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Research Center - People
Entries in black text are physical resources found in our Research Library.  Hyperlinks (blue/underline) are online resources, some of which are only available to members. 
Online PDF resources are generally searchable by hitting "CTRL-F" and entering the term you would like to search for.

Birth/Baptismal Records

  • Birth Index of St. Mary's, Charles and Calvert Counties from 1898 to 1919 is available. For earlier births, extant church records must serve.
  • Church Records:
    • Research Guide to Church & Parish Resources - Online guide to resources in the Research Center
    • Anglican/Episcopal:
      • 1744-1915 (not complete). Microfilm transcribed on to cards.
      • 1744-1765 only St. Andrews (not complete). Microfilm transcribed on to cards
    • Catholic:
      • 1765-1820 Diaries of Frs. Walton, Bolton, and Mosely, S.J. Orig. in Provincial Archives of the Society of Jesus, Georgetown Univ., Washington, D.C. The Historical Society has the microfilm. Published in History of Jesuit Missions of St. Mary's County, Md., by Edwin Beitzell
      • 1820-1859 Parish registers. Most of these have been transcribed onto cards and are among the collections
    •  Methodist:
      • 1894-1900 Transcribed onto cards in the collection

 

Family History Files

Research records relating to specific families.  There are 1,135 folders of individual family names contained in 19 file drawers.   View List of Family File Names


Marriage Records:

St. Mary's County marriage records began in 1794 and are available and are extant to date.

Death Records

Deaths occurring in Maryland counties were not officially registered before 1898. As with births, extant church records and other sources must be used. Deaths from all known sources up to 1900 are included in the book cited under Marriage Records, above.


Probate Records

Probate records include wills, estate inventories, accounts and other documents.  From 1634 to 1777, records were kept at the provincial (colonial) level and at the county level. After 1777, records were kept at the county level.  The Maryland State Archives Probate Guide is a helpful aid.

Obituaries

Approximately 40,000 obituaries scanned from St. Mary's County newspapers, as well as other sources. Obituaries are alphabetical within each file.  Use CTRL-F to search within the file.  Handwritten and light copies will not show up in a search.   

A thru F     

G thru N     

O thru Z     

Wills


The first step in finding a will is to locate the deceased’s name in the St. Mary’s County Will Index (below).  It will show the date of will’s recording, and the liber (book) and folio (page) where that will can be found.  Will books were named by the initials of the Register of Wills.  Shown is a list of the St. Mary’s County Will Books.


After finding the liber and folio, you will need to locate a copy of that liber (book).  They can be found at the St. Mary’s County Courthouse, or on microfilm at the Maryland State Archives (visit the MSA Probate Guide Page below) or in our Research Library.  Wills prior to 1778 are online at the Maryland State Archives.  A few Will Books are available online in PDF below. 

  • St. Mary's County Will Index 1658-1947          
    •
  • Liber JTMR No 1 (pages 200-473; index at end) (1867-1880) (475 MB)
    •
  • Liber JBA No 1 (pages 1-339; index at end) (1877-1896) [375 MB]
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  • Liber PHD (pages 1-497; index at end) (1896-1916) [428 MB]
    •
  • Other probate records from 1634-1788 are at the State Archives in Annapolis, some of which we have in transcribed hard copy
    •
  • Wills dated 1658 to date are available for research at the Courthouse in Leonardtown Md. and to 1960, on microfilm in our collection.
    •

Administration Bonds


These were posted by the administrators of wills during the probate process.  They provide an invaluable look into family members and relatives of the deceased.

Inventories

Inventories are lists of the personal property in a deceased person’s estate.  They provide invaluable insight into the lifestyle and standard of living.  Besides listing tangible personal property, they also listed slaves, often including names and ages.

Inventories from 1795-1859 are available on the Research Library computer in PDF [huge – 3.56 GB]

  • Inventories from 1674-1777 can be found online at the Maryland State Archives(Series S531 and SM11)
  • Inventories from 1777 to 1949 can be found on computer or original folio at the Maryland State Archives.

Guardianships


Guardianships were established when a parent died leaving minor children.  A guardian would be appointed to take legal custody of the children.  An account would be established from the deceased person's estate for the benefit of the minor children.  Guardianship records are useful for genealogy in establishing parent/child relationships.  They also provide the identity of the guardian which may be a surviving spouse, a relative, a friend or a neighbor.  They may also establish a date of death for an individual who cannot be located elsewhere.

  • Guardian Account Index 1787-1964 - Provided by the St. Mary's County Registrar of Wills.  Note - the index is arranged into twelve time periods (noted in the right column on each page).  Entries for the minor child's name are alphabetical within each time period.  Use CTRL-F to search the document.  If you wish to view the actual guardianship record, note the book's time period and the page number.  Books can be found on the Family Search website (free account required) 

Orphan's Court Proceedings


Orphan's Court Proceedings are valuable records for study as they provide records of the handling of minor children, enslaved persons, and property left by the deceased.  Names of children and enslaved persons are found here that are often found no where else.  

Cemetery Records

 

African-American Records

Slavery was an accepted practice in Maryland from it's inception until the adoption of a new State Constitution on November 1, 1864

  • Research Guide to African-American Genealogical Resources - Online guide to resources in the Research Center
  • A Guide to the History of Slavery in Maryland - 44 page publication of the Maryland State Archives and University of Maryland College Park
  • Legacy of Slavery in Maryland - A Maryland State Archives electronic publication
  • Sources for Studying the Landscape of Slavery - Website of St. Mary's College of Maryland providing links and background information for many primary sources.  Emphasis on St. Mary's County.
  • Assessment Lists of Slaves - 1798 - See the 1798 Federal Direct Tax records on the Research Center - Land page.
  • Assessment Lists of Slaves - 1804, 1813, 1821 - Maryland State Archives Site.  Assessment lists of slaves arranged by year, then by the last letter of the slave owner's last name, then by election district (or hundred).  Some districts are unidentified.  Lists show slave names, sex, and age.  Click on "Links" to access the PDF images.
  • Assessment Lists of Slaves - 1831 - Maryland State Archives Site.  Assessment lists of slaves arranged by the last letter of the slave owner's last name, then by election district.  Some districts are unidentified.  Lists show slave names, sex, and age.  Click on "Links" to access the PDF images.
  • 1864 Slave Statistics of St. Mary's County - Lists compiled in 1867 of all slaves owned as of 1 November 1864, the date when Maryland abolished slavery.  The purpose was for slave-holders to request reparations for freed slaves (this did not happen).  Lists show slave names, sex, age, and date of emancipation.
    • George Dent's Original Lists -  
    • Agnes Callum's Transcription at MSA - The lists are on pages 1-145.  The number in parentheses is the page number in George B. Dent's original list (see above)  The index of slaves is on pages 146-178.  The index of slave owners is on pages 179-183.  
  • Federal Censuses - The 1850 and 1860 censuses show slaves by name within the enumerated household.  Earlier census records only show numbers of slaves and some break out by age and sex.  See Census section above.  Also see the 1798 Federal Direct Tax records on the Research Center - Land page.
  • Free African-Americans of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware - website by Paul Heinegg
  • 300 Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary's County Maryland - Copyright owned and permission to post granted by the St. Mary's County Board of Library Trustees

Colonial Settlers

Census Records


Federal census records exist for St. Mary's county for the years listed below. 
Census Enumeration District Maps  SMCHS publication identifying election district areas by census year.

  • 1790: All districts combined. By household, only head of household named. # white males, white females, other free, slaves.
  • 1800: All districts combined. By household, only head of household named. # white males, white females, other free, slaves.
  • 1810: All districts combined. By household, only head of household named. # white males, white females, other free, slaves.
  • 1820: Arranged by 4 election districts.  By household, only head of household named. # free white males, free white females, slaves, free colored persons
  • 1830: schedules for St. Mary’s County do not exist
  • 1840: Arranged by 5 election districts. By household, only head of household named. 3 white males, white females, free colored males, free colored females, male slaves, female slaves
  • 1850: Arranged by 6 election districts.  All members of household listed.  Age, sex, and color (white, black, mulatto), profession, place of birth, married, attended school
  • 1860: Arranged by 6 election districts plus Leonardtown.  All members of household listed.  Age, sex, and color (white, black, mulatto), profession, place of birth, married, attended school
  • 1870: Arranged by 6 election districts.  All members of household listed.  Age, sex, and color (white, black, mulatto, Chinese, Italian), profession, place of birth, married, attended school
  • 1880: Arranged by multiple enumeration districts.  All members of household listed including relation to head.  Age, sex, and color (white, black, mulatto, Chinese, Italian), profession, married, health status, place of birth, place of birth of parents
  • 1890: Burned in fire at Department of Commerce building in Washington, D.C January 10, 1921 (Article) 
  • 1900: Arranged by 9 enumeration districts.  All members of household listed including relation to head.  Color, sex, date of birth (month/year), age, marital status, years married, how many children, place of birth, parent’s place of birth, citizenship, occupation
  • 1910: Arranged by enumeration districts (some overlap election districts).  All members of household listed including relation to head.  Color, sex, date of birth (month/year), age, marital status, years married, how many children, place of birth, parent’s place of birth, citizenship, language spoken, occupation, education, home ownership
  • 1920: Arranged by enumeration districts within election districts.  All members of household listed including relation to head.  Color, sex, date of birth (month/year), age, marital status, years married, how many children, place of birth, parent’s place of birth, citizenship, language spoken, occupation, education, home ownership
  • 1930: Arranged by enumeration districts within election districts.  All members of household listed including relation to head.  Home ownership, color, sex, age, marital status, age at first marriage, education, place of birth, parent’s place of birth, mother tongue, citizenship, occupation, veterans
  • St Mary's County census records are available in book form for these years: 1790 thru 1820, 1840 thru 1880, 1900 Thru 1930; 1940 Index is available on CD
  • Charles County census records are available in book form for these years: 1790 thru 1880
  • Census records for the years 1790-1840 are available online at FamilySearch (free) and Ancestry (paid subscription required)

Churches and Parishes