Proprietary Land

All Maryland land was first owned by the Calvert family proprietors who obtained it from the Crown. From 1633 to 1683 they issued headrights, or land grants, in return for immigrants transporting themselves and others to Maryland. The names of individuals receiving land through the headright system and later through cash sales are found in:

Skordas, Gust. Early Settlers of Maryland: An Index to Names of Immigrants Compiled from Records of Land Patents, 1633-1680. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. (FHL book 975.2 W2s; computer number 21143.) This source lists the settler's name, immigration date, and the source of the information.

Coldham, Peter Wilson. Settlers of Maryland. [1679- 1783]. 5 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1995-1996. (FHL book 975.2 R28c; computer number 436701.) This series is a continuation of the work started by Gust Skordas. It may include county, name of tract, acreage, date, and references. In the late 1600s, the headright system was replaced by cash sales of proprietary lands. The series covers 1679 to 1783.

Military Land

During the Revolutionary War, Maryland offered land grant lots as a bounty to entice recruits to fill Maryland's enlistment quotas. These lots, located “Westward of Fort Cumberland” in present day Allegany and Garrett counties, are described in indexed land records and maps available at the Maryland State Archives. Those men receiving this land are mentioned in two publications, both of which are indexed:

Meyer, Mary K. Westward of Fort Cumberland Military Lots Set Off for Maryland's Revolutionary Soldiers: With an Appended List of Revolutionary Soldiers Granted Pensions by the State of Maryland. Finksburg, Md.: Pipe Creek Publication, Inc., 1993. (FHL book 975.2 M2me; computer number 739591.)

Scharf, John T. History of Western Maryland: Being a History of Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties from the Earliest Period to the Present Day . . . 1882. Reprint, Baltimore: Regional Publishing Co., 1968. (FHL book 975.2 H2s 1968; fiche 6046813; 1882 ed. on FHL films 962679-80; computer number 257786.) This work is partially indexed by the following two works:

Long, Helen R. Index for the Frederick County Section of Scharf's History of Western Maryland. Wichita, Kans.: ADR, Inc., 1986. (FHL book 975.2 H2s v. 1; computer number 519243.)

Index for the Washington County Section of Scharf's History of Western Maryland. Manhattan, Kans.: Helen R. Long, 1984. (FHL book 975.2 H2s v. 2; fiche 6087697; computer number 1919.)

Land Office Records

The Maryland State Archives has the original land office records, dating from 1634 to the present, and other early records that were once filed in each county. The land office records include land patents, surveys, grants, warrants, and proprietary rent rolls and debt books. A list of the records is in the inventory compiled by Morris Radoff, mentioned in the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline. The Maryland State Archives also has a card index arranged by grantee, by later owners, and by county and tract name.

A guide to help you locate and use the early land records is:

Hartsook, Elizabeth, and Gust Skordas. Land Office and Prerogative Court Records of Colonial Maryland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. (FHL book 975.2 B4ma No. 4 1968; computer number 177373.)

The Maryland Historical Society has rent receipts, quitrent rolls (1633 to 1765), and debt books (1750) purchased from the Calvert family. The Family History Library has a microfilm copy of these records (FHL films 1685853-860; computer number 543546).

County Land Records

After land was transferred to private ownership, deeds and mortgages were filed with the county clerk. Baltimore City deeds since 1851 have been filed with the clerk of the Baltimore City Supreme Court. Many deeds and mortgages were also recorded with the Provincial Court and General Courts from 1637 to 1805. The Maryland State Archives has the original county land records and microfilm copies of many of these records to the present. These can be borrowed through interlibrary loan (see Papenfuse's inventory in the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline). You can also obtain copies by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse. The Family History Library has many of these records on microfilm.

Records at the Family History Library

The Family History Library has copies of most of the pre-1850 patents, warrants, and deeds. From the Maryland State Archives, for example, the library has 266 microfilms of Baltimore City deeds for the years 1653 to 1849 (FHL films 013323-588; computer number 189988). The library also has the following statewide collections from the Maryland State Archives:

• Patents Series: Of the Maryland Land Office. Land patents, certificates, and warrants, 1636 to 1852. (FHL films 013063-141; computer number 176473.) See also the Calvert Papers, mentioned in the “Genealogy” section of this outline. (FHL films 1685853-4; computer number 543546.)
  
• Provincial court judgments, 1679 to 1778. (FHL films 012941-68; computer number 170448.)