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Icon Guide to History/Family History Research in Maryland

Guide to History/Family History Research in Maryland

THE FIRST STEPS TO TAKE

  1. Survey the field to see what has already been done. Whether researching the history of a house, a military unit, a family, or a town, it is essential to see if the subject has already been researched. The holdings of libraries and archives, many of which are now on-line, should be consulted as should book reviews in journals and publishers' catalogs (many of which are now also on line).
  2. Contact as many living relatives as possible. Find out what they know or suspect. Ask them to be as specific as possible as to names, dates, and places. When anyone tells you anything, write down who told you, and the date the conversation was held.
  3. Search for any family papers. They might be in the attic, the basement, or a safe-deposit box. Family Bibles, letters, diaries, insurance policies: any documents left by family members may be helpful.
  4. Plan trips to libraries or archives. There are a number of research facilities you may wish to visit. For government records in Maryland, the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis is the place to go. Other libraries have family and private records.
  5. Before visiting any libraries or archives, analyze exactly what objectives need to be achieved. Listed below are some topics of interest to many researchers. Each topic contains a link to a page with some suggested sources.
  6. For each problem, keep a research calendar. At the top of the page state your objective and then list every place you looked, whether you found anything or not. Include the date you searched.

COMMON TOPICS AND HOW TO RESEARCH THEM

See also Understanding Maryland Records

Court Records Before 1776 Finding Dates of Birth and Death Genealogy Web Sites Ethnic Groups Land Records
Libraries and Archives Maiden Names Military Records Missing Records Naturalizations & Immigration
Parents of an Individual Places of Residence Probate Records Published Sources Individual Settlers named in MD Land Patent volumes from 1633-1683 or  Land Warrent Volumes from 1681-1685

Try the Topical Index for specific research related topics.

FEATURED ONLINE WORKSHOP

Suitable for all experience levels, this workshop is geared towards finding Maryland Genealogical Resources available from home online. View Online Workshop

A SPECIAL THANKS

To two pioneers in the area of compiling guides to research in Maryland: Eleanor Passano & Mary K Meyer. Over the years, their attempts to catalog and describe the resources in Maryland have made the researcher's task much easier.

 

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