John and Lettie Cullom, two of our most diligent and competent helpers in the search room, have resigned as reference volunteers. The Archives will miss their services and contributions of time.
TRIBUTE TO AGNES KANE CALLUM
As reported previously Agnes Kane Callum lost all her worldly possessions when a gas explosion and fire destroyed her Baltimore home on January 19. Gone were all her reference materials, years of research and writings, collected manuscripts, and family papers and memorabilia. Within days a Friends of Agnes Kane Callum group was organized to collect donations to help her restore the materials and tools needed to reconstruct research efforts and to embark upon new projects.
One month later on February 18 friends and colleagues gathered at a meeting of the Central Maryland Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society in Columbia, where she had been scheduled to speak on U.S. Colored Troops in the Civil War. The event became a tribute to Agnes for her contributions to African-American genealogy and history and an effort to help rebuild her life an a researcher. Several speakers recounted research trips taken with Agnes, and others highlighted her accomplishments. Interspersed were stories from Agnes herself, including tales of her family research back to an Irish servant and a negro slave in the 17th century.
Agnes was presented with a variety of research materials and tools, and certificates for many such items in the future. Included were the twenty-one books she has written, a complete set of Flower of the Forest which is her journal of black genealogy, many other African-American reference books, use of a laptop computer, folders, and notebooks. It is hoped that the funds being collected by the Friends' account and a fund raiser in Chicago will be sufficient to purchase a microfilm reader and computer.
The Archives honored Agnes by giving her a microfilm copy of the St. Mary's County (Certificates of Freedom) 1806-1864 and a disk containing her finding aid for Comptroller of the Treasury (Bounty Papers) 1864-1868 [MSA S627]. This series contains correspondence and other documentation submitted by persons or their agents claiming Civil War bounties. Documents include affidavits of slave ownership, affidavits of freedom, bounty certificates and lists, death certificates, discharge papers, draft notices, manumissions, muster rolls, pension claims, powers of attorney, and substitutions. Agnes headed a group of volunteers who processed this collection of about 10,000 items and indexed the names found in the records. The presentation included a printout of the portion of their work converted to dBase. In addition, I read a letter from Ed, who could not attend, in which he offered our continued assistance to help Agnes reconstitute her research work and designated her one our Adjunct Research Scholars. Also attending the tribute were Nancy Bramucci and Phebe Jacobsen who declared Agnes a worthy descendent of Irish Nell and Negro Charles.
CRIMINAL WORK OF THE GRAND JURY
At each court term a grand jury considers criminal presentations and determines whether there is enough evidence to indict the individuals charged. Each Anne Arundel County grand jury report contains statistics on these proceedings, and sometimes remarks on the types of cases being encountered. In 1939 the jury heard 38 cases, resulting in 24 indictments, 11 dismissals, and 3 holdovers. Three years later there were 52 presentments with 38 indictments, 11 dismissals, and 3 holdovers. In 1945 there were only 26 presentments because of a new law allowing the states attorney, at the request of the person charged, to take the case to trial without using the grand jury process. Ten years later the grand jury was hearing 140 cases, with only two dismissals. By 1975 the number has grown to 550 of which 548 were returned as indictments. In 1981 the jury handed down 610 indictments, while the States Attorney filed 159 informations.
Individual citizens could bring criminal charges before the grand jury, but seldom did so. The following lament was offered in a 1937 report: "The general public are very free in their complaints of violations of all kinds of law, and in criticism of the [police] officers, but when called upon to appear as witnesses in order to do justice they shrink from any publicity as to themselves, and refuse to appear to prosecute...." The jury considered this attitude especially prevalent in regard to violations of liquor licensing and gambling laws.
Between 1934 and 1965 the grand jury regularly investigated compliance with and violation of liquor license laws in Anne Arundel County and Annapolis. The juries' concerns often were rectified through subsequent state legislation or local ordinances. These matters included public notification about license applications, liquor board inspectors to investigate violations, sales near churches and schools, and days and hours of operation.
Three years after prohibition ended 223 liquor licenses were granted in Anne Arundel County and 78 in Annapolis which handled licensing separate from the county. By 1957 licenses in the two jurisdictions totaled 355. The grand jury was especially troubled by the licensing situation in Annapolis. Some hotels and restaurants in the 1930s acquired alcoholic beverage licenses when they did not meet the legal definition for such establishments. In 1938 the grand jury visited each hotel in Annapolis that claimed to have rooms and dining facilities. One had no kitchen and no food service equipment. Another placed cardboard partitions in large rooms to create bedrooms, and its dining room service consisted of three cups, two saucers, ten plates, twenty-five sauce dishes, and one soup bowl. A third placed beds in the living room, dining room, and kitchen to achieve the legal requirement of ten bedrooms. In 1952 the grand jury noted rumors regarding the sale of liquor to midshipmen by taxi drivers. In addition, regulations at that time permitted the sale of alcoholic beverages by telephone and home delivery, thus complicating the enforcement of laws pertaining to minors.
The grand jury criticized the county liquor board less frequently. The more common complaints concerned lax enforcement of liquor laws and inadequate record keeping. In 1940 past actions of the board could be determined only by calling witnesses to find out what happened. Legislation in 1963 placed a moratorium on the issuance of liquor licenses for two years. The grand jury recommended that the board use that time to reorganize its records so it could compile accurate information about locations and kinds of licenses and the persons holding them.
No grand jury in Anne Arundel County condoned gambling, even when slot machines were legal. A 1950 report called the enforcement of gambling laws weak because the county and city police forces were relatively small, officers were known to offenders, and police cars were readily identifiable. Many police officers questioned the expense and time involved in a gambling investigation as long as the offense was only a misdemeanor. In 1962 the jury surveyed the operation of slot machines and other gambling devices and concluded that slots could be eliminated without a severe economic impact on the county. Monies spent on gambling could be put to better use, and revenue derived from the slots were absorbed by the costs of enforcing gambling laws. Despite regulations the jurors felt proprietors were letting minors play the slots and failing to report all receipts. Their solution called for "a total abolition of these gambling devices [which] would lend itself to the introduction of better government" and less crime. A few years later slot machines were abolished throughout the state.
The next installment will look at other criminal investigations by the Anne Arundel County Grand Jury.
LIBRARY ACCESSIONS
Papers of George Washington: Revolutionary War Series, 5, Jun. - Aug. 1776.
Records of the First Reformed Church of Baltimore, 1768-1899.
Washington County, Maryland Church Records of the 18th Century, 1768-1800.
Baltz, Shirley V., Maryland Marriages and Deaths in 19th Century Newspapers, Prince George's County, Maryland, 2 vols.
Carson, Gary, et al., Of Consuming Interests: The Style of Life in the Eighteenth Century.
Coldham, Peter Wilson, Settlers of Maryland, 1701-1730.
Coldham, Peter Wilson, Settlers of Maryland, 1731-1750.
Frakes, Joseph I., Early Frakes Records with Figgs, Freke, Frake and Other Variants, 1490-1820.
Graybeal, Jay, Carroll County and the Great War of Civilization, 1917-1919.
Hutchins, Jack Randolph, William Hutchins of Carolina.
Livezey, Jon Harlan, 1831 Tax List for Harford County, Maryland, Special Publication No. 16.
Lytton, Gene, Ancestry and Progeny of Aker E. Litton, Final Chapter, 1995 Supplement.
Maryland Municipal League, Directory of Maryland Municipal Officials, 1996.
Merryweather, Melanie Ayres, Genealogy of the Worcester County Coffins.
Merryweather, Melanie Ayres, Genealogy of the Dale Family.
Merryweather, Melanie Ayres, Genealogy of the Dirickson Family.
Mills, Eric, Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War.
Otter, William, Sr., History of My Own Times, edited by Richard B. Stott.
Paul, Karen Dawley, Guide to Research Collections of Former United States Senators, 1789-1995: A List of Archival Repositories Housing the Papers of Former Senators.
Pogue, Robert E. T., Yesterday in Old St. Mary's County.
Quatannens, Jo Anne McCormick, Senators of the United States: A Historical Bibliography: A Compilation of Works by and about Members of United States Senate, 1789-1995.
Sheads, Scott, Fort McHenry.
Shelton, Emma, William Winchester, 1711-1790.
Spalding, Thomas W., St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore: The Story of a People and Their Home.
Stuebing, Henry B., Descendants of Ellin Cowgill, 1682-1800.
Talbert, Bart Rhett, Maryland: The South's First Casualty.
Thompson, Iva Evans, Genealogy of Josephine Harrison and James Hussey Lomax, I.
Weber, Richard R., Stoner Brethern: A History of John Stoner and His Descendants.
Weeks, Christopher, Alexander Smith Cochran: Modernist Architect in Traditional Baltimore.
Weiser, Frederick S., Maryland German Church Records, vol. 10: Zion Church, Manchester, Carroll County.
Weiser, Frederick S., Maryland German Church Records, vol. 9: Pipe Creek, Benjamin's, St. Benjamin's or Krider's, Jerusalem, Bachman's or Bauer's Churches, 1766-1881.
Weiser, Frederick S., Maryland German Church Records, vol. 8: St. Luke's, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Churches, Emanuel Church, 1784-1849.
Wright, F. Edward, Records of Old Otterbein Church, Baltimore, Maryland, 1785-1881.
REFERENCE REPORT
The wintery weather of January 1996 impacted reference by preventing our usual number of patrons from visiting the Archives. State offices were closed for two days, and on several other snowy and cold days few people ventured from their homes for research.
Even the compilation of non-genealogical research topics is small. Local history subjects included Bates High School in Annapolis, an Anne Arundel County landfill, St. Michael's, Carroll County, Poplar Island, and Catonsville. Other endeavors pertained to Indians, Maryland history as background for a novel, photographs of telephones, inns along the National Road, mental health and juvenile justice, and Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. The Smith Island Cultural Alliance operates a newly completed Smith Island Heritage Center which will house a museum and research materials. Members of the alliance are compiling genealogical information about former residents of Smith Island.
Circulation totals in the search room took a nosedive, down 21.4%, 7017 compared to 8926 in January 1995. Original record usage dropped 42.2%, 1286 compared to 2223. Microfilm figures fell 16.8%, 4684 compared to 5631. On four days we reached the unusual distinction of circulating less than 100 reels of film. Use of library books declined only 2.3%, 1047 compared to 1072.
The total number of researchers in January decreased 14.8%, 1036 compared to 1216. Returning patrons dropped 25.5%, 657 compared to 882. At the same time new researchers increased 13.5%, 379 compared to 334; many of them were one-time users looking for divorce decrees and other court records.
Copying demands in the search room presents mixed statistics. Photoduplication orders remained unchanged, $1498.00 in 1996 compared to $1495.75. For the first time in eighteen months reader printer income declined, $974.00 compared to $1051.50, representing a decrease of 7.4%.
People continued to phone us with reference requests and questions. But even here the weather seemed to deter the anticipated level of activity. The number of calls rose only 3.8%, 1116 compared to 1075. This is the smallest increase registered since we began to keep phone reference statistics in 1992. The average number of calls per day was 59 in January, compared to 54 last year.
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