Maryland Land and Property

Proprietary Land
All Maryland land was first owned by the Calvert family proprietors who obtained it from the Crown. From 1633 to 1683 they issued headrights, or land grants, in return for immigrants transporting themselves and others to Maryland. In 1680 the headright system under Charles Calvert, the third Lord Baltimore, and the Land Office was created. The names of individuals receiving land through the headright system and later through cash sales are found in:

Skordas, Gust. Early Settlers of Maryland: An Index to Names of Immigrants Compiled from Records of Land Patents, 1633-1680. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1968. (FHL book 975.2 W2s.) This source lists the settler's name, immigration date, and the source of the information.

A supplement to Skordas "Early Settlers of Maryland" is: A supplement to "The Early Settlers of Maryland" comprising 8,680 entries correcting omissions and errors in Gust Skordas, The Early Settlers of Maryland, compiled by Carson Gibb. Annapolis, [Maryland]: Marland State Archives, 1997 (FHL book 975.2 W2s supp.)

Coldham, Peter Wilson. ''Settlers of Maryland. [1679- 1783'']. Five Volumes. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1995-1996. (FHL book 975.2 R28c.) This series is a continuation of the work started by Gust Skordas. It may include county, name of tract, acreage, date, and references. In the late 1600s, the headright system was replaced by cash sales of proprietary lands. The series covers 1679 to 1783.

Maryland has a digital image retrieval system (http://MDLandRec.net) to provide up to date access to all proven land records in Maryland. It is a joint Government service of the Maryland Judiciary and the Maryland State Archives. It is currently (2/08) in test mode and free to those desiring to test the system.

Military Land
During the Revolutionary War, Maryland offered land grant lots as a bounty to entice recruits to fill Maryland's enlistment quotas. These lots, located "Westward of Fort Cumberland" in present day Allegany and Garrett counties, are described in indexed land records and maps available at the Maryland State Archives. Those men receiving this land are mentioned in two publications, both of which are indexed:

Meyer, Mary K. Westward of Fort Cumberland Military Lots Set Off for Maryland's Revolutionary Soldiers: With an Appended List of Revolutionary Soldiers Granted Pensions by the State of Maryland. Finksburg, Maryland: Pipe Creek Publication, Inc., 1993. (FHL book 975.2 M2me).

Scharf, John T. ''History of Western Maryland: Being a History of Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties from the Earliest Period to the Present Day. . . 1882''. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Regional Publishing Company, 1968. (FHL book 975.2 H2s 1968; fiche 6046813; 1882 ed. on FHL films 962679-80.) This work is indexed by the following work:

Long, Helen R. Index to Scharf’s History of Western Maryland: Volumes I and II. Westminster, Md.: Clearfield Co. &amp; Family Lines Publications, 1995. (FHL book 975.2 H2s index)

Land Office Records
The Maryland State Archives has the original land office records, dating from 1634 to the present, and other early records that were once filed in each county. The land office records include land patents, surveys, grants, warrants, and proprietary rent rolls and debt books. A list of the records is in the inventory compiled by Morris Radoff, mentioned in the "Archives and Libraries" section of this outline. The Maryland State Archives also has a card index arranged by grantee, by later owners, and by county and tract name.

A guide to help you locate and use the early land records is:

Hartsook, Elizabeth, and Gust Skordas. Land Office and Prerogative Court Records of Colonial Maryland. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1968. (FHL book 975.2 B4ma No. 4 1968, also FHL microfiche 6117897).

The Maryland Historical Society has rent receipts, quitrent rolls (1633 to 1765), and debt books (1750) purchased from the Calvert family. The Family History Library has a microfilm copy of these records (FHL films 1685853-860).

County Land Records
After land was transferred to private ownership, deeds and mortgages were filed with the county clerk. Baltimore City, Maryland deeds since 1851 have been filed with the clerk of the Baltimore City Supreme Court. Many deeds and mortgages were also recorded with the Provincial Court and General Courts from 1637 to 1805. The Maryland State Archives has the original county land records and microfilm copies of many of these records to the present. You can also obtain copies by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse. The Family History Library has many of these records on microfilm.

Records at the Family History Library
The Family History Library has copies of most of the pre-1850 patents, warrants, and deeds. From the Maryland State Archives, for example, the library has 266 microfilms of Baltimore City deeds for the years 1653 to 1849 (FHL films 013323-588). The library also has the following statewide collections from the Maryland State Archives:

''Patents Series: Of the Maryland Land Office. Land patents, certificates, and warrants, 1636 to 1852.'' (FHL films 013063-141.) See also the Calvert Papers, mentioned in the "Genealogy" section of this outline. (FHL films 1685853-4)

Provincial court judgments, 1679 to 1778. (FHL films 012941-68)

The Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog lists more of these records under:

MARYLAND - LAND AND PROPERTY

MARYLAND, [COUNTY] - LAND AND PROPERTY