DEDICATION AT NORTHAMPTON
by Chris Haley
On a crisp autumn day on Saturday, October 5, merged into a crowd of a hundred or so people where normally there had not been ten, I recalled two years ago when I stepped out from the modest, two story townhouse I shared with my father and brother in Prince George's County and found a startling notice in our mailbox. The Maryland Park and Planning Commission was asking for volunteers to help in the archeological project it was conducting on a 1/2 acre area where the remains of two slave dwellings existed. This site was only a five minute drive from where I stood.
I had returned to Maryland to pursue an interest in family research which had driven me from the rural south of 18th century Waynesborough County, Georgia, to the industrialized, rowhouse residences of 20th century central New Jersey. Suddenly, I had discovered that in my own backyard there was a representive symbol of the history with which I was becoming more and more familiar. I called the number, offered my services, and for more than two months aided in the sifting of dirt and identifying of artifacts. Today, I stood on that same sloped plain of earth to witness the dedication of the Northampton Plantation Slave Quarters as a memorial park.
The ruins of one residence represented a 1 & 1/2 story wooden frame structure built circa 1790 on a limestone foundation which on this day was covered with tarp. The other displayed the reconstructed base of a double pen brick home, circa 1840, in which Elizabeth Hawkins, the slave ancestor of several of those in attendance, was born and lived. A large plaque with pictures and a history of Northampton stands between the house remains and two benches. One seat is plated with the name of Mrs. Hawkins while the other honors the Hawkins family of whom 340 members reside within 20 miles of the park which they continue to revisit for family reunions.
Among those in attendance was Prince George's County Executive, the Honorable Wayne Curry, who, noticing children running and playing among the remains of the brick structure, stressed the importance of such occasions to remind ourselves and our youth of the struggle many Americans endured, survived, and must still combat today. The Honorable Stephen Del Giudice, Prince George's County Council Chairman, introduced a proclamation honoring the occasion and along with Executive Curry, presented it to the Hawkins family. Hawkins family historian and descendant, Iris McConnell, had arrived earlier and performed the "pooring of libations" ceremony. She held up a clear bag of Northampton soil which she had sprinkled with holy water while "I invoked the names of Elizabeth, Robert", and other cherished relatives, "to join me this day." She especially thanked project manager, Don Creveling, who supervised the digging and artifact identification process for his help in bringing it all together.
The dedication concluded with an inspired rendition of "Eye on the Sparrow" by vocalist Hope Austin and prayer by Deacon Leon Bichette. Before these moments, however, family member, Sean Stanton, best expressed the day's feeling of accomplishment, history, and community when upon announcing the unveiling of the two memorial benches, she said "May those who rest upon these benches find their burdens lifted." The audience voiced their approval as they assuredly envisioned Iris McConnell's ancestors, proudly, nodding their heads.
Volunteers are still needed and encouraged to call Don Creveling at the Park and Planning Commission to assist in uncovering memorabilia at Northampton, which will give more insight into the 19th century life of an American slave family.
BALTIMORE CITY BLOCK BOOKS
Information on Baltimore City records was gathered in the 1930s by the Maryland Historical Records Survey Project of the Works Projects Administration. This survey indicated that the block books actually consist of at least three distinct, though often overlapping series. These are:
Annex Blocks 2100-4199, covering property contained in the 23 square miles added to the "Old City" by the Annexation of 1888. This series runs from 1888 to 1913, and is incorporated into our series MSA CM196. After 1913, blocks 2100-4199 are no longer identified as Annex Blocks and are undist
New Annex Blocks 4200-8491, covering property contained in the 62 square miles added by the Annexation of 1918. This series begins in 1918, and appears to correspond to our film series MSA CM197.
The block books serve as a supplementary index to the Baltimore City land records, showing conveyances of city property on a block by block basis. Every block is assigned a unique number. These numbers are shown on block book plats, which serve as a finding aid to the block books. Once assigned a number, blocks do not appear ever to have been renumbered, although they were often subdivided with sequential alphabetical suffixes being added to the base block number. The system accommodated the growth of Baltimore through development and annexations (in 1888 and 1918) simply by increasing the total of numbered blocks, and in subdividing existing blocks. These numbered 2,073 in 1851, 4,199 after 1888, and 8,491 after 1918.
Every transfer of property within a block is supposed to be noted under that block's number. Individual entries give a reference to the land record volume in which the actual instrument was recorded. The Archives collection of block books consists of 312 reels of 35mm film. Most of this film was produced between 1956 and 1960 as part of an Archives initiative to microfilm all land records created prior to 1950.
Block books are found in two microfilm series from the Baltimore City Superior Court: MSA CM196 (Block Book) and MSA CM197 (Block Book, New Annex). CM196 covers the period 1851-1966, and CM197 the period 1918-1953. Blocks in the area of the 1888 annexation are incorporated into CM196 after 1913. Blocks in the area of the 1918 annexation are incorporated into CM196 after 1953. In both series, blocks are grouped numerically within a sequential span of years.
The collection appears reasonably complete for the period covered. However, the Archives has no film of any block books subsequent to 1966. It appears that the post-1966 block books have never been filmed. Additionally, not all numbered blocks appear in each series. For instance, annex block 2100 begins to appear in 1888, but there is no listing for block 2099. A future comparison of the books themselves with the film may help us explain such anomalies.
AFRICAN AMERICAN MILITARY RECORDS
African Americans served in Maryland units during the Revolutionary War, especially after 1780 when both free blacks and slaves were eligible for enlistment. Unfortunately, documenting proof of service is difficult. Muster rolls frequently fail to indicate race, although sometimes the word "Negro" or "mulatto" appears after a soldier's name. Pension records for Maryland blacks, unlike those for white soldiers, are virtually non-existent. In 1793, Maryland restricted militia enrollment to whites. Blacks worked as laborers and servants in the white units, but they could not serve as soldiers.
Not until the Civil War was the role of black Marylanders officially recognized in Maryland's public records. During the first years of the war, Maryland slaves who escaped from their owners to join the federal army were usually returned to their owners or incarcerated as runaways. By July 1863, despite the protests of Maryland's governor and slave owning Unionists, the federal government began actively recruiting slaves as well as freemen. The United States recruited six regiments of African Americans from Maryland as part of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). The USCT regiments mustered in Maryland were the 4th, the 7th, the 9th, the 19th, the 30th, and the 39th. In addition, Maryland blacks joined the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy.
In 1898 the General Assembly ordered the publication of Maryland's Civil War service records. A two-volume publication entitled History and Roster of the Maryland Volunteers, 1861-1865 was the result. These volumes contain the histories of each Maryland regiment and the names of the soldiers and officers who enlisted. For each solider, the volumes list the date of enlistment, date of discharge, and remarks pertaining to his service. This is the best place to start when searching for Civil War military records. Because Maryland was a Union state, the roster does not include Marylanders who joined the Confederate military. The roster also excludes residents of other states who fought in Maryland units.
The muster rolls are the official rosters of the Maryland military units in Union service. Of special interest to those researching African Americans are the muster rolls for units in the United States Colored Troops (USCT). The Maryland State Archives holds USCT muster rolls in two forms: loose sheets (Muster Rolls) [MSA S936] and bound volumes (Muster Roll Record) [MSA S343]. The loose muster rolls not only list Marylander's who served in Maryland units, but also Marylanders who served in units in other states. Maryland regiments kept these rolls during the war to insure that each county received credit for providing its quota of troops to the military. Of the two record series, the loose muster rolls provide the most information about each solider. The drawback, however, is that the loose muster rolls for some Maryland units are missing.
The loose muster rolls (MSA S936) consist of two types, muster-in rolls and muster-out rolls. Both types are arranged by unit. Muster-out rolls list the solider's name, rank, age, when and where enrolled, enrolling officer, when and where mustered, mustering officer, period mustered for, name of paymaster, last date paid, the value of equipment, clothing and horses assigned to the soldier, and remarks. The remarks column is often the most informative. Common remarks have to do with deaths, transfers, and desertions. Muster-in rolls contain less information: soldier's name, rank, age, when and where enrolled and for what period. The muster rolls are not indexed, so one must know the unit before beginning a search.
Also available in the loose muster rolls (MSA S936), beginning with the fall of 1863, is the mustering in of slaves. Slave muster rolls list the name of the slave, organization assigned, when and where mustered-in, mustering officer, county accredited, and the slave owner's name.
The second record series of muster rolls held by the Archives is called muster roll record (MSA S343). Regiments missing from the loose rolls appear in these bound copies. Although the State Archives lists this series under the Adjutant General, the Comptroller of the Treasury actually created these records. The Comptroller's Office, faced with the task of paying bounty to every man who served in Maryland military units, complied these volumes from the regimental muster rolls held now by the National Archives. The bound rolls served as a list for making bounty payments after the war.
Unlike the History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, the bound muster rolls (MSA S343) include men from out-of-state who served in Maryland units. However, they do not include Marylanders serving in the units of other states because Maryland did not owe those soldiers bounty payments. The exception is the United States Colored Troops. These bound muster rolls list all black Maryland soldiers, regardless of where they served.
Because the Comptroller of the Treasury compiled the bound muster rolls (MSA S343) from the original regimental rolls, each entry documents the original muster roll number, the date of the original muster roll, and the number of the soldier. This information can be used to find the original muster roll at the National Archives.
Entries in the bound muster rolls list the solider's name, rank, company, regiment, date and place enrolled, date and place mustered, mustering officer, age, term of enlistment, county where service was credited, date of re-enlistment, date of transfer, and remarks. Remarks usually pertain to death, desertion or discharge. The records are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the soldier.
RECORD TRANSFERS
GENEALOGY WORKSHOP
On Saturday, October 5 the State Archives held a genealogy workshop with emphasis on immigration and naturalization. Once again, Bob Barnes and Pat Anderson donated their services to conduct the workshop. The thirty-three attendees filled the conference room for a day full of instructions, suggestions, and information gathering.
Bob concentrated on the colonial period and discussed how and where to find sources for documenting settlers of all classes, including planters, professionals, artisans, indentured servants, and convicts. Sources included government records, newspapers, church records, and published sources. Much of the record material is found at the Archives. Some, such as ejectment papers or testamentary proceedings, contain information about legal matters that tangentially may provide clues about immigration. Bob concluded his sessions with an analysis of sources for royal genealogy.
Pat dealt with immigration and naturalization during the 19th and 20th centuries. She prefaced her remarks with an historical perspective on the patterns of immigration through the port of Baltimore. Because of the federal laws governing the admission of immigrants and their acquisition of U.S. citizenship, much of the source material is found at the National Archives or through film of these records at other institutions. Besides ships' passenger lists and naturalization records, she discussed census records, death certificates, passport applications, homestead applications, and records of benevolent societies.
by Kevin Swanson
Blocks 1-2099, corresponding to the "Old City", i.e the approximately 7 square miles contained within city limits prior to the Annexation of 1888. This series begins in 1851, and appears to be incorporated within our film series MSA CM196.
by Heather Ravanbakhsh
by Kevin Swanson
DISTRICT COURT (Tapes) 1988-1991 [MSA T230]
DISTRICT COURT (Criminal Docket, Insanity Plea) 1977-1988 [MSA T2474]
GOVERNOR (General File) 1988-1994 [MSA T2578]
HOWARD COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT (Equity Papers) 1977-1980 [MSA T409]
by Pat Melville
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