Appendix
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
COPYRIGHT RECORDS, 1790-1870
A. Records in the Library of Congress
The following inventory of the records now located in the Rare Book
Division of the Library of Congress has been prepared as an aid to
bibliographers who wish to check the copyright facts about a particular
book but have no idea what sort of record exists for the period and district
involved. Dates given by month or day below refer to the original entry
books; those given only by years are the "duplicates" (often submitted in
yearly batches), which may consist of full copies of the original entries, or
of abbreviated lists, or of both. Records of copyright assignments, when
kept in separate volumes from the title entries, are indicated by "A." The
approximate size of each record is suggested by the number of volumes, but
considerable quantities of material remain as unbound sheets (indicated by
"u"). For the original volumes the presence (+) or absence (-) of three
characteristics is recorded: whether they usually contain copy-deposit dates
after 1831 (D) in addition to title-entry
dates; whether they occasionally have printed title pages and labels pasted
in (T); and whether they are indexed (I) by names of proprietors and/or
authors (n) or by titles (t). The "duplicates" usually lack all three of these
features, and exceptions may occasionally be found in the original volumes
to the general attributes assigned them here:
- Alabama (Mobile): 1837, 1839, 1858-59 (u).
- Alabama (Montgomery): 1850-51, 1855, 1857-58 (u).
- Arkansas: 1837-70 (u).
- California: 23 July 1851-9 July 1870 (2 vols; -D, +T, -I);
1865-66(u). A 12 Sept. 1854-19 July 1870.
- Colorado: 14 Oct. 1864-6 May 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T,
-I).
- Connecticut: 10 Sept. 1804-9 July 1870 (4 vols; -D, +T, +In);
1831-53 (3 vols + u). A 29 March 1837-2 Sept. 1868 (1 vol).
- Delaware: 1849-54, 1855-56, 1865 (u).
- District of Columbia: 16 April 1829 (u), 8 Aug. 1845-6 July 1870
(2 vols; +D, +T, +In); 1818-45, 1848-53, 1855, 1858-64, 1866-67,
1869-70 (u).
- Georgia (Atlanta): 23 Feb. 1849-20 June 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T,
-I).
- Georgia (Savannah): 30 Dec. 1800-10 July 1870 (4 vols + u; -D,
+T, -I); 1856-59 (u).
- Illinois (Chicago): 24 Aug. 1821-7 July 1870 (7 vols; +D, +T,
+In); 1861-63, 1865-69 (u).
- Illinois (Springfield): 9 July 1855-12 July 1870 (1 vol; +D, -T,
+In); 1864-69 (u).
- Indiana: Oct. 1822-24 June 1870 (3 vols; +D, -T, +In); 1853-60,
1866-67 (u).
- Iowa: 20 May 1868-6 July 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T, -I).
- Kansas: 1865-69 (u).
- Kentucky: 22 Nov. 1860-8 July 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T, +Int);
1807-45, 1849-55, 1857-70 (u).
- Louisiana: 14 Nov. 1833 (u), 25 March 1835, 17 Nov. 1851-23
Sept. 1856, 13 Aug. 1863-17 June 1870 (3 vols; +D, +T, -I); 1832,
1838-44 (u).
- Maine: 14 Aug. 1790-1 July 1870 (2 vols; +D, -T, +In); 1792,
1819-28, 1832-55, 1857-69 (2 vols + u).
- Maryland: 24 Feb. 1831-5 July 1870 (6 vols; +D, -T, +In);
1831-55, 1867-69 (2 vols + u).
- Massachusetts: 10 July 1790-18 June 1870 (45 vols; +D, -T, +In
except Feb. 1804-July 1806, April 1814-1825, 1829-30); 1831-70 (13 vols
+ u). A 1834-70 (4 vols).
- Michigan (Detroit): 5 May 1824-9 July 1870 (5 vols; +D, +T,
-I); 1833-70 (5 vols + u).
- Michigan (Grand Rapids): 23 Sept. 1863-18 June 1870 (2 vols;
-D, +T, -I); 1863-66 (u).
- Minnesota: 20 July 1858-4 June 1870 (2 vols; +D, +T, +In after
24 Sept. 1866); 1858-62 (u).
- Mississippi: 12 Aug. 1850-27 April 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T,
-I).
- Missouri (Jefferson City): 10 Oct. 1857-22 June 1870 (1 vol; -D,
-T, -I); 1840-49, 1852-53, 1860, 1865-70 (u). A Dec. 1869-May 1870 (1
vol).
- Missouri (St. Louis): 24 March 1857-9 July 1870 (2 vols; +D,
-T, +In); 1854-59, 1861-62 (u).
- Nebraska: 29 Feb. 1868-13 July 1870 (1 vol; -D, -T,
+In).
- New Hampshire: 4 Sept. 1848-21 June 1870 (2 vols; +D, -T,
+Int); 1848-61, 1867-70 (u).
- New Jersey: 8 Jan. 1846-9 July 1870 (2 vols; -D, +T, -I);
1863-69 (u).
- New York (Brooklyn): 24 March 1865-9 July 1870 (2 vols; +D,
+T, +Int). A 29 Dec. 1866-21 Oct. 1869 (1 vol).
- New York (Buffalo): 21 Sept. 1813-8 July 1870 (16 vols; +D
after June 1861, -T, +In); 1853-68 (3 vols + u).
- New York (New York City): 30 April 1791-11 July 1870 (112
vols; +D, +T before 1834, +In through 4 Feb. 1831 except for 4 May
1820-11 Sept. 1824, +Int after 14 Feb. 1831); 1831-62, 1869 (136 vols +
u; + I 1831-53). A 4 Oct. 1834-7 Oct. 1870 (3 vols; +Int).
- North Carolina (Cape Fear): 30 Sept.-14 Nov. 1853, 4 Jan.
1859(u), 28 Nov. 1865-10 May 1870 (1 vol; +D, +T, -I).
- North Carolina (Pamlico): 1865-68 (u).
- Ohio (Cincinnati): 12 March 1806-9 Oct. 1828, 13 Sept. 1841-9
July 1870 (10 vols; +D from 1841, +T before 1828, +In from 1841,
+Int from 1859); 1816-53, 1859-70 (2 vols + u). A 18 April 1843-13
April 1870 (2 vols).
- Ohio (Cleveland): 20 March 1855-20 June 1870 (3 vols; +D, -T,
+In); 1859, 1861-69 (u).
- Pennsylvania (Erie): 1 April 1867-1 Aug. 1870 (1 vol; +D, -T,
-I).
- Pennsylvania (Philadelphia): 9 June 1790-8 July 1870 (36 vols;
+D, -T, +Int 1805-31, +In after 1831); 1831-38, 1842-46, 1850-59,
1861-69 (26 vols; +I 1831-53). A 12 Aug. 1834-10 May 1870 (2
vols).
- Pennsylvania (Pittsbugh): 6 Jan. 1819-5 July 1870 (5 vols; +D,
+T, -I); 1839-41, 1856-60, 1863-68 (1 vol + u).
- Rhode Island: 23 April 1831-23 June 1870 (2 vols; +D, +T,
+In); 1831-59, 1861-70 (1 vol + u).
- South Carolina: 1831-59, 1866-70 (u).
- Tennessee (Knoxville): 1831, 1834, 1855, 1857-60 (u).
- Tennessee (Memphis): 31 Oct. 1865-22 June 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T,
+In).
- Tennessee (Nashville): 5 Jan. 1865-6 June 1870 (1 vol; -D, +T,
+Int); 1831-34, 1839-55, 1857 (u).
- Texas (Austin): 1857 (u).
- Texas (Galveston): 5 June 1867-8 April 1870 (1 vol; -D, -T,
-I).
- Texas (Tyler): 1858 (u).
- Vermont: 21 March 1831-28 May 1870 (1 vol; +D, +T, -I);
1831-59 (1 vol + u).
- Virginia (Norfolk): 15 Sept. 1837-20 April 1870 (1 vol; -D, -T,
-I); 1831-32, 1844-59 (u).
- Virginia (Richmond): 9 May 1867-22 June 1870 (1 vol; -D, -T,
-I); 1831-32, 1834-36, 1838-39, 1847-48, 1864, 1866-70 (1 vol +
u).
- Wisconsin: 26 Dec. 1848-2 June 1870 (1 vol; +D, -T, +Int);
1848-55, 1857, 1860-69 (u).
B. Records Not in the Library of
Congress
- District of Columbia: Title pages, 1854-63. In the National
Archives — Record Group 21, Series NC-2, Entry 40.
- Kentucky: Copyright entries, 13 Sept. 1800-15 July 1864 (2 vols).
In the United States Courthouse, Frankfort. See American Imprints
Inventory, No. 38 (1942).
- Maryland: Index (by proprietor and title) to copyright record,
1831-56 (2 vols); copyright assignment record, 1834-70 (1 vol). See
Inventory of Federal Archives in the States, Series 2 (Federal
Courts), No. 19 (1938), p. 18, items 127-28.
- North Carolina: Copyright entries, 4 March 1796-30 July 1802,
2 Oct. 1811-10 Sept. 1831, 13 Aug 1857 (2 vols). In the National Archives
— Record Group 21, Series NC-21, Entry 122.
- Ohio: Copyright entries, 20 Nov. 1829-29 Oct. 1842 (1 vol). See
Inventory of Federal Archives in the States, Series 2, No. 34
(1938), p. 81, item 691.
- Oregon: Copyright entries, 28 Dec. 1865-18 April 1870 (1 vol).
In the Federal Records Center, Seattle, Washington 98115. (Microfilm in
Library of Congress)
- Rhode Island: Copyright entries, 1790-1867; card index by author
and title; record of copyright assignments, 21 Jan. 1842-20 Jan. 1865 (1
vol). See Inventory of Federal Archives in the States, Series
2,
No. 38 (1938), pp. 7, 29 (items 39, 195-6).
- South Carolina: Copyright entries, 8 July 1794-12 Nov. 1858 (1
Vol.). In the South Carolina Library, Columbia 29208. (Microfilm in
Library of Congress.)
- Texas: Copyright entries, 1840. In the Texas State Library, Austin
(Letter Book I, 247). See Journal of Southern History, XII
(1946), 215-16.
- Virginia (Richmond): Copyright entries, 1864-65. In the Virginia
Historical Society. See Virginia Magazine of History and
Biography, XX (1912), 425-29.
C. Published Records
- Alabama, 1861-65: Raymond V. Robinson, "Confederate
Copyright Entries," William & Mary Quarterly, 2nd
ser.,
XVI (1936), 248-66. [122 entries, including entries from Georgia,
Mississippi, and North Carolina]
- California, 1851-56: Edith Margaret Coulter, "California
Copyrights, 1851-1856, with Notes on Certain Ghost Books,"
California Historical Society Quarterly, XXII (1943), 27-40.
[118 entries]
- California, 1851-62: Robert Greenwood, S. J. Suzuki, Marjorie
Pulliam, "California Copyrights, 1851-1862," in California
Imprints, 1833-1862 (1961), pp. 480-504. [293
entries]
- Georgia, 1861-65: See Alabama above.
- Illinois, 1821-50: Douglas C. McMurtrie, "Early Illinois
Copyright Entries, 1821-1850," Bulletin of the Chicago Historical
Society, II (1937), 50-61, 92-101. [84 entries]
- Kentucky, 1800-54: John Wilson Townsend, Supplemental
Check List of Kentucky Imprints 1788-1820 (American Imprints
Inventory, No. 38, 1942), pp. 119-97. [448 entries]
- Massachusetts, 1800-09: Ruth Shaw Leonard, "Transcript of the
Copyright Entries for the District Court of Massachusetts, 1800-1809, with
Bibliographical Notes," in A Bibliographical Evaluation of the
Copyright Records for the United States District Court of
Massachusetts, 1800-1809 (Master's thesis, Columbia
University, 1944), pp. 69-176. [342 entries]
- Michigan, 1824-29, 1837-70: William L. Jenks, "Michigan
Copyrights," Michigan History Magazine, XI (1927), 110-43,
271-87, 445-58, 630-52; XII (1928), 108-24, 584-89, 740-43; XIII (1929),
121-26, 555-59; XIV (1930), 150-55, 311-13; XV (1931), 126-29. [1472
entries — but the actual total is somewhat smaller, since certain entry
numbers are skipped]
- Mississippi, 1850-70: Charles F. Heartman, "Mississippi
Copyright Entries, 1850-1870," Journal of Mississippi
History,
II (1940), 79-87. [71 entries] See also Alabama
above.
- North Carolina, 1861-65: See Alabama
above.
- Pennsylvania, 1790-94: Frederick R. Goff, "Pennsylvania
Registrations for Copyright, 1790-1794," in "The First Decade of the
Federal Act for Copyright, 1790-1800," in Essays Honoring
Lawrence
C. Wroth (1951), pp. 113-28. [80 entries]
- Rhode Island, 1790-1816: Howard W. Preston, "List of Rhode
Island Books Entered for Copyright, 1790-1816," Rhode Island
Historical Society Collections, XIII (1920), 69-72, 95-101. [40
entries]
- Texas, 1840-41: Andrew Forest Muir, "Patents and Copyrights in
the Republic of Texas," Journal of Southern History, XII
(1946), 204-22 (esp. pp. 215-16). [3 entries]
- Virginia (Norfolk), 1837-70: Barbara Harris and John Cook
Wyllie, Norfolk Copyright Entries 1837, 1851-3,
1856-7, 1858-9, 1864, 1866-71 [i.e.,
1870]
(Charlottesville: Bibliographical Society of the University of Virginia,
1947), 48 pp. [82 entries]
- Virginia (Richmond), 1790-1844: James H. Whitty, A
Record of Virginia Copyright Entries (1790-1844)
(Richmond: Davis Bottom, 1911), 54 pp. Also printed as a supplement (52
pp.) to the Seventh Annual Report of the Virginia State
Library,
1909-10 (1911). [250 entries, fully indexed]
- Virginia (Richmond), 1864-65: "Confederate Copyrights,"
Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, XX (1912),
425-29. [28 entries]