Kent County History and Information

Kent County was created in 1642 and was formed as an Original County. The County was named for the English of Kent. The County Seat is Chestertown. A courthouse fire in 1720 destroyed some records.

Kent County, second in the tier of Eastern Shore counties, is also one of the original counties of the province. It was first referred to as a county in 1642 when the governor and Council appointed commissioners for the Isle and County of Kent. The county is bordered on the north by Cecil County, the east by the Mason-Dixon line and Delaware, the south by the Chester River and Queen Anne's County and the west by the Chesapeake Bay.

The fertile farm lands of the county produce a variety of cash crops, and the addition of dairy and beef cattle and hogs diversifies the local economy. Some large estates maintain prize-winning herds of Aberdeen Angus cattle. In the winter, hunters come from all over the East to shoot ducks and geese that arrive by the thousands to feed and rest in fields and creeks. Oyster dredging and tonging, commercial fishing and fish packing are among the commercial activities in the area.

Chestertown, the county seat since 1706, is a gracious town that recalls centuries of pleasant living. Along the waterfront, eighteenth century brick houses overlook the Chester River. Washington College was founded here in 1782 by the Reverend William Smith. The college was the first chartered college in Maryland, the tenth oldest in the country, and the only college to which George Washington gave permission to use his name. Rock Hall, on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, offers excellent facilities for fishing and is a leading center for processing fish, crabs, and oysters. Used as a landing as early as 1707, Rock Hall was the Eastern Shore terminus of a post road from the north for many years, and thus the point of departure for passengers for Annapolis and the south. George Washington crossed here many times, and Lt. Col. Tench Tilghman crossed in the Rock Hall ferry in October 1781 as he was taking the news of Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown to Congress, then sitting at Philadelphia. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Kent County are Cecil County (north), New Castle County, Delaware (northeast), Kent County, Delaware (southeast), Queen Anne's County (south).

Kent County Towns Include Betterton, Chestertown, Galena, Millington, Rock Hall.Communities Include Fairlee, Lynch, Kennedyville, Massey, Still Pond, Tolchester Beach, Worton. (Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government.)

• The Kent County Official Government Website
• Kent County, Maryland History Books at Amazon.com
• Search Historical Newspapers from Maryland (1719 - 1931) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

Records at the County Courthouse

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

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 Kent County are available in Original , Microfilm and Digital formats from the Maryland State Archives The Official County website is located at http://kentcounty.com/gov/ .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. A courthouse fire in 1720 destroyed some records.

Kent County Register of Wills/ Clerk of Orphan's Court has Probate Records from 1674 and is located at 103 North Cross St., Chestertown, MD 21620; (410) 778-7466 

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.

Kent County Circuit Court Clerk has Land Records from 1648 and Marriage Records from earliest to 1919 and is located at 103 N. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620; 410-778-7460 Fax 410-778-7412

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 Kent County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Kent County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 1906-1930
• Indexes to Naturalization Petitions to the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for Maryland, 1797-1951
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Kent County, Maryland Court Books at Amazon.com
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Kent County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Kent 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 FREE - 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
• Kent 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.

ounty 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 Kent 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 Kent 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 Kent County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Kent 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.
• Kent 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.

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 Kent County Maps. Email us with websites containing Kent County Maps by clicking the link below:

• The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection - Maryland Maps
• University Libraries Maryland Map Collection
• The Huntingfield Map Collection
• Kent County, Maryland Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

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 Kent County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Kent County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Maryland: Muster Rolls & Other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution
  • Index for these Record
• Maryland: History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers War of 1861-5 Volume 1
• Maryland: History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers War of 1861-5 Volume 2
• Maryland Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Maryland Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Maryland Military Men, 1917-18: This database is a massive collection of military records for men who served in the war from Maryland.
• Maryland Revolutionary War Records: This database is a collection of pension and bounty land claims on the state for military service in the war.
• Maryland Soldiers in the Civil War, Vol. 1: With over 36,000 records of soldiers, sailors and marines in the Union Army and Navy from 1861 to 1865, this database is of interest to anyone with ancestors from Maryland who served in the Civil War.
• Maryland Soldiers in the Civil War, Vol. 2: The second volume in a two-volume series, this volume embraces all of the sailors, marines and other troops from Maryland who served in the Union army or navy.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Maryland (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Maryland (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from the State of Maryland (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 from the State of Maryland.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files from the State of Maryland (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Kent County, Maryland Military Books at Amazon.com
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

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 Kent County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Kent County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Archives of Maryland, Tax Records
• Kent County, Maryland Tax Books at Amazon.com

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 Kent County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Kent County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Historical Society of Kent County, Inc., P. O. Box 665, Geddes Piper House, 101 Church Alley, Chestertown, MD 21620 - 0665, (410) 778-3499; fax: (410) 778-3747, e-mail: hskcmd@friend.ly.net
• 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

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 Kent County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Kent 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 Kent County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Kent County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Maryland obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Maryland newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Maryland.
• Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites
• Kent County, Maryland Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Kent County, Maryland Church Books at Amazon.com

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 Kent County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Kent County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Maryland Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Maryland Researcher!
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Kent County ] [ Maryland ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• Maryland Family Group Sheets Project
• The Order of the First Families of Maryland
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
• Kent County, Maryland Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

In 1627 the Governor of Virginia authorized William Clayborne, "Secretarie of State of this Kingdom" to explore and locate the source of the Chesapeake Bay.

During this expedition, William Clayborne chose an island of the Chesapeake, seperated from the main land by what is now Kent Narrows, to establish a trading post. This island is present day Kent Island and was the first settlement in Maryland.

The island was already inhabited by the Matapeakes, a branch tribe of the Ozinies who lived on the southern banks of the Chester River, and the Monoponsons who lived on the southern part of the island. The early settlers were subject to fatal attacks by the Wicomese from the mainland Eastern Shore and the Susquehannas from the north. In 1641 the indians became so hostile and troublesome the law forbid the settlers to shoot, wound or kill any any indian coming onto the island and forbid the colonists to be friendly. It wasn't until the 1750's that the last indian left the island to settle elsewhere.

The early settlers also found the island to have plenty of wolves,bears,deer,raccoons,foxes, opossums,squirrels,rabbits,beaver and muskrats to hunt for fur.

By 1631 William Clayborne and Rev.Richard Jones had established a settlement on the island. William Clayborne was appointed Commander of the settlers of the Isle of Kent which he named for his home, the County of Kent. Rev. Richard Jones, of the Church of England, aided Clayborne in establishing this Protestant Colony and was the first to preach the gospel in Maryland.

Capt.Nicholas Martin represented the Isle of Kent at the Legislative Assembly of Virginia several years before St.Mary's settlement. It wasn't until 1634 that that settlers landed on St.Clement's island.
In 1632, King Charles granted Cecelius Calvert the Charter for Maryland, making the already established settlement on "Isle of Kent" the first in Maryland, and so begins the most interesting history of the Eastern Shore. It was these adventurers, traders, settlers and their descendants, along with the colonists to follow, that would settle the counties of Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline and Dorchester.

Isle of Kent 5th April 1652: We,whose names are hereafter subscribed, do promise and engage ourselves to be true and faithful to the Commonwealth of England, without King or House of Lords.

Thomas Ward, Thomas South, Tho.Wetherell, Tho.Pett, Tho.Taylor, Hen.Carlyen, John Hud, Robert Martin, John Smith, Henry Ashley, John Philips, John Gould, Edw. Ebes, John Smyth, John Richeson, Hen.Taylor, Will Leedes, John Sepsen, Anthony Calliway, Robert Vaughan, Philip Commins, Thos.Ringgould, Thos.Bradnox, Hen.Morgan, William Elliott, Robert Halters, Richard Blunt, Matthew Read, Will Jones, John Ringgold, Francis Bright, Edw.Copedge, Edmt.Weebe, John Russell, Rich.Salter, Marke Benton, Will Band, Francis Barnes, Hen.Clay, Roger Baxter, James Horner, Hen.Weest, Isa.Ilive, George Croutch, Edward Burton, Abraham Hollman, John Winchester, Nicholas Picurd, Nic.Browne, David Geldersen, Will Price, Tho.Hill, John Dean, Edw.Coxe, Robert Dunn, Fran Lumbard, John Gibson, John Maconick, Thomas Weest, Joseph Wickes To ye truth of this I here subscribe John Coursey, John Errickson, Andrew Hanson, Andrew Anderson

This list of 66 names most likely includes all the adult white male colonists living in Kent County in 1652/3.

Courthouse History

Through the passage of an act by the General Assembly of 1696, the justices of the county were authorized to purchase three acres of land to provide for a courthouse. According to records, land was purchased on the north shore of the Chester River for the fair value of 2,000 pounds of tobacco. Although the date of completion is not known, the courthouse is believed to have been used before March 23, 1697/8.

The courthouse did not survive long and records indicate  it was destroyed by arson around 1720. The courthouse was rebuilt in 1720-1721 and used until the middle of the century. Due to growth in population and business, and the dilapidated condition of the present courthouse, the justices petitioned the General Assembly for funds to repair or enlarge the courthouse. An act was passed at the session of 1750 authorizing 50,000 pounds of tobacco for this purpose.

There were additional enlargements, additions, and repairs to the courthouse until in 1860 an act was passed to take down the present Courthouse and build a new courthouse on the Public Square in Chestertown. A bond in the amount of $12,000 was issued and the new courthouse was erected on the site where it exists today. The 1860 facade was retained when the courthouse was remodeled and enlarged in 1937.