73, fn. 4) but is found intermingled with the land records. (Dorchester County Land Records
Old No. 1, pp. 167-68.) This valuable reference was provided by Hon. James A. McAllister, Jr.,
Deputy Register of Wills of Dorchester County.

Dr. Forman in the review of the first volume of this work cited above has this to say about
the first courthouse: "In respect to the first courthouse in Dorchester County, this source
declares that at this late date positive identification is difficult and that it is more likely that
the court building is the structure on 'John's Point.' Nothing is mentioned of the identification
twenty-six years ago that 'John's Point' and the first Dorchester courthouse were one and
the same......." The identification was made in Dr. Forman's splendid work Early Manor and
Plantation Homes of Maryland, (Easton, Md. and Haverford, Pa., 1934, p. 161). There Dr.
Forman states, "It was the first courthouse and jail in the county......." He then describes its
appearance and on pages 166 and 167 he has provided drawings based on the evidence of the
foundation and two photographs. The writer did not say that the identification of the buildings
is wrong nor does he say so now; he would feel more comfortable though about the conclusion
were there some documentary evidence. Jones (op. cit., p. 160) says that, "The Woolfords
claimed that the first County Court was held there, and that it was also used as a jail, evi-
dently before the county seat was removed to Cambridge, in 1687." But Jones only considers
it a probability. What Forman has done is to prove beyond a doubt that John's Point is the
same building previously designated by Swepson Earle as the first courthouse and jail of
Dorchester County. Can it be certain that Swepson Earle was correct?

It has now been ascertained that the first courthouse in Cambridge was razed soon after
April 2, 1772 and that court met at the home of John Rider Nevitt until the new courthouse
was finished (Dorchester County Land Records Old No. 25, ff. 327-329).

Circuit Court

LAND RECORDS, 1669--. Liber 4 1/2 also includes Court Proceedings, 1690-92, and Probate
Proceedings, 1690-92. Libers 11-13 also include Court Proceedings, 1742-45. Liber J.C.H.
No. 1 also includes Court Proceedings, 1781. Most volumes indexed. C.H. 1875--; 1669-
1875, microfilm; L.O. 1949-, microfilm. H.R. 1669-1875.

INDEX TO LAND RECORDS, 1669--. Vowel index. Grantors and grantees in separate
volumes. C.H. 1669--. L.O. 1669-1887, microfilm. H.R. 1669-1818; 1669-1887, microfilm.

MORTGAGE RECORDS, 1892-. Earlier mortgages in Land Records. Most volumes indexed.
C.H. 1892--. L.O. 1949-, microfilm.

INDEX TO MORTGAGE RECORDS, 1912-. Earlier mortgages indexed in Index to Land
Records. C.H.

LAND COMMISSIONS, 1716-21, 1820-78. Also includes Tobacco Inspection Records, 1748-68.
Each volume indexed, 1820-78. H.R.

TAX SALES, 1911--. Indexed by name of delinquent taxpayer. C.H.

PLAT RECORDS, 1909--. C.H.

PLAT BOOK STATE ROADS COMMISSION, 1932-. C.H.

ESTABLISHMENT OF VIENNA TOWN, 1706-10. Record of proceedings of commissioners
to lay out ports and towns in Dorchester County. H.R.

PLAT AND CERTIFICATE OF CAMBRIDGE TOWN, 1799. H.R.

105