This column previously addressed the nature of the patent system in early colonial Maryland.
To conduct genealogical and historical research in these records, one must access them through the Maryland State Archives, in Annapolis, Maryland. The Maryland State Archives has an online Guide to Government Records on their website, which lists all of their current archival holdings. This Guide can be searched for records by jurisdiction, agency, record name, record date, and record format. The various series of patent records are among these holdings.
There are two series of patent record books. These record books contain several different kinds of records created during the patent process, recorded by clerks at the colonial Land Office. The two series have been accessioned at the Maryland State Archives as “LAND OFFICE (Patent Record, Original)” and “LAND OFFICE (Patent Record).” Both series are available in their original form as well as on microfilm.
The first series, “Patent Record, Original,” are the original volumes of patent records. Some of these original volumes are no longer extant, and others are in such a tattered condition that they are no longer available for research. However, these have been microfilmed from 1657 through 1683. The original volumes bear the Maryland State Archives series identification “MSA S920.” The microfilm edition bears the series identification “MSA SM215.”
The second series, “Patent Record,” are early transcripts of the original volumes of patent records. The earliest volumes of this patent record series contain transcripts of original patent books that have been lost or destroyed. Some of these early volumes are only available for research as photostat copies, and others cannot be viewed due to condition. Again, however, these patent record books have been microfilmed, beginning with the earliest patents in 1637. The original volumes bear the series identification “MSA S11,” and the microfilm edition bears the identification “MSA SM2.” Some of the early volumes have also been partially transcribed in the Archives of Maryland Online series.
Because the “Patent Record” series of volumes consists of transcripts of other, earlier volumes, they also carry an interesting characteristic: citations of the original volume and page numbers. These refer to the volumes in the “Patent Record, Original” series, though, as mentioned, some of these early volumes have been lost or destroyed.
The example displayed above comes from
As you can see, the page number 410 refers to the page in the current volume. Directly below this page number, in the margin, the reference to the original volume and page number appears. In this case, you can see that the records on this page were transcribed from the original Liber WT, folio 436.
Returning to the Guide to Government Records for series MSA S920, you will see that the original Liber WT is available for viewing, so you can view the record in its original recorded form.
Many of the patent records have also been indexed and references, with some information extracted, in the book The Early Settlers of Maryland by Gust Skordas, originally published by Genealogical Publishing Co., in 1968 (reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2008). In 1998, Dr. Carson Gibb also published Supplement to Early Settlers of Maryland, incorporating many additional records that were not included in Skordas’s original publication. Both of these volumes have been electronically indexed, and are fully searchable on the Maryland State Archives website: “New Early Settlers of Maryland Query.”
This article has only dealt with the two series of recorded patent records. In addition to these record books, the Maryland State Archives also has two broad series of certificates: “Patented” and “Unpatented.” These certificates are further organized by county. These certificates will be discussed in detail in a future column.
Comments