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Worcester County Court records

22 boxes, 1 folder (24 linear feet)

(1823 – 1991)

bulk 1853-1965

Edward H. Nabb Center for Delmarva History and Culture, Salisbury, University, Salisbury, Maryland

Identifier 2014.161
Creator(s) Worcester County Court
Acquisition

The Worcester County Court records were donated to the Nabb Research Center by Worcester County Department of Public Works in December 2014.
Language(s) English
Use Records are open for research. Copyright, including literary rights, belongs to the author(s) or their legal heirs. Permission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Nabb Research Center which extends beyond "fair use."
Preferred Citation "Item, collection title and identifier, box # and folder # (if applicable), Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland."
Attribution Finding aid written by Kenneth Forest, January 2019.
Related Materials

Photographs of County Courthouses (1900 – 1915)

Worcester County research collection (1742 – 1974)

Wicomico County Circuit Courts collection (1885 – 1950)
Separated Materials

Oversized materials have been housed in the Nabb Center’s flat file system.

Artifacts have been housed in artifact storage; a complete list of these items can be found at the end of this finding aid.
Abstract

Worcester County Court records consist of records of the Register of Wills, the Orphans’ Court, the Circuit Court, and the Department of Public Works of Worcester County, Maryland from 1823-1991. The bulk of collection is related to the settlement of estates from 1825-1919. These estate vouchers, or debts owed by and to the deceased, include those not only of white farmers, merchants and attorneys, but also of Robert Henry, an African American ship captain, and of Wong Bong, a Chinese laborer. Among Henry’s estate vouchers is a receipt from 1905 for repairs to the schooner BEERSHEBA, while among Bong’s estate vouchers is an example of Chinese calligraphy from 1914. The collection includes papers of Thomas D. Purnell, a Register of Wills, from 1890-1897, and of William Kerbin, an attorney, from 1921-1930. It also includes circuit court records of the dissolution of a business partnership between Calvine Howerton and William Duncan from 1916-1931, and records of the Department of Public Works from 1948-1991. The collection offers insight not only into Worcester County’s legal proceedings, but also into the diversity of the county’s population and into two centuries of the county’s economic development and growth.

Administrative History

The Worcester County Courthouse is located in the county seat, Snow Hill. The first Worcester County Courthouse was constructed in 1742-1743, and was destroyed by fire in 1834. The second Courthouse, constructed the following year, was also destroyed by fire in 1893. The third Courthouse, completed in 1894, remains in operation.

It once housed the county’s government and legal records, including those of the Register of Wills, the Orphan’s Court, the Circuit Court and the Department of Public Works. A Register of Wills is an official elected in each county of Maryland, “responsible for appointing personal representatives to administer decedents’ estates and for overseeing the proper and timely administration of these proceedings.” He or she also serves as the county’s Clerk of the Orphan’s Court, which hears probate cases. Each county’s Circuit Court hears major civil and criminal cases, while its Department of Public Works is responsible for building and road maintenance, water and sewer operations and waste disposal.

 

Citations:

 

Radoff, Morris. The County Courthouses of Maryland, Part One: The Courthouses. Annapolis, Md.: The Hall of Records Commission, State of Maryland, 1960.

 

Radoff, Morris, Gust Skordas and Phebe Jacobsen. The County Courthouses of Maryland, Part Two: The Records. Annapolis, Md.: The Hall of Records Commission, State of Maryland, 1963.

 

The Maryland Office of the Register of Wills http://registers.maryland.gov/main/

 

The Maryland Circuit Courts https://mdcourts.gov/circuit

 

Department of Public Works, Worcester County http://www.co.worcester.md.us/departments/publicworks

 

Scope and Content Note

The collection documents the Register of Wills, the Orphans’ Court, the Circuit Court, and the Department of Public Works of Worcester County, Maryland from 1823-1991.

Series I: Register of Wills and Orphan’s Court contains dockets, estate vouchers, correspondence, and legal filings documenting the settlement of estates from 1823-1974. It includes ledgers, bills, receipts, deeds, pleas, petitions, and transcripts. It contains receipts from 1860 for the sale of one slave and for the capture of another; a draft notice from 1864 of Jacob Victor, an African American farmer; and a will from 1918 of Wilson U. Martin, a soldier, written in France a month before his death in the First World War. It also includes letters of Phillips Lee Goldsborough, Governor of Maryland; Paul Titsworth, President of Washington College; and Calvin B. Taylor, a prominent attorney, banker and civic leader from Berlin, Maryland.

Series II: Thomas D. Purnell, Register of Wills contains personal papers of Thomas D. Purnell from circa 1869-1897. It includes correspondence, canceled checks, and receipts documenting the personal finances of Thomas D. Purnell. The series includes cancelled checks from the First National Bank of Snow Hill and receipts from the Snow Hill Electric Light and Power Company.

Series III: William Kerbin, Attorney contains professional papers of William Kerbin from 1921-1930. It includes correspondence and legal filings which document his legal practices. The bulk of the series is related to the settlement of the estate of George W. Maddox, a farm laborer.

Series IV: Calvine Howerton versus William B. Duncan, Circuit Court contains business records and legal filings related to the receivership of a barrel-making factory on the grounds of the historic Cellar House Farm from 1916-1931. It includes ledgers, bills, receipts, invoices, correspondence, depositions, and summons. The series also includes a special report prepared by an accounting firm in Baltimore, Maryland.

Series V: Department of Public Works contains government records from 1948-1991. The series includes public laws, economic reports, property tax assessment cards, fire marshal inspection cards, ledgers and newspaper clippings documenting the department’s day to day operations. Records include a 1961 copy of the Code of Public Local Laws off Worcester County, and a copy of its 1972 supplement.

Arrangement Statement

The collection is arranged in five Series. Series I is arranged in five Subseries. Series IV is arranged in two Subseries. Each Subseries in arranged chronologically. Series II, III and V are arranged chronologically.

 

Subject Terms

  • Topical Terms
    • Last Will and Testament
    • Judicial System
  • Personal Names
    • Davis, Edward P. (1843-1937)
    • Duncan, William B. (1865-1963)
    • Howerton, Calvine (1876-1945)
    • Jones, Paul (1851-1941)
    • Kerbin, William (1862-1933)
    • Maddox, George W. (1845-1920)
    • Purnell, Thomas D. (1819-1897)
    • Riley, Asbury C. (1859-1930)
    • Staton, John W. (1873-1932)
    • Taylor, Calvin B. (1857-1932)
  • Location Terms
    • Berlin (Md.)
    • Ocean City (Md.)
    • Pocomoke City (Md.)
    • Snow Hill (Md.)
    • Worcester County (Md.)
    • Cellar House Farm (Md.)

Inventory List

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Box 1

Series I: Register of Wills and Orphan’s Court, 1825-1974

Subseries A: Ledgers, 1850-1954

  1. Forms, 1850-1884

  2. Docket, 1875-1900

  3. Docket, 1877

  4. Docket, 1878

  5. Docket, 1879

  6. Docket, 1881

  7. Docket, 1884

  8. Fees, 1891-1893

  9. Docket, 1891-1896

  10. Docket, 1891-1923

  11. Docket, 1892-1908

  12. Docket, 1893-1894

  13. Docket, 1897-1898

  14. Docket, 1900-1908

  15. Docket, 1902-1906

  16. Docket, 1904-1906

  17. Docket, 1906-1907

  18. Docket, 1908-1910

  19. Docket, 1911-1918

  20. Docket, 1914-1915

Box 2

  1. Estate Claims, 1882-1894

  2. Estate Claims, 1893-1906

Box 3

  1. Docket, 1912-1914

  2. Estate Claims, 1906-1916

  3. Estate Claims, 1916-1927

Box 4

  1. Fees, 1915-1917

  2. Docket, 1920-1921

  3. Fees, 1925-1928

  4. Docket, 1931-1933

  5. Fees, 1932-1936

  6. Docket, 1935-1936

  7. Docket, 1936-1938

  8. Docket, 1938-1940

  9. Docket, 1939-1941

  10. Docket, 1941-1942

  11. Petitions for Letters, 1951-1954

Subseries B: Estate Vouchers, 1825-1919

Box 5

  1. Estate Vouchers, 1825

  2. Estate Vouchers, 1853

  3. Estate Vouchers, 1854

  4. Estate Vouchers, 1855

  5. Estate Vouchers, 1856

  6. Estate Vouchers, 1857

    1. Estate Vouchers, 1859

  1. Estate Vouchers, 1860

  2. Estate Vouchers, 1861

    1.      Estate Vouchers, 1862

Box 6

       1-2.      Estate Vouchers, 1863

       3-4.      Estate Vouchers, 1864

       5-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1865

       10-11.      Estate Vouchers, 1866

Box 7

       1-5.      Estate Vouchers, 1866

       6-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1873

Box 8

       1-3.      Estate Vouchers, 1874

       4-8.      Estate Vouchers, 1875

       9-10.      Estate Vouchers, 1876

Box 9

       1-4.      Estate Vouchers, 1877

       5-8.      Estate Vouchers, 1878

       9-10.      Estate Vouchers, 1879

Box 10

  1. Estate Vouchers, 1879

      2-5.      Estate Vouchers, 1880

      6-7.      Estate Vouchers, 1881

      8-10.      Estate Vouchers, 1882

Box 11

      1-2.      Estate Vouchers, 1882

      3-4.      Estate Vouchers, 1883

      5.      Estate Vouchers, 1885

      6.      Estate Vouchers, 1886

      7.      Estate Vouchers, 1887

      8.      Estate Vouchers, 1889

      9-10.      Estate Vouchers, 1892

      11.      Estate Vouchers, 1893

Box 12

      1-3.      Estate Vouchers, 1893

      4-7.      Estate Vouchers, 1894

      8-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1899

Box 13

      1-5.      Estate Vouchers, 1899

      6-8.      Estate Vouchers, 1901

      9.      Estate Vouchers, 1902

Box 14

      1-7.      Estate Vouchers, 1906

      8-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1907

Box 15

      1.      Estate Vouchers, 1907

      2-3.      Estate Vouchers, 1910

      4-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1911

Box 16

      1.      Estate Vouchers, 1911

      2-7.      Estate Vouchers, 1912

      8-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1913

Box 17

      1-3.      Estate Vouchers, 1913

      4-9.      Estate Vouchers, 1914

Box 18

      1.      Estate Vouchers, 1914

      2-3.      Estate Vouchers, 1915

      4.      Estate Vouchers, 1918

      5-10.      Estate Vouchers, 1919

Box 19

Subseries C: Deeds, Petitions, Pleas and Transcripts, 1904-1974

  1. Deed and Receipt, Horace and Delphine Payne to Joshua Adkins, 1904, 1917

  2. Deed, Thomas and Mary Purnell to Joshua Adkins, 1911

  3. Deed, Hillary, Missouri and Silas Hancock to Joshua Adkins, 1915

  4. Deed, Stephen Purnell to Joshua Adkins, 1919

  5. Petition, Estate of Joseph C. Taylor, 1925

  6. Petition, Estate of Cyrus W. Timmons, 1935

  7. Plea of Debt, E.H. Benson, 1932

  8. Plea of Debt, George M. Powell, 1933

  9. Transcript, Proceedings of the Orphan’s Court, Estate of James B.R. Purnell, 1909-1910

  10. Transcript, Proceedings of the Orphan’s Court, Estate of Charles W. Farrow, 1919-1920

  11. Transcript, Proceedings of the Orphan’s Court, Estate of Wilson U. Martin, 1919-1920

  12. Transcript, Proceedings of the Orphan’s Court, Estate of Isabella B. Shockley, 1922

  13. Transcript, Proceedings of the Orphan’s Court, Estate of Benjamin B. Brittingham, 1923

  14. Transcript, Paternity, 1974

Subseries D: License and Receipts, 1919-1954

  1. Marriage License, John Rowley and Irene Price, 1919

  2. Receipts, Clerk of the Court, 1948-1954

Subseries E: Correspondence, 1909-1937

  1. Correspondence, Edward P. Davis, Register of Wills, 1909

  2. Correspondence, Edward P. Davis, Register of Wills, 1915

  3. Correspondence, Phillips Lee Goldsborough, Governor of Maryland, 1916

  4. Correspondence, Alexander Armstrong, Attorney General of Maryland, 1923

    1. Correspondence, Paul Jones, Register of Wills, 1923-1925

  1. Correspondence, Paul Titsworth, President of Washington College, 1925

  2. Correspondence, Paul Jones, Register of Wills, 1937

Series II: Thomas D. Purnell, Register of Wills, 1869-1897

  1. Correspondence, Samuel Collins, 1869, 1874

  2. Cancelled Checks, First National Bank of Snow Hill, 1888-1892

  3. Cancelled Checks, First National Bank of Snow Hill, 1888-1892

  4. Receipts, The Snow Hill Electric Light and Power Company, 1893-1897

  5. Receipts, The Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Cecil County, 1894

  6. Receipts, Post Office, Snow Hill, Md., 1895-1897

  7. Receipts, W. Boettcher, 1896-1897

Series III: William Kerbin, Attorney, 1921-1930

  1. Correspondence, A.E. Maddox, 1921

  2. Will, George W. Maddox, 1921

  3. Petitions, Estate of George W. Maddox, 1921

  4. Bank Book, Commercial National Bank of Snow Hill, Estate of George W. Maddox, 1921

  5. Check Book and Cancelled Checks, Commercial National Bank of Snow Hill, Estate of George W. Maddox, 1921

  6. Correspondence, 1927-1930

Series IV: Calvine Howerton versus William B. Duncan, Circuit Court, 1916-1931

Subseries A: Business Records, Howerton and Duncan, 1916-1920

  1. Ledger, Calvine Howerton, 1916-1918

  2. Ledger, Calvine Howerton, 1917

  3. Ledger, Calvine Howerton, 1917

  4. Notebook, Calvine Howerton, 1916-1917

  5. Notebook, Calvine Howerton, 1917-1924

  6. Notebook, Calvine Howerton, circa 1920

  7. Notebook, Calvine Howerton, circa 1920

  8. Financial Statements, Calvine Howerton,, 1916-1918

Box 20

  1. Invoices, Calvine Howerton, 1916-1918

  2. Notes, Calvine Howerton, 1916-1918

  3. Cancelled Checks, Citizens National Bank of Pocomoke City, Calvine Howerton, 1917

  4. Notices, Citizens National Bank of Pocomoke City, Calvine Howerton, 1917

  5. Correspondence, Calvine Howerton, 1916-1918

  6. Financial Statements, William B. Duncan, 1917

  7. Invoices, William B. Duncan, 1917

  8. Notes, William B. Duncan, 1916-1917

  9. Cancelled Checks, Citizens National Bank of Pocomoke City, William B. Duncan, 1917

Subseries B: Receivership Records, Howerton and Duncan, 1917-1931

  1. Statements, Calvine Howerton, 1917

  2. Correspondence, John W. Staton, 1917-1920

  3. Complaint, Calvine Howerton, 1919

  4. Summons, William B. Duncan, 1919

  5. Deposition, William B. Duncan, 1920

  6. Order, John W. Staton, 1920

  7. Petition, John W. Staton, 1920

  8. Report, “Howerton and Duncan, Special Investigation,” Maryland Audit Company, 1920-1926

  9. Deposition, William B. Duncan, 1922

  10. Petition, John W. Staton, 1922

  11. Transcript, Proceedings of the Circuit Court, 1923

  12. Order, John W. Staton, 1923

  13. Correspondence, Staton & Whaley, 1924-1931

Series V: Department of Public Works, 1948-1991

       23-29. Property Tax Assessment Cards, 1948-1954

Box 21

    1. Property Tax Assessment Cards, 1948-1954

  1. Property Tax Assessment Cards, 1948-1954

  2. Book, Laws of Maryland of 1950

  3. Fire Marshal Inspection Cards, 1957

  4. Fire Marshal Inspection Cards, 1958

  5. Fire Marshal Inspection Cards, 1959

  6. Fire Marshal Inspection Cards, 1960

  7. Fire Marshal Inspection Cards, 1961

  8. Book, Code of Public Local Laws off Worcester County, 1961 Edition

  9. Book, Code of Public Local Laws of Worcester County, 1961 Edition, 1972 Supplement

  10. Book, Report of the Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland, Fiscal Year 1963

  11. Report, “Taxable Basis Sheets, County and State,” 1962

  12. Report, “Real Estate Revenue Controls, County and State,” 1962

  13. Report, “Farms and Estates,” 1962

  14. Report, “Re-Cap: Real, Business, Tangible, Personal and Farms and Estates, County and State,” 1962

  15. Report, “Taxable Basis Sheets, County and State,” 1963

  16. Report, “Re-Cap: Real, Business, Tangible, Personal and Farms and Estates, County and State,” 1963

  17. Newspaper Clippings, Bulletin Board, Department of Public Works, 1965-1970

Box 22

  1. Newspaper Clippings, Bulletin Board, Department of Public Works, 1965-1970

  2. Newspaper Clippings, Bulletin Board, Department of Public Works, 1965-1970

  3. Report, “Community Economic Inventory, Worcester County Maryland,” 1973

  4. Ledger, Fees, 1977-1991

  5. Magazine, Solid Wastes Management, 1978 February

  6. Ledger, Fees, 1986-1991

 

Oversize

  1. Estate Vouchers and Fire Insurance Policies, Thomas A.J. Holloway, 1899

  2. Estate Voucher and Fire Insurance Policy, Thurman Dale, 1907

  3. Deed, Maria Griffin et al to Olivia Waters, 1877

  4. Inventory, Estate of Maggie Johnson, 1938

  5. Photograph, Trailer Park, circa 1980

 

 

 

 

 

Artifacts

  1. Leather wallet, contained in Estate Vouchers, G.W. Covington, 1883

  2. Change purse, contained in Estate Vouchers, G.W. Covington, 1883

  3. Miser’s purse, contained in Estate Vouchers, G.W. Covington, 1883

  4. Denim pouch, contained in Estate Vouchers, G.W. Covington, 1883

  5. Leather briefcase, contained all materials from Series IV: Calvine Howerton versus William B. Duncan, Circuit Court, 1916-1931

Attachments

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