shall give a certificate thereof to every such person, and the said oath or affirmation shall be as followeth, viz . . . And the justices tendering such oath or affirmation are hereby directed to deliver a list of the names of such recusants to the county lieutenant, or chief commanding officer of the militia, who is hereby authorised and directed forthwith to cause such recusants to be disarmed
6 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 531 (1819)
(1755)
§ 5: That every person so as aforesaid enlisted (except free mulattoes, negroes, and Indians) shall be armed in the manner following, that is to say: That every person so as aforesaid enlisted (except free mulattoes, negroes, and Indians) shall be armed in the manner following, that is to say: Every soldier shall be furnished with a firelock well fixed, a bayonet fitted to the same, a double cartouch-box.
1631 Va. Acts 174
(1631)
Act 56: It is ordered and appointed, that the commanders of all the several plantations, do upon holy days exercise the men under his command, and that the commanders yearly do likewise upon the first day of December, take a muster of their men, together with the women and children, and their ages, countries, and towns, where they were born, with the ships they came in, and year of the Lord, as also of arms and munition . . .
1785 Va. Acts 2
(1785)
Ch. 1, § III, pt. 2: An Act to Amend and Reduce into one Act, the Several Laws for Regulating and Disciplining the Militia: Required members of the militia to keep arms, ammunition, and accoutrements ready when called for by their commanding officer.
1676 Va. Laws 37
(1665)
Enforced militias to arm themselves in order to protect churches, courts, and other public meetings from "Indians."
1779 Vt. Acts & Resolves 59
(1779)
An Act for Forming and Regulating the Militia; and for Encouragement of Military Skill, for the Better Defense of This State: That every listed soldier and other householder, shall always be provided with, and have in constant readiness, a well fixed firelock, the barrel not less than three feet and a half long, or other good firearms, to the satisfaction of the commissioned officers of the company to which he doth belong, or in the limits of which he dwells; a good sword, cutlass, tomahawk or bayonet; a worm, and priming wire, fit for each gun
1821 Tenn. Pub. Acts 63
(1821)
An Act to Amend the Militia Laws of This State, ch. 55, §§ 2-3: § 2. [T]he commissioned and staff officers of the infantry are hereby required to meet at the place of holding their battalion musters at eleven o'clock on the day preceding said muster, armed with a rifle, musket, or shot gun and dressed in the uniform prescribed by law, for the purpose of being trained as at regimental drills, and the commanding or senior officer present shall call, or cause the roll to be called, and make a return of all delinquents to the next regimental or battalion court martial. § 3. That regimental courts martial shall have power to fine delinquents, field or staff officers, and it shall be the duty of the commanding or senior officer present at any regimental, battalion or drill muster, to make a return of all such delinquents to the next regimental or battalion court martial, and they shall have a discretionary power to assess fines or not as they may think proper on delinquents.
1791 S.C. Acts 16
(1791)
An Act To Amend And More Effectually Put In Force For The Time Therein Limited, The Act Entitled An Act For The Regulation Of The Militia Of This State (Dec. Session): That every free man of this state, liable to bear arms in any of the regiments, battalions or companies of foot in this state and who shall appear at any such regiment or battalion muster or at any muster or review ordered by his Excellency the governor, or at any company muster ordered in pursuance of this act, or by virtue of the said act of the twenty-sixth day of March 1784, not provided with a good musket and bayonet, and cartouch box capable of containing at least twelve rounds of cartridges or other sufficient gun and a good and sufficient small sword, broad sword, cutlass or hatchet, and a powder horn or flask capable of holding at least 12 rounds of powder, and a good shot bag or pouch, capable of holding twelve balls of a proper size for his gun, and with three spare flints, shall forfeit and pay for each and every such default, the sum of two dollars, or the sum of half a dollar for each article of arms or accoutrements herein before directed, to be affected and levied on such defaulter, in the manner in and by the said act directed and appointed.
1794 R.I. Pub. Laws 21
(1794)
An Act To Organize The Militia Of This State, § 10: That every Corporal who shall neglect to warn the Men to appear at every Rendezvous mentioned in this Act, when thereunto required as aforesaid without sufficient excuse, shall forfeit the Sum of Twelve Shillings, Lawful Money: That every non-commissioned officer or private who shall neglect to appear at the regimental Rendezvous, shall forfeit the sum of Six Shillings and for every day he shall neglect to appear at the company parade, he shall forfeit Four Shillings and Sixpence. And if he shall not be armed and equipped according other said Act of congress, when so appearing, without sufficient excuse, he shall, for appearing without a gun, forfeit one shilling and sixpence; without bayonet and belt six pence; without a Bayonet and Belt, Sixpence; without a Cartouch-Box and Cartridges, Sixpence. . .
The Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at 365-66, ch. 167, § 57 (Mar. 20, 1780)
(1780)
Prohibited members of the militia from parading in unfit, drunk, or disobedient condition, use abusive language, or to quarrel with himself or other during parade of the Milita.
An Act for the Regulation of the Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (20 March, 1780), § 57, Penalty on Officers Misbehaving while on Parade; § 60, Rules and regulations, 12th rule.
(1780)
§ 57 "...and if any non-commissioned officer or private shall, on any occasion of parading the company to which he belongs, appear with his arms and accoutrements in an unfit condition, or be found drunk or shall disobey orders or use any reproachful or abusive language to his officers or any of them ; or shall quarrel himself, or promote any quarrel among his fellow soldiers, he shall be disarmed and put under guard, by order of the commanding officer present, until the company is dismissed, and shall be fined in any sum not exceeding the price of ten day's [sic] labour, nor less than one day's labour.
Stat. of Ohio & N.W. Terr. 378-79, ch 25, § 1 (Vol. 1, 1833)
(1799)
[t]hat each and every free, able bodied, white male citizen of the territory, who is or shall be the age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty five-years, except as is herein after excepted, shall . . . be enrolled in the militia . . . and every citizen, so enrolled and notified, shall, within six months thereafter, provide himself with a good musket,
1786 N.C. Sess. Laws 407
(1786)
An Act for Raising Troops for the Protection of the Inhabitants of Davidson County, ch. 1, § 5: That every able bodied man who shall be enlisted into the said service, and shall furnish himself with one good rifled or smooth bored gun fit for service, one good picker, shot-bag and powder-horn, twelve good flints, one pound of good powder, and two pounds of good leaden bullets or buck shot suitable to his gun . . . [shall be provided with certain items of clothing].
E.B. O'Callaghan, Laws and Ordinances of New Netherland, 1638-1674, at 23 (1868)
(1640)
Ordinance of the Director and Council of New Netherland, Providing for the Arming and Mustering of the Militia in Case of Danger: each provide himself with a good gun and keep the same in good repair and at all times ready and in order; and as they live at a distance from one another, every warned person is placed under his corporal in order that in time of danger he may appear at his post with his gun
1786 N.Y. Laws 220
(1786)
An Act to Regulate the Militia, ch. 25: That every citizen so enroled [sic] and notified shall within three months thereafter provide himself at his own expence with a good musket or firelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt[,] a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than twenty four cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge containing a proper quantity of powder and ball, two spare flints, a blanket and knapsack[.]
N.Y. Const. art. XL (April 20, 1777)
(1777)
This convention therefore, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this State, doth ordain, determine and declare, that the militia of this State, at all times hereafter, as well in peace as in war, shall be armed and disciplined, and in readiness for service. That all such of the inhabitants of this State, being of the people called Quakers, as from scruples of conscience may be averse to the bearing of arms, be therefrom excused by the legislature; and do pay to the State such sums of money in lieu of their personal service, as the same may, in the judgment of the legislature, be worth: And that a proper magazine of warlike stores, proportionate to the number of inhabitants, be forever hereafter at the expense of this State, and by acts of the legislature, established, maintained, and continued in every county in this State.
1795 N.H. Laws 525
(1795)
An Act in Addition to an Act, Entitled, "An Act for Regulating the Militia within this State.": [E]very free, able bodied, white male citizen of this state, resident therein, who is, or shall be of the age of sixteen years and under forty years of age, under such exceptions as are made in said act, shall be enrolled in the militia, and shall in all other respects be considered as liable to do the duties of the militia in the same way and manner, as those of the age of eighteen years and upwards. Also prohibited the discharge of firearms by non-officers or private soldiers
1786 N.H. Laws 409-10
(1786)
An Act for Forming and Regulating the Militia within this State, and for Repealing All the Laws Heretofore Made for that Purpose, § 7: [E]very non-commissioned officer and soldier, both in the alarm list and training band, shall be provided, and have constantly in readiness, a good musket, and a bayonet fitted thereto, with a good scabbard and belt, a worm, priming-wire and brush, a cartridge-box that will hold at least twenty-four rounds, six flints, and a pound of powder, forty leaden balls fitted to his gun, a knap sack, a blanket, and a canteen that will hold one quart.
1818 Terr. of Mo. Laws 281
(1818)
Militia, § 4: Each militia man shall provide himself, with-in one month from the date of his enrollment with a good musket, a sufficient bayonet and belt, or a fusil, two spare flints, a knapsack and pouch with a box there-in to contain twentyfour cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or fusil, each cartridge to contain a pro-per quantity of powder and ball: or a good rifle, knap-sack, pouch and powder horn with twenty balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powe-der
1814 Miss. Terr. Laws 16
(1814)
An Act To Authorize The Governor Of Mississippi Territory, To Accept Of The Services Of Citizens Exempted From Militia Duty, § 2: Immediately on the governor's acceptance of any number of volunteers, by virtue of this act, each private shall proceed to provide himself with a good rifle, musket or shot gun with four flints, twenty rounds of powder, ball, or buckshot, best suited to his gun, together with the most convenient accoutrements. The commissioned officers shall be armed with swords; and the arms and accoutrements of all such volunteers shall be exempted from executions in payment of debts and their persons, when on service, free from arrest in civil cases.
1775 Mass. Acts 15
(1775)
An Act For Forming And Regulating The Militia Within The Colony Of The Massachusetts Bay, In New England, And For Repealing All The Laws Heretofore Made For That Purpose, ch. 1, §§ 1,7,9: § 1. . . That that part of the militia of this Colony, commonly called the Training-Band, shall be constituted of all the able-bodied male persons therein, from sixteen years old to fifty [excepting Quakers and others]. . . § 7. . . That each and every officer, and private soldier of said militia, not under the controul of parents, master, or gaurdians, and being of sufficient ability therefor, in the judgement of the select-men if the town wherein he has his usual place of abode, shall equip himself, and be constantly provided with a good firearm. . . § 9 . . . That the clerk of each and every company of said militia, shall . . . take an exact list of his company, and of each man's equipment respectively. .
1757 Mass. Acts 323
(1757)
An Act in Addition to the Several Acts of This Province for Regulating the Militia, ch. 12: That the Captain or Chief Officer of each military foot company, shall instruct and employ his Company in military exercises six days in a year . . . and on each of said days he shall make a strict enquiry into the state of the arms and ammunition of his Company . . . that every person from the age of sixteen to sixty, not exempted by law, shall appear with arms and ammunition according to law, and attend his duty each of the aforesaid days. . .
1693 Mass. Acts 48
(1693)
An Act for Regulating of the Militia, ch. 3, §§ 1, 5: That all male persons from sixteen years of age to sixty, (other than such as are herein after excepted), shall bear arms, and duly attend all musters and military exercises of the respective troops and companies where they are listed . . . § 5 That every listed solider and other householder (except troopers) shall be always provided with a well fixed firelock musket, or musket or bastard musket bore . . .
An Act for Regulating the Militia of the Province of Maryland, in Votes and Proceedings of the Lower House of Assembly of the Province of Maryland (22 May, 1756)
(1756)
Prohibited the sale of strong liquor within five miles of any place of militia training.
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 307 (1980)
(1755)
Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.
1778 N.J. Laws 45
(1778)
An Act for the Regulating, Training and Arraying of the Militia, ch. 21, 11: That every Person enrolled shall constantly keep himself furnished with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, Steel Ramrod and Worm, a Cartridge-box, twenty three Rounds of Cartridges sized to his Musket, a Priming-wire, Brush and twelve Flints, a Knapsack and Canteen
1799 Ky. Acts 7
(1799)
An Act to Amend an Act Entitled "An Act Concerning the Militia," p. 421-22,§ 1-3: [T]he brigadier generals shall attend each regimental muster within their brigades to view the same; it shall be the duty of the brigade major, attended by the commandant of the regimnt, to inspect the same at every muster.§ 2. All fines arising within the bounds of any regiment, on account of delinquencies of officers, privates, or otherwise, shall be appropriated to the use of such regiment only.§ 3. . . . [E]ach non-commissioned officer shall have ten days notice of each muster; and each non-commissioned officer and private, appearing on parade without a gun after being duly notified, shall be fined any sum not exceeding fifty cents, at the discretion of a court martial.
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 385, 425 (1980)
(1756)
Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.
1807 Ky. Acts 1
(1807)
An Act to Amend an act titled "An Act Concerning the Militia," ch. 1§ 3: Imposed a fine of up to fifty cents on each non commissioned officer and private appearing on parade without a gun after being duly notified.
1746 N.J. Laws 139-47, reprinted in 2 Backgrounds of Selective Service: Military Obligation: The American Tradition 24 (1947)
(1746)
An Act for better settling and regulating the Militia of this Colony of New-Jersey, for the repelling Invasions, and Suppressing Insurrections and Rebellions. Passed May 8, 1746. Section 3. Officers and Soldiers to behave well while under Arms; and, Section 23: Prohibited the sale of any strong liquor to members of the militia. Violators fined three pounds.
1804 La. Acts 284
(1804)
An Act for Regulating and Governing the Militia of the Territory of New Orleans,§ 13: each non-commissioned officer and private of the infantry, shall constantly keep himself provided with good musket or guns, a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints and a knapsack, a cartridge box or pouch, with box therein to contain not less than twenty-four cartridges

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