Washington County was created in 1776 and was formed from Frederick County. The County was named for George Washington (1732-1799), commander of the Continental forces during the Revolutionary War, and first president of the United States. The County Seat is Hagerstown. No records were lost in a courthouse fire in 1871. See bottom of "Records at the Washington County Courthouse " Section for more info.
Washington County, located in western Maryland, Appropriately enough, it was Washington County that produced the first monument to George Washington, erected on July 4, 1827 outside of Boonesboro and completed in one day by the townspeople. During the Gettysburg campaigns the monument, which had almost fallen to pieces, was patched with logs and used as a Union signal station. In 1934, ten acres of land, including the monument, were deeded to the State of Maryland, and additional land was subsequently acquired for a state park. A copy of the earlier monument was built of local stone by the Civilian Conservation Corps and rededicated on July 4, 1936.
Hagerstown, the county seat, lies in the fertile valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the intersection of two important truck routes, I-81 and I-70. These roads follow respectively the historic north-south pathway through the Cumberland and Shenandoah valleys and the old National Pike, over which pioneers for decades traveled to settle in the country beyond the Appalachians.
The county's rich heritage is a delight for history buffs. Here visitors can roam the Antietam National Battlefield, the site of the bloodiest one day battle of the Civil War; Fort Frederick, erected in 1756 for defense against the French and Indians; or the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, stretching from Georgetown to Cumberland. See also County History for more historical details.
Washington County Cities Include Hagerstown. Towns Include Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Funkstown, Hancock, Keedysville, Sharpsburg, Smithsburg, Williamsport. Communities Include Fairplay, Van Lear. (Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government.)
Various organizations, such as the United States Census Bureau, the United States Postal Service, and local chambers of commerce, define the communities they wish to recognize differently, and since they are not incorporated, their boundaries have no official status outside the organizations in question. The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county: Cavetown, Chewsville, Fort Ritchie, Fountainhead-Orchard Hills, Halfway, Highfield-Cascade, Leitersburg, Maugansville, Mount Aetna, Mount Lena, Paramount-Long Meadow, Robinwood, Rohrersville, St. James, San Mar, Wilson-Conococheague
PLEASE READ!! 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. Some records were lost in a courthouse fire in 1871.
Government records of Washington County are available in Original , Microfilm and Digital formats from the Maryland State Archives The Official County website is located at http://www.washco-md.net/. See also Courthouse History. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Washington County Register of Wills/ Clerk of Orphan's Court has Probate Records from 1777 and is located at 95 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown 21740; (301) 739-3612 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.
Washington County Circuit Court Clerk has Land Records from 1777 and Marriage Records from earliest to 1919 and is located at 95 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown 21740; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 229, Hagerstown, MD 21741; 301-733-8660 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.
COURTHOUSE FIRE: From "The Herald and Torch Light," the weekly Hagerstown newspaper, of December 13, 1871, we read, "The records in the several offices [of the courthouse] were removed, except some papers in the Clerk's Office vault,
which were somewhat scorched, but not rendered illegible. The Safe in the
County Commissioners Room, which contained many valuable papers, was not
removed, and was subjected to the firery [sic] ordeal, but when opened
several days afterwards, the papers and books were found in good condition,
the covers of the latter being only slightly scorched. Other books and
papers of the Commissioners were rescued by Henry W. Lyday, Esq., on of the
Commissioners, and E.W. Funk, Esq., late Clerk."
The only court records not now extant are:
Marriage licenses 1776-1860 (although the index remains which lists the
bride, groom, date, and minister)
Court dockets for 1780-1792
It is not known when, or how, these two sets of records were lost, but it
was not in the courthouse fire.
Below is a list of online resources for Washington County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Washington County Court Records by clicking the link below:
Maryland Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
Click Here to Search Maryland Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
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. Washington County Health Department has Births, Death and marriage records after 1919,
1302 Pennsylvania Avenue ,
Hagerstown, MD 21742;
240-313-3395,
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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: $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: $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.
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
Processing Time: Allow 3 to 6 weeks for the search
by mail for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY.
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.
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 Washington County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Washington County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
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.
Click Here to Search Maryland Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Washington County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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.
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 Washington County Maps. Email us with websites containing Washington County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Maryland Military Records! - 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 Washington County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Washington County Military Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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 Washington County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Washington County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Washington County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Washington County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
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
Maryland Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Maryland Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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.
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 Washington County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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.
Click Here to Search Maryland Family Tree Records! - 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 Washington County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Washington County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
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 & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Courthouse History
The first courthouse was constructed soon after Hagerstown was chosen as the county seat. The town market was held in the first floor while the second floor was used as a courtroom and for miscellaneous government functions.
DEDICATION
“…Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.”
Zechariah 8:16
This book is proudly dedicated to the officers and employees,
past and present, of the Washington County Court Houses whose
combined efforts and deeds in their offices have made possible
the events that have transpired within the walls of the three
edifices during its first two centuries.
Historians have concluded that the original 18th century
courthouse stood near the center of what is presently referred to
as the 'Square'; a location that was the center of most activities in
the community. Here, the two main arteries of travel crossed. All
wagons and travelers going Westward passed through the square
and by the courthouse. As traffic increased, the old structure
made vehicular circulation difficult.
The town market was held in the open arcaded lower level of
the courthouse. This further complicated congestion in the
already busy and crowded square.
Elizabethtown was growing, the site of the courthouse was
impeding progress; a new location would have to be selected.
Scharf describes the first courthouse as follows:
"The courtroom
was on the second floor, and was reached by a flight of steps on
the outside. For a time all elections were held in this room, the
voting being viva voce. The elections lasted several days, and
were conducted in a very primitive manner. All the candidates sat
in a row behind the sheriff, who took the votes. As each elector
approached the candidates would take off their hats, bow politely,
and solicit his vote. When the contest was very spirited there
were of course, some animated scenes, and not infrequently
disturbances took place. The windows on one side of the
courthouse were protected with wire from random balls, there
being a public alley for ball playing on that side of the building.
The lower story was open and was used as a market house."
"It seems that the steeple of the old market was surmounted by a
little old man of tin, with a rotund abdomen, who was popularly
known as 'Old Heiskel,' doubtless from his resemblance real or
fancied, to some well-known resident of the town.'
It is interesting to note architectural similarity between the
On July 14, 1807, many citizens of Western Maryland met
at the Washington County Court House to express their
sentiments "upon the dastardly outrages committed by the
British Squadron stationed on our coasts, on the flag and
the citizens of the United States."
Several strong resolutions were adopted at the meeting,
and copies were sent to the President of the United States
and to the Governor of Maryland. Facsimiles of the
resolutions were also to be printed in the Hagerstown
newspaper.
first Washington County Courthouse and some of the
medieval townhalls still standing in small towns along the
Rhine River in Germany. Many of the early inhabitants and
settlers of Washington County were of German descent;
so it is understandable that this parallel of architectural
expression would have existed.
The following activities suggest that the courthouse
square must have been an important gathering place
familiar to all of the citizenry of the county.
In 1794 the following Battalion orders were
issued:
"The Captains of the companies composing my Battalion, in
the Twenty-fourth Regiment of militia of this state, will meet
on the parade at the courthouse, on Thursday, the 30th, to
march to Cannon Hill for exercise."
Signed Adam Ott, Major Twenty-fourth Regiment
M.M Washington County, October 28th.
With France and England at war, foreign relations were
very unstable at this time. There were feelings of unrest,
and preparations were in progress to protect the young
nation from the repeated affronts of England and France on
the high seas.
When Madison was inaugurated on March 4, 1809, a large number of citizens
assembled at the court house in the square to celebrate the occasion.
By 1808, county offices had outgrown the limited space in the court house. The
General Assembly passed an Act in December of 1808 authorizing the Justices
of the Levy Court to levy a sufficient sum each year to pay the rental for
additional space. They also authorized that an additional $160 be collected to
pay the past due rent. The offices moved to the rented space were those of the
Orphan's Court and the Register of Wills,
At the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, Washington County
was experiencing population growth. This influx of people necessitated expansion
of the facilities housing the courts and county offices. It was soon evident that a
new court house would have to be built if the needs of the county were to be met
adequately.
Delegates to the First Maryland Constitutional Convention met in Annapolis in
1774-1776. Assuming executive as well as legislative duties, they were pressed to
take action to separate the large area which was called Frederick County into
several smaller counties. New boundaries were established and the counties of
Washington and Montgomery were formed.
On September 6, 1776, the Convention appointed a Commission in Washington
County to purchase up to four acres of land for "public buildings" to be located
according to the will of the inhabitants of the new county. Funding for the new
public buildings, up to "thirteen hundred pounds of common money," was to be
provided through annual levies. With this money, the commissioners were
authorized to contract for the construction of the new court house and supporting
facilities.
An Act passed by the General Assembly on January 15, 1785, granted the Justices
of Washington County the authority to levy an additional one thousand pounds to
complete the court house and jail. This indicates that new public buildings could not
have been completed prior to 1786.
The only pictorial record of the first courthouse known to exist, is a watercolor
painted in 1806. The painting indicates that the 18th century structure originally
stood in the 'Square', the exact location is unknown. While workmen were digging in
the Public Square on Tuesday, January 29, 1974, they found what appeared to be
the foundation of the first Hagerstown Courthouse and marketplace.
At the beginning of the 19th Century, the old courthouse
stood in a state of disrepair. An underground spring often
left the area around and under the courthouse muddy. The
citizenry were also concerned about the safety of the public
records that were stored in the old building. The structure
was sited in such a way that it impeded the increasing
wagon traffic that passed through the village square.
In 1815, plans were formulated to provide funds for the
erection of a new court house.
"At a regular session of the General Assembly of the state
of Maryland, held in Annapolis during the winter of
1815-16, an Act was passed and approved authorizing the
inhabitants of Washington County to levy a tax and erect a
new court house. This was done in accordance with the
wishes of a majority of the tax-paying citizens, who in their
petition represented: 'that the existing court house of said
county is in a state of ruinous decay, and the public
records deposited therein are considerably endangered;
that it is too contracted in its plan to accommodate a court
and its officers; and that, standing in the Public Square,
directly on the intersection of the two principal streets, it
greatly injures the appearance of Hagerstown'."
The chief provisions of the act were:
'Sec. 2. Therefore be it enacted by the General
Assembly of Maryland, that John Blackford, Samuel
Ringgold, William Gabby, John Bowles, and Thomas
C. Brant be and are hereby appointed commissioners
to select and purchase such lot or lots of ground within
the limits of Hagerstown, or the additions to said town,
as in their judgement they or a majority of them shall
consider the most eligible and proper site for a new
court-house for the county aforesaid.'
'Sec. 3. And be it enacted, that the commissioners herein before named, or a majority of them, be and they are
hereby authorized and empowered to contract for and
superintend the building of a new court-house, with suitable
apartments for the court and juries, clerk's, sheriff's and
register's offices, and fire proof places of deposit for the
public records, on the site as above by them to be selected
and purchased, upon such terms and in such manner as to
them shall seem most advantageous to the community.'
'Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That the commissioners
herebefore narned, or a majority of them, shall have the
power to appoint some capable person to superintend
and direct the erection of the building aforesaid, and that
they be and are hereby empowered to allow such person
so employed such compensation as they or a majority of
them may deem adequate to his services.'
'Sec. 5. And be it enacted, That the Levy Court of
Washington County be and they are hereby authorized and
required to assess and levy upon the assessable property of
said county, in five successive, equal annual installments, a
sum not exceeding thirty thousand dollars, the first
installment to be assessed by the said court at the second
annual session which after the passage of this act, they
shall hold for the purposes of laying the county levy, and to
be collected by the sheriff of said county.'
'Sec. 9. And be it enacted, That when the said court-house
shall be completed and finished, the said commissioners
or a majority of them may pull down the old court-house
and sell the materials of the same, the proceeds of which
may be applied to discharge any debt contracted for the
building of the new court-house, over and beyond the sum
hereinbefore mentioned.'
'Sec. 11. And be it enacted, That the public ground on which
the court-house now stands shalI be condemned as a public
street of Hagerstown, not to be built upon or used but as one
of the streets of the said town.'
At the time that he was appointed to serve on the
commission to build a new court house, Samuel Ringgold
was also serving as a Congressman in Washington, the
nation's capital.
It was during his term as a Congressman, that Ringgold met
Benjamin Latrobe. Latrobe took over as Surveyor of Public
Building in Washington in 1803. Latrobe's design for the
President's House had just been completed and the interiors
were yet unfinished, when the British burned Washington in
1814. Ringgold was probably impressed by the expertise of
the man directing the design and construction taking place in
the young nation's capital. Associations with Latrobe in
Washington probably influenced General Ringgold in his
decision to seek professional advice when he was appointed
one of the commissioners responsible for the implementation
of the new court house for Washington County.
The fact that Benjamin Latrobe was employed to provide
architectural drawings for the Washington County court
house is documented in the following letter from Latrobe to
Ringgold. The original letter is in the possession of the
Maryland Historical Society.
The character of Latrobe's drawings are indicative of a
highly trained and skillful hand.
Thomas Harbaugh, a builder, was hired as the contractor
for the new building, at salary of $1200.00 per year.
Construction of the new Courthouse began in 1818 and
continued until its completion in 1822. The actual cost of
construction was much greater than was originally anticipated.
Thomas Harbaugh gives a figure of $52,512.00 in his journal, so
that it might be assumed that this figure is fairly accurate.
After comparing Latrobe's letter of March 10, 1817, with
Thomas Harbaugh's Journal, several significant differences come to light. Latrobe speaks of the Jury Rooms being on
ground floor and further explains that they will be 'perfectly
private as they open from the Court Room and have two
doors towards the Court Room, both of which may be shut.'
According the the builder's records, these rooms were not
located in the manner described by Latrobe
The working relationship between the architect and the client
was such, that after the client had reviewed the functional
aspects of the plan, changes may have been suggested and
incorporated into the final plan. It is possible that the
commissioners requested Latrobe to alter the floor plan Or,
perhaps they instructed Harbaugh to make the necessary
alterations during construction, as Latrobe did not personally
supervise construction.
In his detailed accounts of materials and the spaces
plastered, Harbaugh refers to the 'Large rooms over the
Offices and the Small rooms over the Vaults,' indicating that
the Jury Rooms were actually placed on the Second floor
over the Register's Office and the Clerk's Office. Harbaugh
also mentions 'the fan sash arches over the Office Doors' on
Washington Street Fronts. This evidence is sufficient to place
the Clerk's Office, the Register's Office, and the two Vaults
on the ground floor.
The floor plans shown in the illustrations were reconstructed
from the careful accounts kept by Harbaugh in his Journal
and the original architectural elevations drawn by Latrobe, of
two facades of the building.
Talbot Hamlin's book, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, includes a
sketch (See Left) of the Washington County court house which had
been taken from an old map. The front elevation shown in
that sketch shows two windows flanking the main doors to the
Large Court Room. These two windows do not appear on the
original Latrobe watercolor renderings of this same elevation.
There is nothing in any of the available information to prove
or disprove the fact that the windows were ever constructed
in the facade. It is likely that they were added. The Court
Room was a sizable space and could have utilized the
additional light. Latrobe placed a glass lantern type cupola
over the opening at the top of the large dome spanning the
Court Room. This architectural device filled the interior space
with natural light. The Hagerstown Courthouse interior was
treated in much the same manner as the interior of St. John's
Church in Washington, D. C. St. John's is the church that
Ringgold admired, and the church that Latrobe referred to in
his letter to Ringgold.
The architect of the Second Washington County Court
House, Benjamin Latrobe, had been trained in England,
where the architectural profession was well-established and
respected. The professional architect was a radical idea in
the provincial milieu of America
It is remarkable indeed that so great a man would have
been chosen to design the Second Court house for
Washington County. Unfortunately, probably the finest
court house in Maryland at that time has not survived the
ravages of tinge.
The news of the "flames of October 8-9, 1871" in Chicago, a
city in northeast Illinois, where an estimated three and one-half
square miles laid waste, nearly seventeen-thousand buildings
destroyed, over two-hundred persons killed, nearly ninety-eight
thousand made homeless, and a loss of over two hundred
million dollars was still the topic of conversation by many of the
citizens of Hagerstown and Washington County.
Less than nine weeks later, at ten o'clock on Wednesday night,
December 5, a fire was discovered in the agricultural
implement store and warehouse of Messrs. Burbank and
Rollins on Antietam Street by the watchman of the Washington
County Railroad Depot.
The first alarm was the frantic cry of the watchman. The
engineer of a Baltimore and Ohio train that had just pulled
into the station quickly sounded the whistle on the
locomotive.
Time was of the essence!
A fierce gale from the south was blowing at the time and
had been for several days. The business part of
Hagerstown was in great danger! The location of the fire, on
the extreme southern limits of the heart of the town, was
well calculated to sweep the most valuable portion of
Hagerstown.
The Independent Junior Fire Company was quick to arrive
on the scene. The members immediately pressed into
service the equipment and apparatus. Also answering the
summons for aid was the Antietam Fire Company.
Aided by willing citizens of the town, measures were taken to
arrest the flames that were first seen in the forepart building, and in an instant observed elsewhere. In a few
minutes fire burst out of the roof of the frame structure. The
high wind continued to blow, engulfing in its wake the
adjacent buildings.
The scarcity of water in the vicinity, and the difficulty
experienced in getting at the fire until it had burned through
the roof, rendered the efforts to save the building futile. The
only water supply for the fire engines was from the Oak
Spring, Ladle Spring, and several large public cisterns. There
was only one steam engine and several small engines which
were operated by hand.
Fear was mounting that Hagerstown would witness a
similar disaster that destroyed the city of Chicago, tuning
homes and buildings to ashes by the conflagration.
But, that was not to be the fate of Hagerstown!
It was only the sudden cessation of the storm at the most
critical juncture that saved the greater part of Hagerstown
from destruction.
It was surmised at one time that the fire would extend
across Washington Street. Many of the householders,
fearing this possibility, removed their possessions. But the
lull in the gale enabled persons to saturate the roofs with
water, thus averting the threatened extension of the fire to
this area.
In its wake, as the flames spread from the agricultural
implement store and warehouse, they reached St. John's
Episcopal Church, which stood to the rear of the Court House
on South Jonathan Street, (now Summit Avenue,) and then
ignited the Court House itself.
Because of a shingle roof and the impossibility of reaching
it in time, the Episcopal Church, not long before partially destroyed in the same manner, was on this December
night wholly destroyed, along with its organ.
From the roof of the church to the roof of the new part of
the Court House (the whole of which was covered with
shingles,) the sparks were communicated to that building.
During the height of the conflagration, and after the cupola
of the Court House was in flames, a number of firemen
and citizens, with the pipe of the Junior Company, were in
the great hall, second story, fighting desperately to save
the fifty year old structure from devastation. Suddenly, the
cupola fifty feet from the floor - fell in with aloud crash!
Fireman John Fridinger, one of several men holding the
ladder upon which Henry Bester was opening the
half-moon window of the dome to enable William Gould -
an engineer - to bring the pipe to bear the support of the
roof, was crushed under the fallen burning beams and
pinned fast. John Smith attempted in vain to rescue
Fridinger! As a last effort to save him, Smith "pitched" a
bucket of water over him. Then trying to draw him out,
found it impossible to do so.
The few Remnants of the charred remains of Fridinger
were recovered the next morning. Bester was injured by a
fall from the dome to the floor. His recollections, in
reconstructing the events of that tragic night, was the
words he uttered when the dome fell "God save us!" Smith
and Joshua Wise were severely burned in their attempt to
save the building.
Among those present in the building at the time of the
catastrophe were: William Gould, William Davis, Charles
Spangler, William H. Armstrong, E. W. Funk, and Surveyor
Downin. The last two men are credited in securing a
number or records and valuable papers that otherwise
may have been destroyed in the fire. There
were other persons, names unknown, in different parts of
the building. Colonel Cook, Alexander Armstrong, and
several others, escaped by means of ladders from the
window, while W. H. Armstrong and Charles Spangler
escaped by the stairway. Charles Shank, making his escape,
fell from the Antietam House and was injured. Robert Grove,
from Sharpsburg, was injured by a falling window of the same
house.
All efforts to save the Court House were futile!
By the next morning, after the flames had died, it was realized
that the building was burned beyond repair. Only the walls
stood, a grim reminder of the conflagration, believed to have
been started in the implement store and warehouse by an
incendiary.
The actual values destroyed by the fire was not large. All the
land and other records in the Register of Wills office were in
fireproof vaults, and ones in the clerk's office as well. All these
records were saved! There was some discoloration, by smoke,
but no substantial harm. The records and papers of the County
Commissioners office were in an iron safe and therefore were
unharmed.
On the Court House there was no insurance! The building,
when constructed nearly fifty years before, cost approximately
$70,000.
The Herald and Torch Light Newspaper of December 13, 1871,
recorded these words: "As the venerable Temple of Justice
was falling a prey to the flames, there were not a few of our
older citizens who gazed upon it with saddened eyes, and
called from the store-house of memory many pleasant and
possibly also some unpleasant associations with it . . ."
A special correspondent of the Baltimore American news
paper recorded these words under date of December 8,
1871.
"The vault of the Register's office aided by the well
directed use of the Junior Company's steam fire engine,
was proof against the flames and falling timbers. The
energetic Register, Mr. M. S. Barber, had, however, with
his aids removed nearly all of the important papers.
The
Clerk's office had been also nearly emptied by that officer
and his faithful deputies, but the fire reached and scorched
some old papers already recorded. The papers and books
of the County Commissioners were all saved by the gallant
efforts of H. W. Lyday, a Commissioner. These papers
were in an upper room, and after great risk Mr. Lyday, Mr.
E. W. Funk and others succeeded in carrying them off.
I have not been advised whether the papers of the School
Commissioners, also in rooms up-stairs, were saved.
Sheriff Bamford retreated in good order, without the loss of
a docket or process.
The Commissioners' safe fell through the floor, and the
fate of its contents, which are probably unimportant, has
not thus far been ascertained. Mr. Lyday unfortunately had
not been able to get the key to rifle it before the burning,
and now the lock stubbornly refuses to act, whilst no one
has been found who is able to pick it."
Perhaps the correspondent was a little too optimistic.
Many records, including the valuable first twenty years of
the Judgment records, are gone and must have perished
in the fire.
Further in the newspaper account the reporter wrote:
. . . It has passed away, as its builders, its early Bench
and Bar, its Jurors and Officers, and all other persons and
things must do from this perishable world."
A building can be replaced! A human life can never be!
An editorial by Edwin Bell of The Mail Newspaper, under
date of December 15, 1877, was titled "The Memory of
John Fridinger. It read, in part:
"Among the heroic men whose memory and name will (as
it ought to) be forever cherished in our little community is
that of John Fridinger
The following resolution adopted by the Independent Fire
Company, of which he was a faithful member, and in
connection with which he gave his life, was prepared by Z,
S. Claggett
"Resolved, That in the heroin death of our brother-John
Fridinger incurred for the salvation of the property of
others, under the inspiration of the noblest impulses which
fill the human breast, the descendants of John Fridinger
may boast an escutcheon more glorious than that of
Emperors and Kings..."
The concluding words read:
"For we have all of us an human heart. It is the divine
revelation which is summed up in the words: 'Greater love
hath no man than this...'."
No finer tribute of respect could be paid the memory of
John Fridinger who paid the supreme sacrifice in the
flames of December that destroyed the second Court
House in Hagerstown.
Several days after the "flames of December" which left only
the walls of the Court House standing, people were
commenting and speculating as to what action would be
taken regarding rebuilding another seat of government.
Under date of December 15, 1871, in The Mail, the
newspaper which brought the news to the people, Edwin
Bell, editor, titled his editorial that day, "Our New Court
House."
His concern was for the taxpayers whom he felt should
have a voice in making decisions. Bell also was certain the
"free press" was the place to "begin action!"
Caution was also his concern, and no "playing politics!"
A time element to take into consideration and further
discussion was also his concern for the people of
In the meantime, the County Commissioners took steps immediately
to find quarters for the courts and the other agencies of county
government. They could not seek the advice or permission of the
General Assembly as that body was not in session. As a measure, to
conduct sessions, accommodations
for the Court House were found in the basement room of the
Methodist Church on North Jonathan Street, which was rented by
the County Commissioners. The church was only a short distance from the Court House.
The rental was $400 per year, payment of which was authorized by Charter 392, Acts of
1872, Proceedings of the Conventions of the Province of Maryland held at the city of
Annapolis.
At the next session of the General Assembly, the County Commissioners voiced concern
for a new Court House. The minutes stated:
" . . Let the records show assembly approached regarding a proposal for a Court House
in Hagerstown, state of Maryland. No action taken at this meeting, pending investigation.
Discussion will follow at next assembly session."
The trial of Joseph Davis for murder was removed from Carroll County to Washington
County. The "temporary" quarters in the Sunday School room of the Methodist Church
was inadequate. The trial attracted more persons than could be accommodated in the
basement of the church. The "Junior Hall," a large apartment in the building of the Junior
Fire Comapny, located on North Potomac Street, was rented for the Court.
Several months later, at the next session of the General Assembly,
the County Commissioners were authorized to issue bonds in the amount of
$75,000 for a new building. The stipulation, as pertaining to the matter at hand, read:
. .On or before July or August first, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, a new Court
House authorized to be built on the site of the burnt-out structure . . .
Many residents of the city and county were in favor of using
the old walls, which were exceedingly massive and strong. But a
meeting of the Bar was called, and resolutions were adopted
favoring building upon a plan different from the former structure
devastated by the disastrous fire.
A contract was signed with Robert C. Thornburg, a builder, to
dismantle the old walls. Work began in May, 1872. While the
walls of the old Court House were being razed to erect the new
building on the old site, a rear wall fell upon three workmen -
Wesley Finnegan, Alexander Smith, and Frederick Fridinger,
crushing them to death. By a strange chance of fate, one of the
killed, Fridinger, a youth of seventeen, was a son of John
Fridinger, who lost his life in the fire the previous December.
The selection of plans for the new Court House was entrusted
to a committee of the Bar, composed of George W. Smith, Jr.;
John C. Zeller, Albert Small; George Schly; Andrew K. Syester;
Francis M. Darby, and Kyd Douglas. Designs submitted by
Henry A. Sims and James P. Sims, Architects of Philadelphia,
were chosen. Work was begun on the 20th day of August, 1872
-John Overmyer, Superintendent in charge.
On Wednesday, October 9, the cornerstone of the new building
was laid. The ceremony of laying the cornerstone was in charge
of Friendship Lodge No. 84 of Masons, of Hagerstown.
Indead, this was a memorable occasion! It marked a day of triumph for the
Friendship Lodge.
The Mail newspaper account of the proceedings published at the time stated:
"At 1 o'clock, P.M., the Masonic Fraternity assembled at their Hall, corner of
Franklin and Potomac Streets. The Lodge was opened by Worshipful Master,
Edward Stake, who then handed the emblem of his office to P.M. Thos. A. Boullt,
and requested him to conduct the services on the occasion. The procession was
formed under the direction of the Chief Marshal, P.M. Andrew K. Syester and his
Aids P.M. Wm. McK. Keppler, F. D. Herbert and Richard Sheckles.
The above proceedings were within the time element of one hour. The
newspaper account continued:
"At 2 o'clock, P.M., the procession moved from the Hall, headed by the old
Hagerstown Silver Cornet Band, and marched directly to the site of the new
Court House, when the Lodge was again in form by P.M. Thos. A. Boullt,
assisted by P.M. William Steffey, D. M., Dr. Augustus A. Biggs, S. W. Andrew K.
Stake, J.W.
The business at hand was thus described:
"After the Lodge was opened the W. Master informed the
brethren and all assembled, that the Friendship Lodge No. 84 had
assembled for the purpose of laying the Foundation Stone of the New
Court House, and through his officers directed that 'all having due
notice thereof should govern themselves accordingly.' After music by
the Band, and Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. A. G. Harley, the W.
Master requested the Treasurer, H. A. McComas, to read the
inscription on the stone and a list of the contents of the box to be
deposited therein. This part of the ceremony was performed in a
clear and distinct voice. The contents are as follows: A.L. 1572;
names of County Commissioners of Wash. Co., Attorney for County
Commissioners and Clerk of same; Contractor of Building; Architect
of Building; Superintendent of Building; members of Masonic Lodges
and By-Laws of same in Washington Co.; Proceedings of G. Lodge
of Md.; Governor and officers of the State of Maryland; Judges of the
Circuit Court for Wash. Co.; Clerk of the Court; Register of Wills;
Sheriff and all other County Officers; names of all the members
practicing at the Bar of Hagerstown, and their rate table; Municipal
Officers of Hagerstown, Newspapers of Wash. Co., Coins and
Currencies of this date."
The final ceremony of the day as recorded stated:
"The W. Master and his officers then descended from the platform to
the Corner Stone, after spreading the Cement the Stone was lowered
to its place, and then the ancient ceremony of trying it with the
square, level and plumb. Corn, Wine and Oil were strewed upon it,
emblematic of the Corn of nourishment, Wine of refreshment and Oil
of joy. After music by the Band, the benediction was pronounced, and
the Procession returned to the Hall."
The Friendship Lodge and other Lodges in the area were well
represented as the concluding paragraph read:
"The procession was large and highly respectable, numbering
about one hundred and fifty Masons, members of the following
Lodges: -Friendship, No. 84, Hagerstown; Eureka, No. 105,
Sharpsburg; Mediary, No. 140, Williamsport ; Acacle, No. 155, Mechanicstown,
Frederick County; Warren, No. 51, Baltimore; Door to Virtue, No. 46, Westminster;
Columbia, No. 58, Frederick City; Plymouth, No. 143, Union Bridge. There were also
Masons in the procession representing Lodges from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana,
and West Virginia."
The Door to Virtue, No. 46, Westminster, recorded the following in their minutes of
the month:
". . . On October 3, 1872, the Lodge received and accepted an invitation from
Friendship Lodge, No. 84, Hagerstown, to participate in the laying of the corner stone
of a new Court House in that city."
The following month, the minutes, as recorded,
stated:
" . . . The ride across the mountains to attend the cornerstone laying of the new Court
House on October 9 last, will long be remembered by those of our Brethren who took
part in that ceremonial. This is due to the beautiful autumnal weather."
The minutes also revealed the fact that on occasion seriousness gave way to levity.
The members of the Lodge indulged in "fun and jollity." This, better than anything
else, showed the fellowship existing among the Brethren of the Lodge.
After the cornerstone laying, R. C. Thornburg and company resumed work on the
new edifice. On December 6, the metal box containing memorabilia of interest was
placed in the cornerstone. Edward Stake and Albert Small, members of the Bar,
prepared the following memorandum which was found in the contents of the box
when it was opened on February 28, 1974:
"This box was finally deposited, with its contents in its place
on the anniversary of the burning of the old building - i.e. on the 6th day of
December 1872 . . . The day cool clear and bracing. Work progressing nicely
on Court House. The rear up to level of 2nd floor and first being placed into
position, West side nearly to the level of second floor. Court in session in the
basement of the Methodist Church, Judge Pearre presidia i in the trial of
Defud V. Painter's Insurance Co. for Peffs. A. K. Syester Atty. Gen., Thos.
Donaldson of Balto This writing made at Small's office diag. opp. Court
House. Stake's office West of Jonathan St. in 3rd House from Corner."
Before the end of the year, the County Commissioners accepted the
building, and held their first meeting on the second of January, 1874.
The first term of the Circuit Court to be held in the spacious
chamber of the new Court House was in April. The judges on the
bench were Richard H. Alvey, chief; William Mutter and George H.
Pearre, associates. The Clerk of the Court was George B.
Oswald; the Register of Wills, Thomas E. Hilliard.
The new structure was well adapted to its uses, the vaults for the
records being spacious and fireproof.
The building was considered beautiful in its day. In the
architecture there was perhaps an attempt at ornamentation with
the mid-Victorian gingerbread appearance.
The County Commissioners who had charge of the erection of the
structure were the boards elected in 1871 and 1873. The 1871
board members were: Henry W. Lyday, Samuel Strite, Theodore
Embrey, John H. Harp, and Henry F. Neikirk - all Republicans but
the latter. The 1873 board members were George W. Brown, John
Fessler, Henry Funk, Joseph Seibert, and Elias Young - all
Democrats. The 1873 board closed the work and accepted the
building from Robert C. Thornburg, the contractor.
Sixty years later, needs for a new Court House or addition were
discussed. In the 1930's, federal funds were available to
communities for public works through the Works Progress
Administration (WPA) and Public Works Administration (PWA) -
depression-born agencies that died with the advent of World War
II.
A two-story addition was constructed in the rear of the Court
House in 1933-34. The architect was A. J. Klinhart. The work was supervised by
Hubert A. Mullen. The cost of the addition was $20,000.
The County Commissioners in 1961 were authorized by the
Legislation for a Court House bond issue of $1 million dollars.
This was increased to $1.2 million at the 1962 session.
Shortly thereafter, construction began for the annex to house
the new agencies.
The architectural lines of the annex stand in strong contrast to
the ornamentation and Victorian detail of the old building.
In the merger of the old Court House, constructed in 1872, with
the new annex, nearly a century later; continuity of place has
been unchanged for two centuries, as the court of justice and
seat of government to the people of Hagerstown and
Washington County.
What happens in the coming years might well rely upon the
admonishment of the motto - written in Latin - that adorns the
coat of arms affixed to the cupola atop the Court House:
CRESITE ET MULTIPICAMNI
Meaning, literally translated: INCREASE AND MULTIPLY.
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., 
(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.
. 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 
, (Baltimore: Baltimore City Archives and Records Management Office, 1981).
(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 
(Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Co., 1923).
(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. 
(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, 
(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.
(1908; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967).
The floor plans shown in the illustrations were reconstructed
from the careful accounts kept by Harbaugh in his Journal
and the original architectural elevations drawn by Latrobe, of
two facades of the building.
Several days after the "flames of December" which left only