Intoduction to Files
Dr. Lois Green Carr, distinguished historian and preeminent authority on
life in 17th and 18th century Maryland, secured a grant from The
Society of the Ark and the Dove to preserve and make her research notes
digitally accessible through the Maryland State Archives. Spanning her
career, Dr. Carr's notes document information about the early residents
of St. Mary's County, Maryland. Entries vary from just a name to more complete
biographical information, including family relationships and political
positions held in the colony.
Career File Records
The Career Files consist of over 47,000 5x8 index cards and slips of paper, with both typewritten and handwritten research notes about over 6600 individuals . They were created as a result of a grant provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities in the 1970s. Record stripping began with the records of the Provincial Court, for information about every identified St. Mary's County inhabitant. Probate records, particularly from Maryland's Prerogative Court followed next. Third, additional information about people identified through court records was uncovered by searching record indices at the Maryland State Archives. Fourth, researchers examined St. Mary's County quitrent rolls for 1659 and 1704 for landowners who may not have been mentioned in other records. Finally, all of the information gathered was combined into an alphabetical file, and summary cards were prepared for each individual.
How to use the Carr files:
To see the Career File note cards for a specific individual, find names using the index to search for that individual by first name and/or family name.
Additional Sources:
For more information on probate records in Maryland, please see Probate Records. An online index of Maryland Colonial Prerogative Court Probate Records can be found here.
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