Nevada State Library and Archives

The 1861 Legislative Assembly created the office of Treasurer of the Territory. The Treasurer was appointed by the Territorial Governor with confirmation by the Legislature.  The Treasurer served a term of four years, although the Assembly originally specified the position was to be for a two-year term.  The Treasurer’s duties were to receive and keep all territorial money, to disburse public moneys upon warrants issued by the Auditor of the Territory, to keep comprehensive accounts of all moneys received and disbursed, to keep accounts of each appropriation, to report quarterly to the Auditor and at the beginning of each year to the legislative assembly, and to answer any questions pertaining to the treasury.

The Treasurer had the power to administer oaths and was a member of the Board of Examiners and the Board of Education.  As compensation for his services, the Treasurer received 2% of all moneys received by the Treasury and 2% of all moneys disbursed.

John Henry Kinkead served as the only Territorial Treasurer.  Kinkead was born on December 10, 1826 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  He came to Carson City in 1860 to establish a branch of his father-in-law’s mercantile firm, Kinkead, Harrington & Co.  He was a member of both the 1863 and 1864 Constitutional Conventions, representing Ormsby County.  He served as Treasurer of the Territory from 1862-1864, and then moved to Alaska in 1867 for four years.  After  Kinkead returned to Nevada he became Nevada’s third governor, serving from 1879-1883.  Kinkead revisited Alaska once again where he served as Territorial Governor from 1884-1885, then came back to Nevada where he lived until his death.  Kinkead died in 1904.

Records of the Treasurer of Nevada Territory        1861-1883          4 vols. and 11 folders

The records of the Treasurer of Nevada Territory consist of account ledgers, a bond register (Vol. A) and folders of loose documents of several types.  The contents of the volumes are arranged chronologically; the documents are arranged by type and date.

Item:  TERR-0034     Dates:  1862-1883
Old #:  S/A/C3/1/34
Type:  Volume
Remarks:  Bond Register, Vol. A.  Record of bonds issued by Nevada Territory lists bond number, amount, date issued, date paid, and amount and paid date for coupons  Separate sections contain receipts written into the volume, providing the following information:  date, bond number, amount and name of buyer of bond, 1865-1867.  Coupon redemption information included bond number, amount, date, to whom paid, name of indebtedness cancelled, and coupon numbers, 1862-1883.  Information is also provided about purchase and redemption of U.S. 4% bonds.
Agency:  Nevada, Territory
Division:  Treasurer

Item:  TERR-0035     Dates:  1862-1864
Old #:  T/V/C4/4
Type:  Volume
Remarks:  Cash book.  Includes date, fund into which deposit was made, source of funds received, and amount.  A note by Treasurer Kinkead on the page for Oct. 30, 1864 reports the balance in the treasury as $1,101.76, which was transferred the next day to the State of Nevada.
Agency:  Nevada, Territory
Division:  Treasurer

Item:  TERR-0036     Dates:  1862-1864
Old #:  T/V/C4/1
Type:  Volume
Remarks:  Journal.  Provides the same information as TERR-0035 in a different format.
Agency:  Nevada, Territory
Division:  Treasurer

Item:  TERR-0157     Dates:  1862-1864
Old #:
Type:  Volume
Remarks:  Ledger.  Accounting of various state funds, such as Library, School, and General funds.  Provides dates, amount of income or expense, and balance.
Agency:  Nevada, Territory
Division:  Treasurer

Item:  TERR-0137     Dates:  1861-1864
Old #:
Type:  Records
Remarks: Includes the following kinds of documents:  receipts from Auditor, 1862-1864; statements of deposit, 1862-1864; statements from Auditor to Treasurer, 1862-1864; incoming correspondence, 1861-1864; report, Nov. 30, 1864; and account of Esmeralda County with the Territory of Nevada, 1864.
Agency:  Nevada, Territory
Division:  Treasurer