38 SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT

are refused for deposit by the Hall of Records. Faced with such an alterna-
tive we had no choice but to accept these records, even though we realize
that eventually they may require an undue proportion of our stack space.

As usual, a number of valuable items were received from private or
semi-private sources. The most useful from the archival viewpoint are
the records deposited by the Evangelical Reformed Church of Frederick.
The vital records of Maryland have been very poorly kept until recently
and very often church records represent the only possible source of such
information. We hope that other custodians of church records will deposit
them in the Hall of Records or give us permission to make photographic
copies.

The original minute book of the South River Club, whose whereabouts
were unknown last year when the photostatic copy was deposited with us,
has now been located. Together with the original deed to the clubhouse
property, it has been placed with the other records of the Club in our
vaults.

The Johns family papers deposited by Mr. William F. Kelly relate
mainly to Kensey Johns who was actively engaged in the tobacco shipping
business and also served as Sheriff of Anne Arundel County. These papers
were found in "Sudley" which has been purchased and restored by the
donor.

Permission to photocopy a fine water color of Church Circle in
Annapolis, executed in 1794, was given us by the owners, Dr. and Mrs. Ford
K. Brown. In the course of our study of this water color, we learned that
Professor Henry F. Sturdy possessed a photocopy of an almost identical
picture located in the New York Public Library. Professor Sturdy permitted
us to photocopy his copy.

The letters of David Ridgely, who was the first State Librarian, list
the records located in several of the public offices in Annapolis in 1835
and will be of great value to persons interested in the history of the arch-
ives of Maryland. Matthew St. Clair Clarke, to whom the letters were ad-
dressed, was an agent of Colonel Peter Force, who was responsible for the
well known Force Tracts and Archives. These letters were purchased during
the year.