Maryland Books

Genealogist V. L. Skinner, Jr., resumes his transcriptions of 17th-century Maryland probate records with the fourth volume of his series, Abstracts of the Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland. The first volume in the series, released in 2004 and covering the period 1658 to 1674, was transcribed from Libers 1A-1F, 2, 3, and 4A-4C at the Maryland State Archives. Volume II, covering 1670-1674 and based on Libers 5 and 6, overlaps chronologically with the previous book. Volume III spans the period 1675-1677 and 1703-1704, and is based on Libers 7, 8A, 8B, and 9A (1-371). This volume, the fourth in the series, concerns the years 1677-1682 and 1702-1704 and is transcribed from Libers 9A (372-524), 9B, 10, 11, 12A & 12B. Volume V in this series consists of abstracts of Prerogative Court of Maryland records for the period 1682-86, as found in Liber 13 (1 through 432). Volume VI extends to 1686-1689 and 1692-1693 and is based upon Liber 13 (Folios 432-519) 14, 14A & 15A. Volume VII consists of abstracts of the records for the period 1693-1697 and completes Libers 15 and 16.

The Prerogative Court was the focal point for probate in colonial Maryland. All matters of probate went directly to the Prerogative Court, which was located in Annapolis, Maryland's colonial capital. Eventually, administration of probate was delegated to the several county courts; however, many documents related to probate continued to be filed at the Prerogative Court and not in the corresponding county. It should be noted that the Prerogative Court was also the colony's court for equity cases--resolution of disputes over the settlement and distribution of an estate.

Volume IV in this series consists of abstracts of Prerogative Court of Maryland records for the period 1677 to 1682, as well as some inventories for 1702 to 1704. (Beginning in 1674, inventories and accounts were recorded in a separate series.) Mr. Skinner has combed through administration, bond, will, inventory, administration account, and final balance entries to produce this collection. The abstracts are arranged in chronological order by court session. In every instance, they give the names of the principals (testators, heirs, witnesses, administrators, and so forth). In many cases, we also learn the details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more. In all, what we have here are probate references to over 6,500 17th-century Marylanders whose existence and activities would otherwise remain hidden in some rich but very obscure records.

Genealogist V. L. Skinner, Jr., resumes his transcriptions of 17th-century Maryland probate records with the third volume of his series, Abstracts of the Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland. The first volume in Mr. Skinner's series, released in 2004 and covering the period 1658-1674, is transcribed from Libers 1A-1F, 2, 3, and 4A-4C at the Maryland State Archives. Volume II, covering 1670 to 1674 and based on Libers 5 and 6, overlaps chronologically with the previous book. This volume covers the periods 1675 to 1677 and 1703 to 1704 and is based on Libers 7, 8A, 8B, and 9A (1-371). This volume, the third in the series, spans the period 1675-1677 and 1703-1704, and is based on Libers 7, 8A, 8B, and 9A (1-371). Volume IV covers the years 1677-1682 and 1702-1704 and is transcribed from Libers 9A (372-524), 9B, 10, 11, 12A and 12B. Volume V covers the years 1682-1686, as found in Liber 13 (1-432). Volume VI covers the years 1686-1689 and 1692-1693, and is based on Libers 13 (433-519), 14, 14A, and 15A. Volume VII consists of abstracts of the records for the period 1693-1697 and completes Libers 15 and 16.

The Prerogative Court was the focal point for probate for colonial Maryland. A judge and various clerks staffed the court. All matters of probate went directly to the Prerogative Court, which was located in Annapolis, Maryland's colonial capital. Eventually, administration of probate was delegated to the several county courts; however, many documents related to probate continued to be filed at the Prerogative Court and not in the corresponding county. It should be noted that the Prerogative Court was also the colony's court for equity cases (resolution of disputes over the settlement and distribution of an estate).

Volume III contains abstracts of records of the Prerogative Court of Maryland for the period 1675 to 1677 as well as some inventories for 1703 to 1704. (Beginning in 1674, inventories and accounts were recorded in a separate series.) Mr. Skinner has combed through administration, bond, will, inventory, administration account, and final balance entries to produce this collection. The abstracts are arranged in chronological order by court session. In every instance, they give the names of the principals (testators, heirs, witnesses, administrators, and so forth). In many cases we also learn the details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more. In all, what we have here are probate references to over 6,500 17th-century Marylanders whose existence and activities would otherwise remain hidden in some rich but very obscure records.

See also the other volumes in this series:
Volume I: 1658-1674
Volume II: 1670-1674. Libers: 5, 6
Volume IV: 1677-1682 and 1702-1704. Libers: 9A (372-524), 9B, 10, 11, 12A, 12B
Volume V: 1682-1686
Volume VI: 1686-1689 and 1692-1693. Libers: 13 (433-519), 14, 14A, 15A
Volume VII: 1693-1697. Libers 1B, 15C, 16
Volume VIII: 1697-1700. Libers 17, 18A
Volume IX: 1700-1703, Libers: 18B, 19A
Volume X: 1704-1707, Libers 19B, 19C

The Prerogative Court was the focal point for probate for colonial Maryland. A judge and various clerks staffed the court. All matters of probate went directly to the Prerogative Court, which was located in the colonial capital. Eventually administration of probate was delegated to the several county courts; however, many documents related to probate continued to be filed at the Prerogative Court and not in the corresponding county.

The work at hand consists of abstracts of Prerogative Court of Maryland records for the period 1658 to 1674. Mr. Skinner has combed through administration bond, will, inventory, administration account, and final balance entries to produce this collection. The abstracts are arranged in chronological order by court session, and in every instance they give the names of the principals (testators, heirs, witnesses, administrators, and so forth). In many cases we also learn the details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more. In all, Mr. Skinner identifies some 6,000 17th-century Marylanders whose existence and activities would otherwise remain hidden in some rich but very obscure records.

I've read this book twice now and both times I have learned something new. I also teach high-school history in Arizona and use a chapter of it for my class to help my kids understand the German/Soviet conflict. It is a very well researched, outstanding book. Fun to read too with tons of good info. Highly recommended for any WWII buff or anyone studying the Eastern Front.

Mr Lucas once again displays his talent of presenting information from the German point of view, as he is a British writer. The book is a very good account of the command structure and tells how the plans were meant to work, followed by how they actually did work. If you are looking for an "Infantryman's war stories", this would not be that type of material; it is written from a field officer's perspective. Von Manstein, Kesselring, Von Arnim, they are all here. It is not their words, however, that you read. Mr Lucas makes you feel like you are observing only the German viewpoint while remaining neutral.

Theis book provides very interesting details on subjects rarely addressed on the Russian Front. I loved it. Much has been written about the tanks and infantry, but theis book teaches about the self propelled artillary, the rockets, staying warm, marching, terrain etc!

This book is unashamed to detail the bravery, endurance, guile, skill and professionalism of the brave German soldier and his equally brave Russian foe.

His writing style is excellent, the chapters and topics are short and sweet.

As Civil War histories go, this one falls on the upper end of the middle of the pack. The articles are, overall, well-written and well-presented. Although better histories of the 1862 campaign do exist (see James McPherson, "Antietam: Crossroads of Freedom"), this is a good collection of essays.

This may be a bit petty to mention, but the book is square (as opposed to rectangular), and does not fit well on a bookshelf.

I agree with the previous reviewer.

This book hits home and goes deeper into the background of the causes and conflicts arrising from the Maryland Campaign of 1862.

Take this book with you when you visit Antietam National Battlefield. You will come away with a better understanding of what took place before and after America's Bloodiest single day battle.

Highly recommended!

After reading Murfin, Sears, Priest, and various magazine articles, I thought I would go a little deeper into the wheres and whys of September 1862. What a treat! Dennis Frye is the authority on Harper's Ferry ( who's fault? Miles, McClellan, or Franklin?) Robert Krick must have been a rebel because it seems as if he was right in their midst, and standing next to R. E. Lee at that, as they crossed the Potomac. As for A. Wilson Greene, he knows and has studied McClellan with the best of historians. George Brinton McClellan could have ended the war on several occasions but instead prolonged it and then patted himself on the back. And finally, Gary Gallagher shows us "a season of opportunity...in perspective" splendidly.

The copy I received was in great condition, and was even autographed by the author. The information is very helpful when going through Baltimore.

Buy one of Mr. Okonowicz's books and you will buy them ALL!!! They are charming, witty, interesting and spooky. You will not be able to put his book down once you open it.
If you get the chance to see him give a presenation--DO NOT PASS IT UP! He's even more charming and entertaining in person!

Over and over again I run across ghost books that contain mostly old unsubstantiated legends and very few real ghost stories. Legends and folklore are fine but I strenuously object to buying a book that purports to be about ghosts only to find that the title was meant to deceive. This book contains several old legends and some chapters don't deal with ghosts at all. For example, the chapter that deals with grave robbers has not one ghost, it is certainly a creepy story but there aren't any ghosts. There is also a chapter concerning the legend of Black Aggie and another chapter basically deals with the who's who of Baltimore history that can be found buried in Green Mount Cemetery, including the grave of John Wilkes Booth. All of these chapters are highly interesting but they contain nothing about ghosts. The difference between this book and others that contain several non-ghostly tales is that this author is entirely honest and has included the words legend and lore in the subtitle. Honesty, that's all I ask.

The stories mentioned above, while containing no ghosts are extremely creepy and informative. After reading the chapter about grave robbers I now know where the term "rot-gut whiskey" comes from and I also now know where to find the infamous Black Aggie statue. Ed Okonowicz is quickly becoming one of my favorite "ghost" authors, not only because his writing is so informative but also because the stories that do contain ghosts are very well written and witty. One absolutely hilarious anecdote that Okonowicz includes in this book concerns the curator of the Edgar Allen Poe house. It seems that after he first started his new job the curator, when asked what he did for a living, would tell people that he worked at the Poe house. Many people responded by commending him on his generous spirit and at first he was simply dumbfounded by these responses. After a while though the curator figured out that many people understood him to say that he worked at the po' (poor) house. Baltimore is still a very Southern city it seems.

As I mentioned earlier, the ghost stories in this book are superb and each and every one of them is backed up by recent eyewitness testimony. As an added bonus a group of ghost hunters have rated each haunt discussed based on the activity at the location. The rating is called the Haunt And Unexplained Reports rating, HAUR (pronounced horror) for short and is based on one to five tombstones.

In the introduction the author says that he collected far more stories than he could squeeze into one book. I hope this means that there will be a sequel out very soon.

REVIEWER'S NOTE - In the second edition of this book Mr. Okonowicz has added an award-winning story about a very strange performance given by someone just like himself to a very appreciative audience. This added bit of fiction is a very imaginative and spooky way for the author to end this superb book. It is a fictitious story isn't it Ed?

Mr. Hill's book is two parts. One is a history of segregated education in Montgomery County, Maryland, adjacent to the District, from its beginning until the schools were fully integrated after 1960. For completeness, Mr. Hill discusses regional, state and national integration to some degree, putting Montgomery in a broader context. It was helpful to know, for example, what other areas were doing with regard to "colored" high schools.

Mr. Hill's tone is always dignified, letting the information speak for itself. As one example, actual numbers show the difference in expenditures for the schools and salaries for the staff, which eventually resulted in successful lawsuits. The history section is loaded with names of the individuals who made things happen, both as pioneers and as regular dedicated people going about their business. Even though a reader may be familiar with the basics of segregation in America in the 1900s, Mr. Hill gives a good local flavor of a particular location at a particular time of transition.

The second purpose of the book is archival. Each class from the three segregated high schools appears, with student and faculty rosters, awards, events, and the occasional photo, commentary, or excerpt from writings at the time.

This book serves several purposes. It begins with a long essay in the first 113 pages which covers the history of segregated schools overall (in the USA) and specific to the state of Maryland. The remainder of the book is a combination historical document and a sort of yearbook.

The long essay is informative and thoroughly yet consisely covers the major issues of segregation. The section on the classes themselves has got plenty of photo reproductions, lists of graduates of the various schools covered, copies of commencement speeches and poems, and other items. Not only does one walk away informed, but with a feeling of having almost met some of the people. The book is personal, but in the sense that it gives a persoanl view from the perspectives of many of the people involved with desegregation and education, not just the author.

I think that my favorite aspect of the book was how it conveyed an incredible sense of dignity and resolve on the part of both the instructors and the students to succeed. Beyond it's historical importance, I see the book as teaching a good lesson to contemporary students. Even though the issues have changed over time, life is still a struggle and anyone needing a little inspiration will certainly get it from seeing what all of these good people were able to accomplish when they put their minds to it.

PS-- I must confess that Mr. Hill taught me algebra in high school. So perhaps I am a bit biased ;-)

I may be biased, since the author is the teacher that most inspired me to become a teacher, but I find this book to be a treasure. It partly serves as a much-needed text to an aspect of my home county's history, and partly as yearbook for the extraordinary young people of the black high schools before integration.

I've developed a new appreciation and admiration for these citizens who have persevered and ultimately excelled. Personally, reading this history shines a light on the author, Mr. Warrick Hill, as to his ability to persevere and excel, and his ability to inspire those qualities in others.

This excellent book fills a gap for those of us who are interested in the story of the Civil War. It is the first time the fascinating tale of the role of the Chesapeake Bay during those years has been documented. Eric Mills uses primary sources to relate the lively activities that took place in and around the estuaries, creeks, and rivers of the Bay. I highly recommend it both for the information it provides and for its sheer readibility. This book is a treasure, sure to delight Civil War buffs.

Miles does a decent job of exploring how the Civil War affected those who lived along both shores of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Actually, the region covered includes a wide number of encounters and battles, as well as the capitals of both the Union (on the shore of the Potomac) and the Confederacy (on the shore of the James).

The book opens with the early skirmishes in Maryland, notably the Pratt Street Riot in Baltimore and the occupation of Annapolis by Ben Butler, before moving on to cover the Delmarva Peninsula and a variety of naval encounters in the bay, including the clash between the Monitor and the Virginia. Adding to the interest of the book is the detailing of smuggling and secret mail routes throughout the region. The book is richly illustrated with period photos and drawings, although there could have been a few more maps.

May 5, 1997. Received a copy of this splendid book Xmas 1996. Have already read it cover-to-cover three times. Have not met its superior for information and entertainment in more than 50 years of reading Civil War material. To those of us with "second homes" on Virginia's Eastern Shore (Chincoteague in this instance), it is a real eye-opener--and long overdue. Highest possible recommendation

Wennersten's history was required reading for an English course I was taking on local landscapes and culture of the Chesapeake Bay, and initially, I had a difficult time getting into this book. The tone seemed overly ponderous and the language a bit stiff. However, as I continued to read, I became impressed with Wennersten's scholarship. He drew together tons of sources, provided a balanced view, and actually supported his own conclusions. The chapter on the oyster wars was particularly enjoyable, and the one on more modern environmental damage very eye-opening. I'm sure my jaw dropped open at least a couple of times.

In the end, I donated my copy to the Penn State University library, believing that it should be available to anyone searching for information on the environmental history of the Chesapeake. Not a casual read, definitely, but Wennersten should be proud of what he put together.

The Chesapeake: An Environmental Biography by educator and political history expert John Wennersten is the informed story of the Chesapeake Bay (also called the Crown Jewel of Maryland) and the Mid-Atlantic region. From its ice age origins 20,000 years ago to how its modern-day health reflects directly on the health of waters all over the world, The Chesapeake: An Environmental Biography covers all that human science and history have known about this remarkable body of water. Strongly recommended for environmental studies reading lists and reference collections.

This book confirms Wennersten's place as a premier authority on the Chesapeake Bay region. Like his earlier books, it renders massive, meticulous scholarship in eminently readable form for the general public. Beginning before the arrival of human beings, his story traces the impact of humans on their habitat and its impact on them from the First Native Americans through the tobacco kingdoms of the colonial period and the systematic exploitation of land and water down to the present day, concluding with hopes (dim though they may be) for the future, in the face of the staggering complexity of technological, political and economic forces. With a significance that goes well beyond its regional focus, the book is far from a sentimental plea for the reclamation of lost forests and dying waterways. Instead, Wennersten presents us with a daunting vision of the kind of rethinking that might help us to resist the continued commodification of nature, and to understand the need to reconsider some or our fundamental values. The fabled independence of the waterman, the vaunted creativity of the entrepreneurial spirit, and the generally unchallenged desirability of infinite economic growth all need to be reexamined. This book is an excellent gift for anyone who wants to begin understanding the processes -- natural, economic, cultural and political -- that could very well put human beings themselves on the endangered species list.

Good reference book. A few laughs too over the old laws and rules our ancestors had to live with way back when. Will be donating to my Genealogy Society library. Enjoyed this book.

This book is an amazing look at Maryland culture under the Proprietorship, viewed through the eyes of the law. Some of the riveting chapters include: Hog Stealing, Servant Discipline and Punishment, Drunkeness, Profanity, and Witchcraft, Sickness, Chiurgery and Burials. If it was against the peace of the Right Honorable, the Lord Proprietor, it's in there. The book is worth at least ten thousand pounds of tobacco!

An excellent treatise of life in early Maryland, primarily during the 17th and 18th century. A terrific book for anyone writing about that period, novel or non-fiction. Also a real find if your family came from Maryland and you are looking for genealogical traces. It is amazing that this book is still available, but it is, and thank goodness for that! A great book for students of early criminology in the colonies.

For the beginner, this is an excellent book though it contains as much information as a coffee table book would. Sadly it doesn't have the pictures or quality of a coffee table book and is a paperback. There are some maps to help explain the battle movements but this book about the battle of Antietam is shorter than the biographies written inside about the generals involved. The biographies that are featured are presented well and are chronologically presented as the history of the battle unfolds. This is a great feature though shadows the main content of the book. There were times I wanted to turn the page and continue reading the battle information but had to stop to read a separate biography about a key general in the battle. This book is a very quick read and can probably be read in over an hour as there are roughly 111 pages of material while the rest is for Union and Confederate Order of Battle. The Order of Battle I found useless for this book as it contains major individuals not at all mentioned in the book. I could see and Order of Battle for large, indepth book but this one didn't come close to that.

As previously suggested, this book is great for the beginner learning to understand the major conflicts at Antietam but for the advanced student I wouldn't recommend it as it just doesn't contain much detail. For example, the Rohrbach Bridge/Burnside Bridge battle is covered in 5 pages (1 page contains a map, another a biography).

This is an excellent book covering the most bloody day in any American battle. Mr Jamieson writes in a concise, descriptive manner. It is easy to follow due to the many maps the author has included. This book would be interesting to either someone already knowledgeable about the American Civil War or someone just starting an interest in studying thie war. This would be a great book to take while visiting the battlefield. Also of interest are the many biographies that are included of the generals who participated in this battle.

I believe that Death In September: The Antietam Campaign is one of the best titles in the McWhiney Foundation Press's outstanding Civil War Campaigns and Commanders series. Mr. Jamieson has taken perhaps the most complex battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere and told a thrilling narrative that never bogs down in details, but still presents the essential information that all students of the battle should know. This book is a perfect resource for those who wish to learn about the battle but dread to spend their money and time on a six hundred page paperweight. I myself had the honor to tour the battlefield with Mr. Jamieson, and his personal experience with the field is reflected in text-this man knows the subject well.

I used this guide only for Maryland on this trip, and it was very useful. Fodor's is a reliable guidebook, and I will always purchase it first.

I find the guide pretty informative about many kinds of making tourism along these states, It contains lots of recommendations, hints and thorough points of view from the editors. One thing I remark is that the area dwellers have enriched the content of this book, who try to encourage the traveller to keep an eye in many things a normal guide might not point. I would recommend, though, that the book contain unfoldable color maps instead of those b&w that are within the pages, since it would clearly enhance the view of this guide, however the richness of this book lies on its variety of places of interest and its wide coverage of the minimal facts on every town of these states.

As a person who enjoys traveling, I decided to purchase this book on my first trip to Virginia Beach. This guide introduced me to many different sights to see that I never knew existed. They provide phone numbers and addresses of the locations and their descriptions of the places were very accurate. This superb book lists the best attractions, restaurants and many other things for all of the cities in Maryland and Virginia. If you're going to MD or VA for the first time or for the tenth time, this book is a great addition to add to your bag.