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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.
Abstracts of the Testamentary
Proceedings of the Prerogative
Court of Maryland—Volume IX:
1700-1703—Libers: 18B, 19A
By V. L. Skinner, Jr.; 2007;
5.5x8.5; 283 pp; softbound.
Order from the publisher
at: Clearfield Company, Inc.,
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite
260, Baltimore, MD 21211;
or www.genealogical.com;
CF9971; ISBN: 9780806353449;
$29.50 plus $4.00 p&h.
This is the ninth volume in
V. L. Skinner, Jr.’s popular series
of transcriptions of 17thcentury
Maryland probate
records. Volume IX of Abstracts of the Testamentary
Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland (1700–
1703) marks the first one in the series whose coverage
is confined solely to the 18th century.
The Prerogative Court was the focal point for
probate in 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. (Beginning in 1674, inventories and accounts
were recorded in a separate series.)
Volume IX consists of abstracts of the records for
the period 1700 to 1703. 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. Beginning with the previous
volume in this series, it is interesting to note,
the Prerogative Court no longer assigned appraisers
for the assessment of individuals’ property. In
all, this volume refers to roughly 7,500 residents of
the Province of Maryland at the outset of the 18th
century.
Abstracts of the Testamentary
Proceedings of the Prerogative
Court of Maryland—Volume X:
1704-1707—Libers 19B, 19C
By V. L. Skinner, Jr.; Originally
printed in 2007; Reprinted
2008; 5.5x8.5; 256
pp; softbound. Order from
the publisher at: Clearfield
Company, Inc., 3600 Clipper
Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore,
MD 21211; or www.
genealogical.com; CF9972;
ISBN: 9780806353487; $29.50
plus $4.00 p&h.
This is the tenth volume
of Abstracts of the Testamentary
Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland
(1704–1707), 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.
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. (Beginning in
1674, inventories and accounts were recorded in a
separate series.)
Volume X consists of abstracts of the records for
the period 1704 to 1707. Mr. Skinner has combed
through administration, bond, will, inventory, administration
account, 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.
134 © Ev e r t o n’s Ge n e a l o g i c a l He l p e r Ja n ua ry/Fe b r u a r y 2009