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Items Dated Between and 1739
Nabb Center Map Collections
by Unknown (1500 – 1900s)
folders ( linear feet)
This finding aid includes listings for nearly all of the maps in the Nabb Center archives. Many maps are originals, but a significant portion are reproductions. The majority of the maps relate to the Delmarva Peninsula, though there are many other American and international maps from throughout time. Each map was given an identifier and title; descriptions, dates, and present location are recorded when possible. Maps may be part of other collections and are referenced here. Please refer to the inventory for a complete listing of the map collection.
Purnell Family Collection
by Purnell, Willard (1520 – 1944)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Purnell Family Collection contains genealogical information on the Purnell family. Included in the collection is a Purnell family migration map, a Purnell pedigree chart, and information on the Purnell family coat of arms.
Joseph Shores Collection
by Shores, Joseph (1521 – 1999)
5 boxes (2 linear feet)
In 2009, Joseph Shores collected material relating to the family history of a large number of families living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. While the collection primarily consists of handwritten notes, there are also family trees, official documents, tax records, marriage records, censuses, correspondences, maps, and military records. Also included are research papers, a Historical American Buildings Survey Inventory, currency collections, a Somerset County Historical Society correspondence, and other miscellaneous items. All are reproductions.
Judge Lloyd Simpkins collection
by Simpkins, Lloyd (1524 – 1774)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Judge Lloyd Simpkins Collection contains a copy of the Captain John Smith map of the Chesapeake Bay in the early 1600s. Also included are two essays written by Judge Lloyd Simpkins. One is titled "Lower Delmarva's First Explorer" which discusses Captain John Smith, and "Somerset County 1500-1700", which discusses the history of Somerset County from 1524 to 1774.
Murray Family Genealogy
by Unknown (1525 – 1764)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Murray Family Genealogy contains genealogical information on the Murray family. The collection contains genealogy pedigrees, which includes the birth and death dates of Murray family members, along with who their children or parents are.
Betty Murrell Collection
by Murrell, Betty (1550 – 1986)
4 folders (0.04 linear feet)
The genealogies of several families are explored in this collection including the Willey, Wallace, Hargrave, Kfoury, Medford, Manlove, Bailey and others. Within the collection, there are land deeds, wills of people who had died, coat of arms for families that originated in England, and baptism records. All these families are able to trace ancestors to Accomack County, Somerset County, and Dorchester County.
Walter Wilson Genealogy Research Collection
by Walter, Wilson B. III (1595 – 1866)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Walter Wilson Genealogy Research Collection contains genealogical pedigrees on local Delmarva people . Some of the genealogical pedigrees included are on Mary Meacham, Walter Byrd Wilson I, Samuel French Moore, etc. There is also a small biography on John Byrd and how he was shot by a yankee soldier in Byrds Tavern.
Bevans Family Collection
by Bevans, Roland (1600 – 1901)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
Information on the Bevans family.
Dioce Land Record Collection
by Unknown (1600 – 1800)
1 oversize box (2.5 linear feet)
This collection contains many original documents from the 17th, 18th, and 19th century. It is made up of various indentures, copy of wills, and accounts relating to Sussex County, Delaware (Purnell Family), Worcester County, MD (Franklin Family), and Somerset County.
Gloria Horner collection
by Horner, Gloria Waters (1600s)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Gloria Horner collection contains a Salisbury State College essay titled "Settlement of Somerset County", written by Gloria Waters Horner. The essay covers European settling within Somerset County in the 17th century. There are also a series of photographs of Waters family members.
Malissa Small collection
by Unknown (1600, 1900s)
3 folders (0.03 linear feet)
This genealogical collection covers the family history of Malissa Small. Several families are focused within the collection such as the Gray, Seabreeze, and Tarr families. The material has a large focus on marriages through public marriage documents and news paper clippings. There are also wills of many members of Malissa Small's family.
Richard W. Cooper papers
by Cooper, Richard Waller (1605 – 2001)
18 boxes, 2 oversize folders (12.5 linear feet)
The Richard Cooper papers document his professional and personal activities through his collection of materials dating from 1605 to 2001. The documents focus on the religious and political histories of Wicomico and Worcester County as well as the history of the Mason-Dixon Boundary Line depicted through Cooper’s column in the Daily Times. The papers also document the topographic history of Delmarva through Cooper’s career as an engineering surveyor. Documents from his surveying career and interests include topographic maps, survey certificates, land deeds, and plats. A photograph album documents the construction of his family home at 611 Tony Tank Lane in Salisbury, Maryland. Materials within the collection include newspaper clippings, photographs, family histories, and correspondence. Drafts and manuscripts of Cooper’s published works on the history of Salisbury, Profile of a Colonial Community, Salisbury in Times Gone By, and Portrait of Salisbury are contained within the collection.
Eastern Shore Brochure and Pamphlet Collection
by Unknown (1609 – 2010)
9 boxes (9 linear feet)
This Collection consists of Brochures and Booklets primarily pertaining to the Eastern Shore. Overall its central focus is Maryland/Delmarva. The Date Range of the Collection is 1609-2010.
Frederick L. Howard Collection
by Howard, Fredrick L. (1613 – 1911)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Frederick L. Howard Collection contains an essay written by Howard titled, "The Legacy of Revell's Neck." This essay, which won the Old Home Prize Essay contest in 1978, discusses the settling and founding of Revell's Neck in Somerset County, Maryland. It then discusses a brief history of the area and ends with birth and death dates of people who had lived there.
DuPont Family Collection
by DuPont, Dolores L. (1621 – 1995)
11 folders (0.11 linear feet)
The DuPont Family Collection contains genealogical information on the DuPont family conducted by Dolores L. DuPont. Included is her application to become a member of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Maryland, an article resulting from her investigation into the location of the grave of Gov. Samuel Stevens, Jr. (1778-1860), research on her great-great grandfather Dr. John Barnett (1780-1858), information on Dr. Nathaniel Potter, brother-in-law of Barnett (both married Golsborough's, Potter Sarah F. and Barnett Catherine), the property "Boston", the descendants of William Burgess (1622-1685) and the Marada movie house of St. Michael's. Photographs of the Custis tombs in Northampton, VA are also part of the collection.
Eastern Shore Counties collection
by Ellegood, Maria Louise; Fenwick, Charles E.; Hall, Elizabeth (1625 – 1967)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Eastern Shore Counties collection contains a copy of the "Eastern Shoreman" which highlights the start of the oyster season. Additionally, this collection contains a copy of the "Holly Leaf" from November 3, 1967, a sketch of the early history of Wicomico County written by Maria Louise Ellegood, a souvenir pamphlet from Crisfield that details some of the areas unknown history written by Elizabeth Hall, and a history of St. Mary's County written by Charles E. Fenwick.
Laws Family Collection
by Unknown (1625 – 1960)
4 folders, 1 oversize folder (2.54 linear feet)
The Laws Family collection contains genealogical information on the Laws Family. There are genealogical descriptions of Laws family members, with a birth, death, and marriage date. There are also bibliographic information for some of the more prominent family members. There are also photographs of family members, and the places they lived. The majority of the Laws family members on the Eastern Shore lived in Accomack County, Virginia, Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico County, Maryland. There is also a Daughters of the Revolution application within for Mary Balle Hastings Holland, who descended from William Laws (1753-1831).
Massey Estate Collection
by Massey Family (1627 – 2000)
3 cartons (3 linear feet)
This collection consists of family research about the Massey family and other families on the Lower Eastern Shore. The collection contains copies of original wills, estate inventories, family trees, and related materials. All of the original documents in this collection are photocopies, print-outs, or photostats unless otherwise indicated.
Vance Bradford Collection
by Bradford, Vance (1630 – 1930)
5 folders (0.05 linear feet)
The Vance Bradford Collection is based on the genealogical research of the Bradford Family. Vance Bradford did this research to publish a book over the family history of the Bradford's. This collection covers twenty years of research that involved correspondence, a "Bradford Descendants" newsletter, census indexes, lineage graphs, and descendant questionnaires. There are passages of the Bradford family book within this collection.
Phillips, Cooper, Roberts Families collection
by Unknown (1634 – 1992)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Phillips, Cooper, Roberts Family History Collection contains photographs and genealogical information on the Phillips, Cooper, and Roberts families. Included are three pictures of the Cooper family with corresponding birth and death dates. The collection also contains family reunion pamphlets, an invitation and picture of Aunt Blossom's 95th birthday party, a marriage certificate, and postcards. There is also genealogical biographies for the three families.
Carol Atkins Sherr Collection
by Sherr, Carol Atkins (1636 – 1949)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
This collection contains genealogical information on the Atkins Family. It includes where Atkins members were born, who they were married to, where they were married, how many children they had, and where they moved to. There is also legal information about the members, such as foreclosures, and family members suing each other.
Silverthorne Family Collection
by Silverthorne Family (1636 – 1991)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Silverthorne Family Collection contains an in-depth genealogical history of the Silverthorne family. There are multiple family trees within the collection, and volumes 12-14 of their family newsletter. There are birth, death, and marriage dates within the collection. There are details as to why there are Silverthorne family members in the Midwest. The earliest member of the family mention is William Silverthorne who was born in 1636 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Maryland Executions Collection
by Unknown (1638 – 1961)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
This collection contains a list of Maryland executions dating from 1638 to 1961. Data includes races, name, age, occupation, method and county.
Historical Society of Kent County Genealogical Collection
by Bell, Albert D. (1639 – 1948)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
This collection contains genealogical material on the Layton, Bell and Hollis families. This includes a manuscript by Albert D. Bell entitled Hollis Notes, 1639-1948: From Public and Private Records in the States of Maryland and Delaware and a genealogical chart of some of the descendants of Captain Nathaniel and Sarah Bell. There is an oversized folder with the charts of the Washington and Bell families.
Polk Family History Collection
by Polk, John F. (1640 – 1918)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Polk Family History Collection contains genealogical information on the Polk Family. There is a family tree of the Polk family dating from 1640-1918 within Somerset County, Maryland. Within, there is a legal will, land patent, and a memoir by Esther Winder Polk Lowe (Enoch Louis Lowe) (1824-1918). All the documents have been transcribed by John F. Polk.
Riggin Family papers
by Riggin, Allan E.; Riggin, George F. (1640 – 1993)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Riggin Family Collection contains genealogical information about the Riggin family. Within is a detailed family tree constructed by Allan and George Riggin. The family tree starts with Riggin family members who originated in Ireland and immigrated to the Eastern Shore. There is also information regarding Riggin land records between Somerset, Sussex, Worcester, and Wicomico County.
Charles Chaille-Long collection
by Unknown (1645 – 1935)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
Letter of Charles Chaille-Long was written from Charles in 1912. Additionally, there is genealogical information on the Long family, going through Charles Chaille-Long. The genealogical letter to the editor was to correct misinformation regarding the lineage of the Long family.
Thomas Crockett Book
by Crockett, Thomas (1650 – 1894)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Thomas Crockett Book contains two copies of the book titled "History of Tangier Island" written by Thomas Crockett. The book contains a history of Tangier Island from its founding to 1984.
Pemberton Historical Park Collection
by Unknown (1989)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Pemberton Historical Park Collection contains a 1984 pamphlet over Pemberton Historical Park. Also included is a brief history of the Pemberton family from 1651-1753.
Anne B. Nock collection
by Nock, Anne B.; Nock, Floyd (1652 – 1998)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Anne B. Nock collection contains three essays on Onancock, Virginia, and William Claiborne. The essays included are "Vaux Hall: Accomack County, Virginia: 1652-1972", written by Floyd Nock, "A Walk through History with William Claiborne", and "Onancock, Virginia: Child of the Bay", written by Anne B. Nock. The collection also contains various restorations, physical mapping, and history of Vaux Hall, one of the oldest settlements in Accomack County, Virginia.
Nestor Bleech collection
by Unknown (1655 – 1890)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The collection of Nestor Bleech contains sepia-toned photographic images from the late 1880s of Northampton County, Virginia as well as a 1655 printing of the 'Virginia and Maryland. OR, The Lord Baltimore's Printed Case, uncased and answered,' that includes arguments made against Baltimore's Maryland claim.
Henry Fillmore Lankford Papers
by Lankford, Henry Fillmore (1659 – 1920)
3 folders (0.3 linear feet)
The Henry Fillmore Lankford papers consist of wills and genealogical information kept by Lankford, an attorney in Somerset County, Maryland, between 1909 and 1920. The wills primarily document Somerset and Northampton County families in the 17th and 18th centuries. Also included are two oversize items: a 1911 issue of "The Canned Good Trade" and a circa 1911 advertisement for Chevrolet automobiles.
Roy C. Pollitt papers
by Pollitt, Roy (1660 – 1995s)
3 boxes (1.5 linear feet)
Pollitt’s papers serve as a genealogical study of the history of the Pollitt family on the East Coast. Two-thirds of the collection is devoted to files on family members and related genealogies; the other third divided between correspondence, submissions to his short-lived newsletter "Old Somersett" and photocopies of records from the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis. Pollitt’s family files are comprised of an assortment of record types. Not only do many files contain charts for a particular individual’s family branch, but copies of birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, wills, military papers, newspaper clippings and land records. Thus, his collection offers a unique perspective of the Pollitt family from the 17th to the 20th century. His correspondence displays a genuine interest in genealogy and a willingness to assist others with their research pursuits. Frequently, correspondents sent him copies of their own family histories.
J. Douglas Deal papers
by Unknown (1663 – 1982)
1 carton, 1 oversize folder (2.25 linear feet)
The J. Douglas Deal papers document the extensive research done by Deal while writing his dissertation Race and Class in Colonial Virginia: Indians, Englishmen, and Africans on the Eastern Shore during the Seventeenth Century from 1970-1982 at the University of Rochester. Materials within the collection are comprised of photocopies of documents dating from 1663-1866. Photocopied materials include seventeenth-century Accomack County tithables, articles from the William and Mary Quarterly, and genealogical information regarding families from the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Handwritten notes and tithable charts created by Deal are also within the collection.
Sudler Family History Collection
by Unknown (1663 – 1920)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Sudler Family History Collection contains genealogical information on the Sudler family. There is an introduction explaining the meaning of the Sudler name, and genealogical history on when Sudler family members were born, died, and married. There is also a section of a biographical description for the family members.
Ed Hammond Ephemera Collection
by Hammond, Edward (1664 – 1944)
5 folders (0.25 linear feet)
The Ed Hammond Ephemera Collection consists of sources collected by Hammond dating between 1664 and 1944 (bulk of sources ranging from 1840 to 1900), primarily from towns in Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland. Many of the documents bear the name of Daniel Hearn. Included are receipts and other financial documents from 1842 to 1942; court documents from 1732 (Ennall's Outrange, Dorchester County, Maryland) and 1863 (will and testament of Andrew Robins of Worcester County, Maryland); educational items (A May Brittingham's grammar school grades and commencement programs); Second World War ephemera (war ration books for two Smack family members and a defense bond envelope); correspondence (1679 letter about a court case and Levin Tyler letters from 1848 and 1849); and additional ephemera including an 1891 Ulman's Opera House concert, a poem, marriage invitations, death cards for Orris and Elizabeth Lloyd, a flyer from Philadelphia requesting goods for African American people, 1664 inventory of grazing cattle and surrender of land in England, and Packard Motor Car Company materials.
Walston Family History Collection
by Walston Family (1664 – 1951)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Walston Family History Collection contains genealogical information for the Walston family. Within the collection, there are Walston family member birth, death, and marriage dates. There are also Sons of the American Revolution applications within the collection.
Trehearn Family Collection
by Price, Thomas B. B. Jr. (1666 – 1800)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Trehearn Family Collection is a detailed genealogical analysis of the Trehearn family. The collection was written by Salisbury State College history student, Thomas B. B. Price, Jr. Price details the Trehearn family in Somerset County by stating when people lived, the taxes they paid, slaves they had, and what was in their wills.
Parsons Family Collection
by Unknown (1668 – 1932)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
Detailed genealogy of the Parsons Family. Starts with generation one, Peter Parsons, who migrated to Somerset County in 1668. The last ancestor listed is George Washington Parsons (1853-1932). The genealogy states who the parents are, who they are married to, if they had children and their birth/death dates, their will and how it affected their children, and a census description of their household.
Mary L. Nock papers
by Nock, Mary L. (1669 – 1992)
3 cartons, 1 oversize box (5.5 linear feet)
Mary L. Nock papers document the professional and personal life of Mary Nock, who lived from 1903 to 1987. The papers range 1669 to 1992, as she included in her possession colonial land grants as well as a copy of the Laws of Maryland which established Salisbury in 1735. Her personal papers document her life as a wife and family member of the Layfield-Nock families through photographs, greeting cards, and genealogical research. Mary Nock’s professional papers include materials such as professional correspondence, speeches, drafts of her book It Was a Joy and a Pleasure, awards, as well as ephemera from her time as a politician. Also included in the Nock papers are written works on Mary Nock by Ginger McClain Beningo, as well as Beningo’s notes and correspondence regarding the biographical works from 1990-1992, which make up the bulk of the material.
Somerset County Media collection
by Unknown (1670 – 1912)
3 folders (0.03 linear feet)
This collection contains compact discs entitled "Marriages and Deaths from the Eastern Shore 1881-1912" ,"1860 Census Accomack County, Virginia", "Somerset County Judicial Records from 1670, 1671, 1674, 1675, 1676, 1683, 1687, 1689, 1690-1695"," Ballard Miles Plats", "Clay, Fire and Hands: Clay Artists on the Eastern Shore", "Church Basement Songs, Kirk Mariner", "Maryland State Bar Association: An Oral History", "Pocomoke's Oldest Houses", "Frank A. Warren House", "On One Accord: Singing and Praying Bands of Tidewater Maryland and Delaware."
John Jacob Collection
by Jacob, John E. (1671 – 2013)
30 boxes, 1 drawer (34.25 linear feet)
The John Jacob Collection consists of two parts that document the life and career of attorney and historian, John E. Jacob, Jr.: collected material and personal research. Jacob collected a variety of original documents that comprise series one of the collection, including personal papers of families, ledgers, scrapbooks, land and legal documents, photographs, ephemera, and other paper-based items. Jacob also kept detailed handwritten notes and indices when researching various topics related to the history of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, as well as his handwritten drafts for books and lectures, which comprise series two of the collection. The collection has folder-level descriptions in the inventory.
Emily and Bill Briddell Collection
by Emily and William Briddell; Rebecca Skinner (1672 – 2017)
6 cartons, 3 oversize folders (6.3 linear feet)
The Emily and Bill Briddell Collection contains genealogical records of the Briddell, Ames, Stevenson and other families. The collection ranges from 1672-2017 with the bulk of materials from 1880-2000. the collection contains correspondence, official and unofficial documents, pamphlets, maps, and photographs.
Disharoon Family History Collection
by Unknown (1673 – 1923)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Disharoon Family History Collection is a genealogical collection detailing the Disharoon family. Within the collection are census information, newspaper articles about Disharoon family members, a legal will, and marriage information.The documents date back to Mary Disharoon, (1673- ) in Somerset County, Maryland.
Peter Shockley Collection
by Shockley, Peter S. (1675 – 1935)
1 oversize box, 10 boxes (6 linear feet)
The Peter Shockley Collection contains deed transfers, plats, survey information, and transit books involving the work of civil engineer Peter Shockley during the early 20th century. Shockley oversaw transfers of land and often surveyed the land being transferred and drew plats for the land. Throughout his career surveying the Delmarva area, he used over 100 transit books containing information from deed transfers, election districts, and general land surveys of people, places, and businesses. Some of the land histories involved in deed transfers go back to the 17th century.
Robert L. Chamberlin Collection
by Unknown (1675 – 1990)
2 folders (0.02 linear feet)
The Robert L. Chamberlin Collection contains genealogical information on the Chamberlin, Coulbourne, and Miles families. Contained within are birth, death, and marriage dates. There are also some biographical information on some family members of the Chamberlin family.
Stevenson Family Collection
by Unknown (1675 – 1995)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Stevenson Family Collection contains genealogical information about the Stevenson family. The purpose of the collection is to prove that their ancestor, Joseph Stevenson, is related to the members of the Eastern Shore Stevenson family. They also want to see if Joseph Stevenson is a common ancestor of Maryland and Indiana Stevenson family members.
Charles Whayland Collection
by Unknown (1679 – 1936)
1 oversize box (1.25 linear feet)
The Charles Whayland Collection consists of land patents, indentures, surveys and plats, and other land records primarily related to land known as "Calcutta" from 1679 to 1936, many of which relate to Isaac Anderson. This Somerset County land was east of the Wicomico River near Upper Ferry road. Also included in the collection are two letters from 1862 and 1863 discussing shipping lumber to New York City and Alexandria and a 1929 Master's Certificate of Service of Sick or Injured Seamen.
Somerset County Land Records
by Unknown (1680 – 1866)
1 oversize folder (1.25 linear feet)
This collection contains several land records documenting Somerset County plats from 1680 to 1866 (primarily 1770s to 1850s) including Spring Hill, Coscoway, Henry's Conclusion, and Crucked Chance. Included are courses, deeds (including one 1806 deed between George Perdue and William Parsons), land plats, an 1852 will and account distribution for Thomas White, a bond between Lambert Adkins and Joseph Ellis, and receipts documenting land transactions.
Lankford Family papers
by Lankford, Benjamin; Lankford, Scott, and Porter families (1683 – 1975)
10 boxes, 1 oversize box (7.75 linear feet)
The Lankford Family Papers document the Somerset County, Maryland family's activities through extensive correspondence, land records, photographs, newspaper clippings, genealogical notes, and other materials. While the collection dates between 1683 and 1975, the majority dates between 1812 and 1897. Much of the correspondence revolves around Benjamin Lankford (1798-1886), who served in the Maryland General Assembly between the 1840s and 1870s, as well as his wife, Susan, and her sister Mary Jane Guillet. The correspondence in the collection is described at the item level.
Wicomico Historical Society collection
by Unknown (1683 – 2006)
82 boxes (55.5 linear feet)
The collections of the Wicomico Historical Society were amassed by the membership and governing board of the Society with the intent to collect and preserve the history of Wicomico County, Maryland. The records include an abundance of records documenting the land, culture, activities, businesses and the people of Wicomico County, Maryland from the 18th century to the late 20th century.
Dixon and Davis Families Collection
by Parker, Elisha P.; Parker, John (1684 – 1933)
1 box (1.25 linear feet)
This collection consists of land records, correspondence, and maps related to land transactions in Worcester and Wicomico Counties, Maryland. The documents are from multiple families and individuals from 1684 to 1933. There are few personal sources, most are legal documents and land transaction records. The family names with the most records in the collection are Parker, Davis, Dixon, and Hearn who all owned properties in the same district in what is today northern Wicomico County. The land records show transactions in Worcester County and what later become Wicomico County after 1867, specifically the northern portion of the Parsons District.
Ledger of William Hearn
by Hearn, William (circa 1685)
1 folder (0.03 linear feet)
This collection contains photocopies of the William Hearn ledger circa 1685 of his merchant activities from London to the Chesapeake colonies.
Miles Family papers
by Miles, Henry; Miles, John (1685 – 1898)
1 box (0.5 linear feet)
Land deeds and surveys of the Miles Family papers document the extensive lands owned by and passed to the members of the Miles family of Somerset County, Maryland, 1645-1890. Properties include Ferry Bridge, Pleasure, Hog Pen Swamp and others. Records also include personal papers of John Miles, they comprise a list of property owned, a tax assessment and an unprobated will as well as a photograph album of tin types compiled by Mollie Miles.
Levin S. and Mary Melson papers
by Melson Family (1688 – 1890)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
Series of land deeds, including a plat and patent for land in Somerset and Worcester Counties for the Melson family including the deed of land adjacent to the Melson property in Bishopville from Joseph Cary to Thomas A.J. Holloway and the land deed from Levin and Mary Melson to Ezekiel A. Melson. Also included is a land plat with a detailed drawing from the L.S. Melson and Brothers to James and Isabell Bishop, and the stock certificate of Levin Melson's purchase of Prohibition Camp Meeting Association for thirty shares of capital stock. Outside of the Melson family and included with the records is the Walter Lane land patent from Somerset County, 1688.
Melvin Family Collection
by Unknown (1688 – 1980)
2 folders (0.02 linear feet)
The Melvin Family Collection is comprised of genealogical notes for the Melvin family. The family is able to date their heritage back to the 17th Century. The Melvin Family has an ancestor, William Melvin, who was apart of the American Revolution, which is why descendant Ruth Young was apart of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The family lived in almost every county of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia including: Worcester County, Somerset County, Accomack County, and Cecil County. Within the collection, there are also legal land deeds, wills, and censuses listing persons in a household including slaves.
Paul Butler collection
by Butler, Paul (1694 – 1928)
1 box, 1 oversize folder (3 linear feet)
Paul Butler collection consists of photocopies of historical documents from Wicomico and Worcester Counties, Maryland, accumulated by Paul Butler. It contains land deeds and manumission deeds documenting African American history from 1803-1928. It includes a copy of the book, Commanders of the Dining Room, with a biographical sketch of L.D. Houston, a native of Salisbury, Maryland, and the headwaiter of the Peninsula Hotel in Seabright, New Jersey, in 1905. The collection also contains court dockets, voting records and ledgers documenting legal and economic history from 1694-1910. It includes a ledger from a school in Lindseyville (Klej Grange) Maryland from 1850-1852, and a ledger from a store in Tyaskin, Maryland from 1898-1901.
Special Collections Books and Periodicals
by Unknown (1694 – 2015)
folders (186 linear feet)
These rare and unique books and periodicals supplement the Special Collections manuscripts. They range in dates from 1694 to 2015--primarily dating from the late 18th century to the mid 20th century--and vary greatly in topics throughout world and American history. Many languages are represented, including Japanese, German, Russian, Spanish, French, and more. Subjects such as the history of education, the American Civil War, and Japanese foreign relations are especially well represented. There are approximately 1400 books and periodicals, all acquired at different times and manners. All books are completely cataloged in the ALEPH system, which can be searched more in depth here: https://catalog.umd.edu/F/?func=file&file_name=find-c (please select SPECIAL COLLECTIONS for LOCATION)
Lambeth Palace Archive Transcripts collection
by Unknown (1696 – 1750)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
This collection contains incomplete Anglican records pertaining to Somerset County, Maryland found in the Lambeth Palace Archives located in London, England. The records span from 1696 to 1750 and include information regarding business with Coventry Parish and other parishioners. The records appear to have been collected by Kathy McIntyre.
Family Bible Collection
by Unknown (1700 – 1900s)
23 boxes (25 linear feet)
Bibles donated to the Nabb Center, whether singly or as part of a larger collection, have been integrated into this collection. A variety of print editions spanning from 18th Century to 20th century are represented, as well as various religious denominations and types of Bibles. Most of the Bibles contain hand-written notations of family history – including births, deaths, marriages and baptisms-- for several surnames beyond the title. Some may contain additional clippings or other items and some Bibles do not contain any family information. Family Bibles held by the Nabb Center and not included in this collection are also referred to in the inventory. A partial transcription of the family history pages is available upon request (full transcription will be made available online soon).
Tom Fooks family history collection
by Fooks, Tom (1700 – 1900)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Tom Fooks Family History Collection records genealogy information for the Fassitt, Cropper, Buckby, and Robins Family. The recorded family history dates back to England in the 1500s, with a large emphasis on their daily lives. The collection also discusses life on the Eastern Shore for the early family members of Fassitt and Cropper. Included are wills, family bible birth and death dates, and general information about specific family members.
Virginia Marriage Collection
by McDonald, Cecil D. Jr. (1700 – 1799)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Virginia Marriage Collection has a detailed list of marriages that were recorded between 1700-1799. Inside, the marriages are sorted by the last name of the husband, followed by who the woman is, what day/month/year they were married and where they were married. There are two volumes within this collection. Within volume two, there is an index that lists every last name alphabetically.
Old School Baptist Church Records
by Old School Baptist Church (1701 – 2013)
12 boxes, 2 oversize folders (26.5 linear feet)
The Old School Baptist Church records consist of manuscript materials and periodicals documenting the faith and practices of the Old School Baptist Churches on the Delmarva Peninsula from 1701-2013, with the bulk of the records dating from 1875 to 1999. The collection includes meeting minutes of the Forest Grove, Little Creek, Broad Creek, Salisbury, Rewastico, Nassaongo, Snow Hill, Rock Springs, Indiantown, and Pitts Creek Old School Baptist Churches from 1799-2013. The collection also includes a complete run of Signs of the Times, the journal of the Old School Baptist faith, from 1875-1969.
Done Family Genealogy Collection
by Unknown (1705 – 1927)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Done Family Genealogy Collection contains genealogical information on the Done family. included are Done family pedigree charts, along with some biographical information.
Bayly Family papers
by Bayly, Alexander Hamilton; Bayly, J. Washington E.; Bayly, Josiah; Bayly, Julian (1706 – 1934)
37 cartons (47 linear feet)
The papers of the Bayly family extensively document the Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland family from 1706-1934, with the bulk of the material dating from 1820-1865. This comprehensive collection documents the lengthy legal and political career of Maryland Attorney General Josiah Bayly, as well as the prolific medical practices of his son, Dr. Alexander Hamilton Bayly. Simultaneously, the collection documents family education practices, and thoughts on the American Civil War through scrapbooks and correspondence. Leisure activities are observed through a variety of fictional publications from the Library of Select Novels, and the Shakespeare Quarto Illustrated. Additional printed materials include local and national newspapers, almanac’s, weekly satirical magazines, Godey’s Lady’s Book and Blackwood’s Edinburg Magazine.
Henderson Family History Collection
by Henderson Family (1710 – 1994)
2 folders (0.02 linear feet)
The Henderson Family History Collection contains genealogical information on the Henderson family. The genealogy details the family records by providing Henderson family members date of birth, marriage, and death. Some documents detail personal history of family members such as their occupations, where they lived, and what they owned. There are also photographs of Lloyd Asbury McCready.
Marianne Scarborough Collection
by Scarborough, Marianne (1714 – 1939)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Marianne Scarborough Collection focuses on the genealogical history of the Scarborough family. Heritage is very important to the Scarborough family as Clarence Park Scarborough Jr. applied to be apart of the Sons of The American Revolution, while his mother, Lulu Ringgold Prout Scarborough, applied to be apart of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Hobbs Family Collection
by Unknown (1720 – 1913)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The Hobbs Family Collection contains genealogical information on the Hobbs family. There is a detailed description of birth, death, and marriage dates along with children. Some records detail specific Hobbs family members lifetime. The genealogy covers multiple states including Maryland, Virginia, and Indiana. This collection also discusses if whether or not the city of Hobbs, Indiana has any relation to this Hobbs family.
Eastern Shore Commerce Ephemera
by Unknown (1724 – 1957)
1 box (0.5 linear feet)
The Eastern Shore Commerce Ephemera collection is divided into five series and documents the correspondences and accounting records of the Howard, Goslee, and Morris families. In addition, there are other accounting records from the Eastern shore, including Salisbury and Delaware. This collection also contains court documents, a temperance speech from 1833, a diary documenting an unnamed persons daily activities, and a meeting book from the Betsy Ross Council of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
L.Q. Powell collection
by Unknown (1724 – 1976)
2 boxes (3 linear feet)
The L.Q. Powell collection contains early legal and political records pertaining to Somerset County, Maryland including tax lists, voters list, and court records as well as certificates for elections of Judge, Sheriff, and Surveyor. It details church activities through parish records, cemetery records and individual accounts of churches. One series is dedicated to genealogical histories of several families including the Powell family. Of interest to researchers may be the materials on the Civil War and Free Blacks in the final series.
William Martin Collection
by Martin, William (1726 – 1890)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
The William Martin Collection details the genealogical history of the Martin Family who had resided in Somerset and Worcester County, Maryland. The main focus revolves around William Martin (1803/1816-1890), and trying to figure out the family that came before William Martin. Within are births off everyone who had the last name Martin on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Timothy Beard papers
by Beard, Timothy (1729 – 2016)
5 cartons, 1 box (5.25 linear feet)
Timothy Beard papers document the life, family history, and life-long research of Sheffield, Massachusetts native, Timothy Field Beard, through numerous research notes, family photograph albums, memberships, and bibles. The papers date from 1729-2016, with the bulk of the papers dating from 1951-2001 reflecting on the core of his work, genealogy. Beard’s notes provide insight into numerous family lines other than his own and the membership rosters illustrate a collection of prominent lineages.
George White Collection
by White, George (1730 – 2007)
2 boxes, 11 oversize folders ( linear feet)
The George White Collection consists of a series of ephemera, files, and documents from Salisbury, Maryland businesses and people collected pertaining to Salisbury, Maryland during White’s former position as president of the Wicomico Historical Society.
Watson Vault Company records
by Watson, Pasher W. Jr. (1730 – 1941)
9 folders (0.09 linear feet)
The Watson Vault Company Records contain records relating to the Watson Vault Company, a funeral home and casket manufacturing company owned and operated by Pasher W. Watson, Jr. (1860-1939), son of Pasher W. and Margarette Watson, Sr. The business was located in Selbyville, Delaware and served both Delaware and Maryland. The collection includes burial permits obtained from the Maryland State Department of Health's Bureau of Statistics by the funeral home, providing information about the deceased's doctor, cause of death, and place of burial. The collection contains correspondence between the Stuart Patent Company, the National Service Bureau, and Watson regarding his patent on a type of casket known as the "Underground Mausoleum," illustrating the commercially mediated patent process in the earlier part of the twentieth century.
Gilliss Family Collection
by Gilliss, E.J.; Gilliss, Elizabeth A. Hall; Gilliss, John P.R.; Gilliss, Mae (or May) (1732 – 1994)
11 boxes (6.25 linear feet)
The Gilliss Family Collection documents the Gilliss, Hall, and Fassitt families between 1732 and 1994, though primarily between 1830 and 1920. Documents include family history research, photographs, land and legal documents, correspondence (primarily sent to Lizzie A. (Hall) Gilliss in the 1860s and 1870s), ledgers (primarily medical journals of Dr. John P.R. Gilliss from the 1830s and 1840s), and business documents (primarily from E.J. Gilliss' company, Gilliss and Gilliss, between the 1879 and the 1951).
Allen Land Records
by Somerset County, Md. (1734 – 1820)
1 oversize box (2.5 linear feet)
This collection of original documents was found in the attic of the Allen family home in Allen, MD which was built in 1860. The documents presumably came from the previous home which was built in 1820. All documents pertaining to Somerset County except one. The collection of land records contains surveys, deeds, plats, and table of courses.
Land Patent, Middle Plantation
by Unknown (1734)
1 oversize folder (1.25 linear feet)
This land patent is for "Middle Plantation" which was granted to John Anderson of Dorchester County, Maryland in 1734.
Photocopy Book of Common Prayers, Rites, and Ceremonies of the Church
by Unknown (1737)
1 folder (0.01 linear feet)
This collection contains a photocopy of "Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites", based on the 1737 original.