Libers 5 and 6, 1670-1674
Genealogist V. L. Skinner, Jr., resumes his transcriptions of 17th-century Maryland probate records with the second volume of his series, Abstracts of the Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland: 1670-1674. 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 to 1674, is based on Libers 5 and 6 and overlaps chronologically with the previous book. Mr. Skinner attributes the relatively large number of records for this five-year period to an increase in equity cases.
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 II in this series consists of abstracts of the Prerogative Court of Maryland records for the period 1670 to 1674. (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 5,000 17th-century Marylanders whose existence and activities would otherwise remain hidden in some rich but very obscure records.
Vernon L. Skinner, Jr.
(2005), 2007, paper, 300 pp.
ISBN: 9780806352831
102-9880
