Abstracts of the Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland Volume X - Historical Genealogy Research for Family History & Legal Document Studies

Libers 19B, 19C; 1704-1707

This is the tenth volume of Abstracts of the Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland, by V. L. Skinner. By now, readers of this excellent series know that the Prerogative Court was the focal point for probate in colonial Maryland. All matters of probate went directly to this Court, located in Maryland's colonial capital, first in St. Mary's City until 1694 and later in Annapolis. 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 Prerogative Court was also the colony's court for equity cases (resolution of disputes over the settlement and distribution of an estate).

Volume X consists of abstracts of the records for the period 1704 to 1707. (Beginning in 1674, inventories and accounts were recorded in a separate series). Mr. Skinner has combed through administration, bond, will, inventory, administration accounts, and final balance entries to produce this collection. The abstracts are arranged chronologically by court session. For the most part, the transcriptions state the names of the principals (testators, heirs, witnesses, administrators, and so forth) as well as details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more. In all, this volume refers to roughly 7,000 residents of the Province of Maryland between 1704 and 1707.

Vernon L. Skinner, Jr.

2007, paper, 256 pp.

ISBN: 9780806353487

102-9972