If you Cannot use, activate or see the map below then use our alternate text table NOTE: The Somerset County map link goes to St. Mary's Co. so CLICK HERE to go to Somerset County
Maryland, one of the eastern states of the United States. Maryland is bordered by Pennsylvania on the north, Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Virginia on the south, and West Virginia on the southwest and west. Washington, D.C., the national capital, is an enclave along the Virginia border. The Potomac River forms most of Maryland’s western boundary and Chesapeake Bay deeply indents the eastern part of the state. Annapolis is the state capital and Baltimore is the largest city.
The Maryland colony was founded in 1634 and was named for the wife of English King Charles I, Queen Henrietta Maria. Colonial Maryland attracted many settlers and, as its economy prospered, so did its social, political, and cultural life. Maryland entered the Union on April 28, 1788, as the 7th of the original 13 states.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Maryland and its residents were involved in many of the events relating to the attainment of independence by the United States and to the early struggles of the young republic. During the Civil War (1861-1865), Maryland, a border state, became part of the great battleground between North and South, but the state itself stayed within the Union. During the first half of the 20th century the economic development of Maryland was marked by a shift in emphasis from farming to manufacturing. The state is now primarily an industrial state. Despite this shift, agriculture is still carried on throughout most of the state.
Maryland has no official nickname. However, the most commonly accepted name, and also one of the oldest, is the Old Line State. This nickname honors the memory of Maryland’s regiments of the line, which fought with distinction in the American Revolution (1775-1783). The Official State Website is http://www.maryland.gov/. See our History Page for more details
The destruction of courthouses greatly affects genealogists in every way. No only are these historic structures torn from our lives, so are the records they housed: marriage, wills, probate, land records, and others. Once destroyed they are lost forever. Even if they have been placed on mircofilm, computers and film burn too. The most heartbreaking side of this is the fact that many of our courthouses are destroyed at the hands of arsonist. However, not all records were lost.
Below is a list of Maryland Counties and the years the Courthouses were subjected to a disaster. This does NOT mean that ALL RECORDS were lost. Often, folks took their documents again in for recording after a disaster and later deeds will contain long chains of title, etc.
Allegany County - A courthouse fire in 1893 destroyed marriage records for 1791-1847 and naturalizations for 1892-1893.
Anne Arundel County - The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1704, with the loss of all but three court record volumes. Deeds before 1699 were lost, but there are five volumes of re-recorded deeds.
Calvert County - Most records were destroyed when the courthouse burned in 1882, but some deeds dating back to 1840 were re-recorded. Abstracts of deeds sent to Annapolis beginning in 1784 and provincial court deeds/land office records also make up for some of the destroyed records.
Carroll County - Most early papers of the county court have been lost.
Cecil County - Many early court records have disappeared.
Dorchester County - There are gaps in the court records. Some were probably lost in a fire in 1852.
Frederick County - There were two major fires, but no major loss of records.
Harford County - Some records were destroyed in a fire in 1858.
Howard County - The county was formed in 1838 as Howard District of Anne Arundel Co., but did not gain full county status until 1850.
Kent County - A courthouse fire in 1720 destroyed some records.
Montgomery County - A southern section of the county was set off in 1788 to form the District of Columbia.
Saint Marys County - The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1831. Some deeds were re-recorded back to 1781, and abstracts of deeds sent to Annapolis beginning in 1784 also make up for some of the records that were destroyed.
Somerset County - The courthouse burned in 1831, but the records were saved.
Talbot County - Many court records have been lost.
Washington County - Some records were lost in a courthouse fire in 1871.
