Caroline County History and Information

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

Caroline County was created in 1773 from Dorchester and Queen Anne's counties (Chapter 10, Acts of 1773). Lady Caroline Eden gave her name to the county. She was the wife of Maryland's last colonial governor, Robert Eden (1741-1784); the daughter of Charles Calvert, Fifth Lord Baltimore; and the sister of Frederick Calvert, Sixth Lord Baltimore. The County Seat is Denton. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Caroline County are Queen Anne's County (north), Talbot County (west), Dorchester County (south), Kent County, Delaware (east), Sussex County, Delaware (southeast).

Caroline County Towns Include Denton, Federalsburg, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Henderson, Hillsboro, Marydel, Preston, Ridgely, Templeville.Communities Include American Corner, Andersontown, Baltimore Corner, Burrsville, Choptank, Gilpin Point, Grove, Harmony, Hickman, Hobbs, Jumptown, Ninetown, Oakland, Oil City, Tanyard, Tuckahoe Neck, Two Johns, Reliance, Whiteleysburg, Williston. (Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government.)

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Records at the County Courthouse

See Also Maryland Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Search Maryland Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Government records of Caroline County are available in original, microfilm and digital formats from the Maryland State Archives The Official County website is located at http://www.carolinemd.org/governmt/.See also Courthouse History.

NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Caroline County Register of Wills/ Clerk of Orphan's Court has Probate Records from 1774 and is located at the courthouse 109 Market St. Room 108, Denton, MD 21629 - 0416; (410) 479-0717

The Register of Wills is responsible for appointing personal representatives to administer decedents estates and for overseeing the proper and timely administration of these proceedings. We also perform the following duties: assist and advise the public in the preparation of all required forms; maintain and preserve the permanent record of all proceedings; serve as the Clerk to the Orphans Court; track estates and refer delinquent matters to the Court; determine and collect inheritance taxes and probate fees/court costs; audit accounts of personal representatives and guardians; and, verify compliance with court orders.

Caroline County Circuit Court Clerk has Land Records from 1774 and Marriage Records from earliest to 1919 and is located at 109 Market Street, Denton, Maryland 21629; 410-479-1811

The Clerk's responsibilities include supervising Clerk's office personnel in the civil, criminal, courtroom clerks, business license, marriage license, land records, and juvenile units.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Maryland Calendar of Wills, Maryland Marriages, 1655-1850 and Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899.

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Maryland

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Division of Vital Records Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, 6550 Reisterstown Rd., Reistertown Road Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21215; (410) 764-3038 or (800), 832-3277, Fax: (410) 358-0738. The Division of Vital Records of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues certified copies of birth, death, fetal death, and marriage certificates for events that occur in Maryland. The Division also provides divorce verifications. The Division provides information on procedures to follow for registering an adoption, legitimation, or an adjudication of paternity.

RECORDS AVAILABILITY AND COST

  • Birth Certificates: The state of Maryland began issuing certificates for births since Aug 1898. Birth certificates for individuals born in Maryland after 1939 are also available for same day service at local health departments in all jurisdictions except Montgomery County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County. The State of Maryland Archives has Birth certificates since 1875 for Baltimore City and 1898 for Maryland counties.
    • Cost is $12.00 per certificate, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates:The state of Maryland began issuing certificates for deaths since since 1969. Within 30 days of a death, copies of the record may also be obtained from the local health department in which the funeral director filed the death certificate, with the exception of Baltimore City and Baltimore County health departments. You must apply in person at the appropriate local health department. The State of Maryland Archives has Death certificates prior to 1969.
    • Cost is $12.00 per certificate, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage Certificates: The state of Maryland began issuing certificates for marriage since since Jan 1, 1990. The State of Maryland Archives has Marriage certificates since 1640. Marriage Certificates are availible since before Jan 1, 1990 from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the license was issued.
    • Cost: $12.00 from the Division of Vital Records, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail. Contact the Maryland Archives and the Clerk of the Circuit Court for fees.
  • Divorce Certificates: The Division of Vital Records issues verification only since Jan 1961. Certified copies should be available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.
    • Cost: $12.00 from the Division of Vital Records, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail. Contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court for fees.

ORDERING RECORDS

  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person:  Birth certificates for individuals with valid, government-issued photo identification who were born in Maryland are available for same day service at the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore. Same day service is also available at local health departments in all jurisdictions except Montgomery County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County for individuals born after 1939.
  • Order By Mail: Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. However, people are urged to allow sufficient time for delivery for all birth/death records. Mail a check or money order of $12.00 for each certified certificate. Do not send cash. Mail to the following address: The Division of Vital Records, 6550 Reisterstown Road, Reisterstown Road Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21215. Please include return address on envelope and application form. Allow 3 to 6 weeks for the search by mail for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records.

The Maryland State Archives maintains many records that are invaluable for biographical and genealogical research. These include birth records, adoption records, marriage records, divorce records, and death records, and some indices to these records.

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Maryland newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Maryland Marriages, 1655-1850
  • Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899
  • Maryland and South Carolina Lutheran Newspapers, Marriages and Deaths
  • Caroline County, Maryland Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Maryland

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Caroline County, Maryland are 1790 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850 ,1860 ,1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Caroline County, Maryland are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Maryland Census, 1772-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census Index; 1810 Federal Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedules; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedules; 1890 Naval Veterans; Early Census Index.
  • Maryland Colonial Census, 1776: Granted by the King of England to George Calvert in 1632, Maryland was home to nearly 300,000 people before the Revolutionary War. This database is a transcription of a colonial census taken in 1776.
  • Caroline County, Maryland Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Maryland showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Maryland showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. The Maryland Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Maps. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Maps by clicking the link below:

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County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Maryland

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Available at the Maryland State Archives with index is a Maryland tax assessment of 1783, which is “more complete” than the 1776 or 1778 “censuses”. Robert W. Barnes and Bettie Stirling Carothers abstracted the 1783 tax list of Baltimore County, Maryland but while it has some omissions, it serves as an index to photocopies of the originals published as Maryland Tax List 1783 Baltimore County from the collection of the Maryland Historical Society (Philadelphia: Historic Publications, 1970). The counties of Calvert, Cecil, Harford, and Talbot are covered by Bettie Carothers, comp., 1783 Tax List of Maryland (Part I: Cecil, Talbot, Harford, and Calvert Counties) (Lutherville, Md.: Pub. by compiler, 1977). Furthermore, there is a two part index to the 1783 list at the state archives, one by names of property owners, the other by names of the tracts.

The earliest tax records are to be found among the proprietary papers, dating from the 1630s. Some early tax records have been published, such as Raymond B. Clark, Jr., and Sara Seth Clark, comps., Baltimore County, Maryland, tax list, 1699-1706. At the Maryland State Archives is a tax list for St. Anne's Parish, Anne Arundel County, 1764-66. Also here are the surviving 1798 U.S. direct tax records, for Anne Arundel County (indexed), Baltimore County and City, and the counties of Caroline, Charles, Harford, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, Saint Mary's, Somerset, and Talbot. Richard J. Cox edited Name Index to the Baltimore City Tax Records: 1798-1808 Of the Baltimore City Archives, (Baltimore: Baltimore City Archives and Records Management Office, 1981).

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Maryland Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Caroline County, Historical Society, 16 North Second St., Denton, MD 21629, (410) 479-2055, e-mail: info@carolinehistory.org
  • Caroline County Genealogical Society, % Miss. Dora W. Mitchell, Preston, MD 21655
  • Maryland State Archives, 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401
  • Maryland Genealogical Society, 201 W. Monument Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-4674.
    Publishes the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin Quarterly.
  • The Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument Street, Baltimore MD 21201-4674
    Has published a quarterly magazine Maryland Historical Magazinefor over 90 years
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Maryland Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Maryland

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Caroline County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Caroline County Tombstone Transcription Project.

A search for church records should begin with Directory of Maryland church records (Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1987), arranged by county and giving a range of dates of available records for over 2,600 churches with mailing addresses. Also helpful are The First Parishes of the Province of Maryland (Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Co., 1923).

The largest collection of church records is at the Maryland State Archives, with a consolidated index, and many are at the Maryland State Archives, which has various original and microfilmed records, many with indexes. Some church records have been published in the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin or in individual books, such as those for St. Paul's in Baltimore and for many German churches in the western counties.

Although Catholicism is very important to the history of Maryland, the disenfranchisement of Catholics after the establishment of the Anglican church in 1692 largely contributed to the lack of record keeping prior to the Revolutionary War. One source for St. Marys County in the 1700s, however, is Catholic Families of Southern Maryland: Records of Catholic Residents of St. Mary's County in the Eighteenth Century (1980; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985). Records of the German churches and the Society of Friends are very good. The latter were early settlers of Maryland, along with Anglicans and Catholics. Quaker records in Maryland, (Annapolis: Hall of Records Commission, 1966) is an excellent guide to the original and microfilmed Friends' records at the Maryland State Archives. Some Quaker records were published in Kenneth Carroll, Quakerism on the Eastern Shore (Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1970) and other records are at the Maryland Historical Society, the state archives, and the Friends Historical Library in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

The Maryland State Archives has indexes to cemetery records for various time periods. Some have been published in the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin and other journals and in individual works covering large parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, St. Marys, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. A great number of grave marker inscriptions have been transcribed by members of the Maryland DAR and will be found at the Maryland Historical Society and the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. See also Historic graves of Maryland and the District of Columbia (1908; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967).

Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Caroline County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Caroline County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

Caroline County has long been referred to as the "Land of Pleasant Living." This nickname is quite fitting. Whether it is the homegrown produce, historic homes and landmarks, or outings on the Choptank River, our county provides some of the best that Maryland has to offer. No wonder so many prominent Americans have called Caroline County home or have stopped by and left their mark.

Caroline was once a part of two other Mid-Shore counties: Queen Anne's and Dorchester. Residents of the area had to travel to either Queenstown or Cambridge to vote and pay their taxes. By 1773 the population had increased to the point that it could support its own local government. The Maryland General Assembly agreed and in that year passed a bill establishing Caroline County. Gilpin's Point native Col. William Richardson introduced the bill. Melvill's Warehouse was appointed as the temporary county seat until the new courthouse building at Pig Point (now Denton) was completed. After brief stops in Bridgetown (Greensboro) and the Brick Hotel, the county government moved into the courthouse in 1797.

The names of the county and its seat are connected to its colonial past. Caroline Calvert Eden was the sister of the last Lord Baltimore, Frederick Calvert - thus the name, Caroline County. She was also the wife of the last royal governor of Maryland, Robert Eden. The village that grew up around Pig Point was called Eden Town. Eventually it was shortened to Edenton, and finally Denton.

English religious refugees were the first to settle the land. The area was also populated with transplanted Virginians and New Englanders. Maryland had passed a religious toleration act in 1649 permitting people of all religions to settle there. Most colonists chose a site near the water so their goods could be easily transported. The banks of the Choptank River were an ideal place to live. The channel was deep and the waters plentiful. The river also provided power if needed. The existence of Linchester Mill near Preston can be traced back as early as 1681. It has a valid claim as the nation's oldest free enterprise business, and even played a part in the Revolution. General Washington's troops received flour and cornmeal from the mill while at Valley Forge in 1777. The people of Linchester also provided meat and molasses for the Continental Army.

This is not the only time that Caroline County has come into contact with a United States president. In fact, two have visited the county. Andrew Jackson was once entertained at the Daffin House on Tuckahoe Creek en route to Philadelphia. It was there he met Charles Dickinson, another promising but arrogant attorney. The future president and the Harmony resident struck up a conversation about their racehorses. Later, when both were living near Nashville, Dickinson pulled out of a scheduled race between two of their horses. This infuriated Jackson to the point that he challenged Dickinson to a duel. In the much-celebrated contest, Dickinson lodged a bullet in Old Hickory's chest. Unfazed, Jackson pulled the trigger and fatally wounded his adversary.

Under much calmer circumstances, Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to Caroline County in 1938. He spoke in front of the courthouse in Denton on Labor Day; the speech was broadcast on radio to the rest of the country. Roosevelt was there to support his New Deal programs and also to win votes for his ally in Congress, Rep. T. Alan Goldsborough. The local Congressman would lose the election to Millard Tydings, but nonetheless it was an event the county would not soon forget.

Denton has seen its share of state officials as well. It holds a unique distinction as the hometown of governors of two different states. Both Harry Hughes (Maryland) and Sherman Tribbett (Delaware) grew up on Franklin Street in Denton. Even more amazing is the fact that both played baseball professionally in the Eastern Shore League. Caroline County is proud of its native sons as well as its rich baseball heritage. Ridgely has played host to several great athletes. Hall of Famer Jimmy Foxx caught for the local hardball team before going on to star with the Philadelphia Athletics. Buck Herzog, a solid player for the New York Giants, made his residence in Ridgely for many years. It should also be noted that Federalsburg supported a team in the Eastern Shore League for a number of seasons.

Caroline County has quietly built a name for itself over the last two hundred years. It has produced a number of famous Americans and Marylanders while retaining its peaceful, rural identity. It remains a successful agricultural area and an attractive location for businesses. There is no doubt that the future of Caroline County will be as bright and colorful as its past.

Courthouse History

In locating the court house the law had also provided the name Eden-town but until the erection of the building, 1791, the place remained Pig Point in local parlance. Previously, when used, the name had been abbreviated to Edenton, now the E was dropped and henceforth we have Denton.
The Commissioners at this time, 1792, were Christopher Driver, William Robinson, Philemon Downes, Thomas Lockerman and Jos. Richardson, and through their energy the Court House was begun in 1793. It was a brick building, colonial style, modeled after and much resembling Independence Hall, Philadelphia. Its builder was William Benson of Talbot County, and the total cost was £1800.
  And now having secured the building after 20 years of effort, true to the perversity of mankind, the office holders, in part, were both to take up their abode there. A law was enacted by the Assembly compelling the Clerk, Register of Wills, and Sheriff as well as deputies to move into the Court House or within one quarter mile of the same before June 1, 1795, the penalty of refusal being a fine of £15 current money. Needless to say they all complied with haste.

A century run was given the first Court building and during that time, with the building withstood the ravages of time showing little sign of decay. Its permanency bore testimony to the builder as well as for the Commissioners of 1795.
  However, with the growth of the County, the citizens demanded a larger and more modern building, so in 1895 the old one was razed. For the new Court House Joseph H. Bernard of Greensboro was selected as Architect and Chairman of the building commission, consisting of Messrs. Wm. E. Lord, George M. Russum, Thos. L. Day, John W., Clark, Bayard Nichols, Alex. Noble, Thomas R. Green and Henry Irwin. This Committee contracted with Slemmons & Lankford of Salisbury, Md. to erect a brick building for the sum of $21,000 which stands today (1919) on the Denton Court House Green.

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