On 24 July 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States designated November ‘Black Catholic History Month.’ Thank you to Craig Manson of the GeneaBlogie blog for informing us of this interesting topic.
Roman Catholic church records are an interesting set of records, in general. Because these records are usually written in Latin, one must be able to recognize some of the translated names—like Jacobii for James or Jim, and Maria for Mary—in order to identify the subjects. Luckily, these records are also generally complete, though access depends on the policies of each individual diocese. It is not uncommon to find not only baptisms, marriages, and burials, but also records of confirmations, communions, and other sacraments.
The Catholic Carroll family of Irish origin was among the early settlers in southern Maryland, and quickly allied itself with the Calverts (the Lords Baltimore) and other powerful Maryland families and landowners. A descendent of the original settler, Charles Carroll of Carrollton served as the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence from any of the thirteen colonies. He was also one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the state of Maryland.
One large tract of land that was passed down through the Carroll family, and to this day remains in family hands, was a large plantation known as “Doughoregan Manor,” lying in what is now Howard County, Maryland. In his later years, Charles Carroll of Carrollton made this plantation his home. So did many African-Americans throughout their lives. Nearly two hundred slaves lived on the plantation at any given time during the life of “the Signer,” as Charles of Carrollton is sometimes called. Descendants of these slaves lived on the land for many years after their freedom as well, sometimes remaining in service to the Carroll family.
Attached to the main house at Doughoregan is a small chapel, called “St. Mary’s Chapel.” Originally built to serve the religious needs of the Carroll family (and its slaves), the chapel dates back to the early eighteenth century. In his 1831 will, Charles Carroll of Carrollton devised St. Mary’s Chapel to the archbishop of Baltimore for “public worship.” It is likely that the chapel hosted masses for the surrounding neighborhood at this time.In 1855, St. Louis Church was built in Clarksville, Howard Co., Maryland, to serve the area, and its priests served St. Mary’s Chapel as well. Unfortunately, the earliest records of St. Mary’s must no longer be available, or remain in the custody of the Carroll family, for the St. Louis collection begins only in 1856. The records are available on microfilm at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, Maryland. The registers of St. Louis Church contain sacraments— including baptisms, marriages, and burials—held at St. Mary’s Chapel. Many of the former slaves and descendents of former slaves from Doughoregan Manor appear in these records into the early twentieth century.
SOURCE NOTES:
The information above about the history of the St. Louis Church is partially based on information at the Maryland State Archives website, and on the author’s own research:
“St. Louis Church Collection, MSA SC 2582,” Guide to Special Collections, Maryland State Archives, (http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/cfm/dsp_number.cfm?speccol=2582 : accessed 12 Nov 2009).
The photos above depict St. Mary's Chapel at Doughoregan Manor and slave quarters at Doughoregan Manor. The chapel photograph is available on the website of the Library of Congress, as part of the Theodor Horydczak Collection. The slave quarters photograph, taken in 1936 by E. H. Pickering, is also available on the website of the Library of Congress, as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey.
This article has been posted on November 12, in response to the NaBloPoMo challenge of posting one article every day throughout the month of November.
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