INSOLVENCY RECORDS

Insolvency is defined as “the condition of having more debts (liabilities) than total assets which might be available to pay them, even if the assets were mortgaged or sold.”[i] The Maryland State Archives is in possession of insolvency records from the late 17th Century up to the early 20th Century.

To Find Insolvency Records

To search for these records at the Maryland State Archives, start here. In the “Series Name” box enter the word “insolvency” and then hit “Filter.” Insolvency records in the catalog will display. They are ordered alphabetically by agency and then by county.

The insolvency papers, dockets, claims, petitions, etc. found at MSA contain entries of voluntary and involuntary petitions in bankruptcy, giving name of petitioner, date of petition, schedule of assets, affidavits, orders of court appointing preliminary and final trustees, certificate of publisher’s notice to creditors, date of final discharge, and costs. They are generally arranged chronologically and some records contain indices.

Below is an excerpt from the Carrolltonian, A Quarterly Publication of the Carroll County Genealogical Society, Vol. XXX Number 1. It provides an excellent introduction to insolvency records in Maryland. The publication can be found in its entirety here.

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[i] http://dictionary.law.com/ (accessed 10/5/2010)