Maryland Genealogies

Before the Maryland Historical Magazine began publication in 1906 there were very few printed accounts of Maryland families. Emily Emerson Lantz and others ran a weekly series entitled Maryland Heraldry in the Baltimore Sun from 1905 to 1908; J. D. Warfield published his Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties in 1905; and of course there were the ubiquitous mug books containing accounts of "leading families" of the various counties of Maryland. Whatever the degree of accuracy of these various compendia, they contain little or no documentation. Moreover, the accounts of the various families do not follow any systematic format, and tracing a given individual's ancestry back to the immigrant ancestor may require a close reading of the entire article.

With the very first issue of the Magazine, however, the Maryland Historical Society began publication of articles pertaining to old families. Volume I of the Magazine contained accounts of the Brooke and Tilghman families, the articles spanning several issues. Since 1906 the Magazine has included articles on families from all parts of the state—from the Goldsboroughs, Lloyds and Tilghmans of the Eastern Shore, to the Lowndes, Spriggs, and Taskers of southern Maryland; from the Todds, Merrymans and Gists of central Maryland, to the Brengles and Fritchies of western Maryland.

While the families included in this consolidation of articles from the Magazine arrived, for the most part, in the early colonial period, the articles are by no means limited to families of British extraction. The Fritchies and Brengles were of German descent, and the Cohens were a noted Jewish family in nineteenth-century Baltimore. The LeComptes were of French origin. Most of the articles begin with the first member of the family in Maryland and trace descendants in the male line down to the early eighteenth century. The format is the so-called "New England Register" plan, with the immigrant ancestor described, then his children, then his grandchildren, etc., generation by generation. The work of the various authors is based, by and large, on primary sources rather than on pretty stories and family traditions. Perhaps because the first articles established such a high standard of scholarship most of the subsequent articles maintained that standard.

The most prolific contributor of genealogical articles was Christopher Johnston. When he died the newspapers devoted much time, space, and attention to his career as one of the world's eminent authorities on cuneiform writing, but mentioned his genealogical work only briefly. Nevertheless, his genealogical work has benefited many, not only in his capacity as verifying genealogist for the Colonial Dames of America and as editor of a volume of genealogies of the members of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Maryland, but as the author of over twenty articles on Maryland families which appeared in the Magazine from 1906 to 1923. Another genealogist whose numerous articles appeared in the Magazine was Francis B. Culver, born in Baltimore in 1868. In his vita, filed in the Dielman-Hayward file at the Maryland Historical Society, he discusses many aspects of his life, education, and career, and in one laconic phrase adds: "am interested in historical and genealogical research." His articles appeared in the Magazine from 1915 to 1945. Like Johnston he was also editor of a volume of lineages of members of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Maryland. In format and style his articles closely resemble those of Johnston's.

Other authors who contributed several articles were Emerson B. Roberts and John Bailey Calvert Nicklin. Roberts' special area of interest was the Eastern Shore of Maryland, while Nicklin published articles between 1921 and 1934 on the various branches of the Calvert family. Contemporary genealogists are represented by Edwin W. Beitzell and Dr. John Walton, both of whom contributed articles on the Gerard family.

While most of the articles reprinted here are family lineages, tracing all lines of descent in the male line from a common ancestor, there are other types of articles as well. For example, there are Bible records, such as those of the Winchester, Owings, Price, and related families, contributed by Ferdinand B. Focke.

A few articles discuss in great detail the various theories concerning the origin of the immigrant ancestor. Examples of this type of article are those dealing with the Cromwell family, and Edward Dorsey. A third type of article deals with families from the same locality who are closely related through a series of marriages. Several of Emerson B. Roberts' articles fall into this category.

It would be wrong to suppose that none of the articles contain errors; indeed some corrections to the articles were published in the Magazine itself. Nevertheless, most of the errors in the articles are errors of omission rather than commission. Newer sources of genealogical material, better means of preservation, and easier means of travel to record repositories have all contributed to greater research possibilities; still, the articles that first appeared in the Magazine set a standard that has often been met but seldom surpassed.

Table of Contents
  • The Abingtons of St. Mary's and Calvert Counties, by Henry J. Berkeley
  • Ball of Bayside, Talbot County, Maryland, by Francis B. Culver
  • A Visitation of Western Talbot, by Emerson B. Roberts
    • Bartlett
    • Frith
    • Elliott
    • Auld
  • Belt Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Berry Family of Charles County, by Arthur L. Keith.
  • Bladen Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Blakistone Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • The Blackistone Family of Maryland: Ebenezer Blakiston, 1705-1772, by Franklin Blackstone
  • The Brengle Family of Frederick, by Bernard C. Steiner
  • Some Descendants of Colonel Philip Briscoe, by L. W. Reid
  • The Brooke Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • A Chart of the Brooke Family of Maryland, by Francis B. Culver
  • The Brooke Family, by Ellon Brooke Culver Bowen
  • The Calvert Pedigree
  • The Calvert Family, by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin
  • Charles Calvert ( 1663-1733 ) and Some of His Descendants, by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin
  • Descendants of Francis Calvert ( 1751-1823 ), by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin
  • Some Notes Concerning Sir George Calvert ( 1579-1632 ), First Lord Baltimore, and His Family from the English Records, by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin
    Maternal Ancestry of Sir George Calvert, by Francis B. Culver
  • George Calvert ( 1700-1771 ) and Some of His Descendants ( 1731-1931 ), by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin, from Vol. XXVI ( 1931 )
    • Foxworthy Note
    • Fairfax Note
    • Harrison Note
  • Brooke Note ( Neale-Taney-Howison Connection )
  • Chew Family, by Francis B. Culver
  • Families of Churchill, Croker, Fox, Coplestone, Bonvile, Ellicott, Etc., of Devonshire, England, and Some of Their Descendants in America: The Ellicotts of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, Evans of Buffalo, N.Y., Champline of Wheeling, Curtis of Moundsville, Fisher and Fox of Philadelphia,by William M. Ellicott
    • Churchill
    • Croker
    • Strode-Fortescue
    • Pollard-Coplestone
    • Fox
    • Ellicott
  • The Cohens of Maryland, by Aaron Baroway
  • Cromwell Family A Possible Cromwell Clue, by Francis B. Culver
  • The Ancestry of Rev. Hatch Dent, by Franois B. Culver
  • Some Friends of "Ye Friends in Ye Ministry," by Emerson B. Roberts
    • Dixon
    • Gary
    • Harwood
    • Christison
    • Sharpe
  • Identity of Edward Dorsey I, by Caroline Kemper Bulkley
  • Priscilla of the Dorseys: A Century-Old Mystery, by Francis B. Culver
  • The Dorsey (Dossey) Family of Calvert County, by Nannie Ball Nimmo
  • The Dunn Family of Kent County, by Christopher Johnston
  • Egerton Family, by Francis B. Culver
  • Some Old Bible Records of the Emory Family of Maryland, by Francis B. Culver
  • Genealogical Notes on the Emory Family of Maryland
  • Family of William Faris (1728-1804), The Annapolis Silversmith, by Lockwood Barr
  • Frisby Family, by Francis B. Culver
  • The European Ancestors of Barbara Fritchie, Born Hauer, by Charles C. Hower
  • Thomas Gerard and His Sons-In-Law, by Edwin W. Beitzell
  • Gerard's Daughters, by John Walton
  • Gist Family of Baltimore County, by Christopher Johnston
  • Robert Goldsborough of Ashby, and His Six Sons, by Anne S. Dandridge
  • Gough-Carroll Bible Records
  • Hall Family of Calvert County, by Christopher Johnston
  • Bible Records. Harrison Family of Caroline County, by Sarah E. Stuart
    • Clements Family
    • Stewart Family
  • Genealogies of Four Families of Dorchester County: Harrison, Haskins, Caile, Loockerman, by Joseph S. Ames
    • Harrison Family
    • Haskins Family
    • Caile Family
    • Loockerman Family
  • Notes on Hausil Family, by Brantz Mayer
  • Some Unpublished Hawley-Halley Data, by H. T. Cory
  • The Hollyday Family, by Henry Hollyday
  • Hungerford Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Hynson and Smith Families, by Christopher Johnston
  • Jones Bible Records
  • Among the "Meeters At the Bayside," by Emerson B. Roberts
    • Kemp
    • Webb
    • Stevens
  • Key Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Major Samuel Lane (1628-81): His Ancestry and Some American Descendants, by A. Russell Slagle
  • LeCompte Family, by Francis B. Culver
  • The Linthicum Family of Anne Arundel Co., Maryland, and Branches, by Ferdinand B. Focke
  • Lloyd Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Lockerman Family Notes: The Florida Line, by James L. Taylor, Jr.
  • Lowndes Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • The MacKeeles of Dorchester, by Marie D. Cullen
  • Four Gentlemen of the Name—Thomas Marsh, by Emerson B. Roberts
  • Merryman Family, by Francis B. Culver
  • The Maryland Ancestry of James Monroe, by Monroe Johnson
  • Morgan Family
  • The Murdock Family of Maryland and Virginia, by William B. Marye
  • Neale Family of Charles County, by Christopher Johnston
  • Owens Bible Records, by Ferdinand B. Focke
  • Old Maryland Bibles (Owings), by Ferdinand B. Focke
  • Pearce-Levy Bible Records
  • Plater Family
  • Lineage of Edgar Allan Poe, by Francis B. Culver
  • Price and Emory Families, by Mrs. Charles H. Jones
    • Price
    • Emory
  • Pritchett Family, by Henry D. Cranor
  • Some Old Bible Records of the Ridgely Family of Maryland, by Francis B. Culver
  • The Family of Colonel James Rigbie, by Henry C. Forman
  • The Rockholds of Early Maryland, by Nannie B. Nimmo
  • Sewall Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Skinner Bible Record, by Mary K. Meyer
  • Smallwood Family of Charles County, by Arthur L. Keith
  • Smith Family of Calvert County, by Christopher Johnston
  • Sprigg Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Stansbury Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • The Sweetser Family of Maryland, by Lester D. Gardner
  • Tasker Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • Captain Phillip Taylor and Some of His Descendants, by Emerson B. Roberts
  • Tilghman Family, by Christopher Johnston
  • The Todd Family of Anne Arundel County, by Christopher Johnston
  • Weems Genealogy
  • Some Old Bible Records of the West Family of Virginia, by Franois B. Culver
    • Snead
    • Wise
    • Sparrow
  • Winchester-Owens-Owings-Price, and Allied Families, by Ferdinand B. Focke
    • Winchester
    • Owens-Owings
    • Randall Family
    • Dorsey Family
    • Price Family
    • Hyland Family
    • Lea Family
    • Pennock Family
    • Levis Family
    • Gordon Family
  • A Second Visitation of Western Talbot, by Emerson B. Roberts
    • Wrightson
    • Lowe
    • Lambdin
  • Young-Woodward-Hesselius Family Record, 1737-1820

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Here's a list of recent Maryland based databases Ancestry put online with the ones mentioned above. The books themselves are recent works (in copyright) and unless you purchase each volume, or find them in a library, you will not be able to access this data elsewhere then Ancestry.