20 THIRTIETH ANNUAL REPORT

PROBATE RECORDS MICROFILM PROJECT

Jn my last report I pointed out that we had finished our work
with the county land records, having prepared microfilm copies through
the year 1949. The terminal date was fixed because 1949 was the year
the General Assembly passed the act requiring clerks of court to record
conveyances by microfilm and to deposit the film in the Land Office.
There are now in Annapolis microfilm copies of all the extant deeds of
the counties of Maryland. For Baltimore City, unfortunately, there are
copies only through 1925, but this part of the work is organized as a
project of the Superior Court of Baltimore City and will be completed
in a few years.

The probate records of the State are less well protected. For the
Colonial period, there was a central probate office in Annapolis with
deputies in the counties. For the most part, therefore, the colonial
records exist in duplicate. They are further protected by microfilm
copies at the headquarters of the Genealogical Society of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, and at
the Hall of Records. The period from the Revolution to 1851 was
filmed by this Society and a copy of this film was likewise deposited
at the Hall of Records. This left the records from 1851 to the present
totally unprotected.

We have now started to remedy this unsafe condition. And during
this year, when our microfilm operator was able to devote full time to
it, we were able to accomplish a great deal. The terminal date for
all these series is not fixed so that the project will be a continuing one.
At present we finish in a county office when the last completed book
of the series is filmed. This will explain the diverse terminal dates
which you will find here below.

Filmed During Fiscal Year 1964-1965

ALLEGANY COUNTY

Orphans' Court Proceedings ............ 1954-1963

Wills ............................... 1953-1963

Inventories, Personal .................. 1889-1962

Administrative Accounts ............... 1875-1961

CECIL COUNTY

Wills ............................... 1961-1964

Inventories, Personal .................. 1855-1965

Administration & Guardian Accounts .... 1854-1962

FREDERICK COUNTY

Orphans' Court Proceedings ............ 1952-1963

Wills ............................... 1948-1963

Inventories, Personal .................. 1851-1963

Administration Accounts ............... 1853-1963