Research Links

Only about 10% of all genealogical data is currently available online. Therefore, genealogical research still needs to be done "the old fashioned way" by researching at local genealogical societies, archives, repositories, libraries and court houses, etc.

Hopefully, the following list of links may be useful in your genealogical research for Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties and for surrounding areas in Maryland. If you would like to submit a helpful genealogy research link, or if you are a USGSMD member and would like to have your family genealogy website listed, please email usgsmd@yahoo.com.

African American Genealogy Resources

Caroline County

Beneath the Underground Database, Caroline County, searchable, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives
Certificates of Freedom 1806 - 1827, Caroline County Court, Volume 836, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Certificates of Freedom 1827 - 1857, Caroline County Court, Volume 834, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Certificates of Freedom 1857 - 1864, Caroline County Court, Volume 835, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives

Dorchester County

Beneath the Underground Database, Dorchester County, searchable, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives
Chattel Records 1842 - 1847, Dorchester County Court, Volume 774, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Chattel Records 1847 - 1852, Dorchester County Court, Volume 805, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Chattel Records 1852 - 1860, Dorchester County Court, Volume 776, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives

Kent County

Beneath the Underground Database, Kent County, searchable, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives
Certificates of Freedom 1849 - 1864, Kent County Court, Volume 853, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Valuations and Distribution of Slaves 1860 - 1895, Kent County Register of Wills, Volume 860, Arhives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives

Queen Anne's County

Beneath the Underground Database, Queen Anne's County, searchable, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives
Certificates of Freedom 1807 - 1848, 1858, Queen Anne's County Register of Wills, Volume 854, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Manumissions Index 1787 - 1865, pdf, Queen Anne's County Circuit Court Records, Maryland State Archives

Talbot County

Beneath the Underground Database, Talbot County, searchable, Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives
Certificates of Freedom 1807 - 1815, Talbot County Court, Volume 858, Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives

Maryland

African American Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland
African American Genealogy, resources and databases, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland
Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, searchable database, many resources, Maryland State Archives
Slavery Commission, many records viewable online, Archives of Maryland Online

USA

African American Records, National Archives
Freedman's Bank Records 1865-1874, searchable, FamilySearch
Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner, 1865-1872, FamilySearch
Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Commissioner, 1865-1872, FamilySearch
Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Superintendent of Education and of the Division of Education, 1865-1872, FamilySearch
Freedmen's Branch Records, 1872-1878, FamilySearch

[top]

Cemetery Records

Caroline County

Beneath These Stones - Tombstones of Caroline County, by USGSMD, available at the USGSMD Research Center and for sale at the USGSMD Bookstore

Caroline County Cemeteries, Findagrave

Dorchester County

Cemeteries, Dorchester County MDGenWeb Archives
Dorchester County Cemeteries, Findagrave
Tombstone Records of Dorchester County, Maryland 1678 - 1964 and Additional Tombstone Records, Dorchester County, Maryland 1982, comp. by Nellie M. Marshall. Dorchester County Historical Society, available at the USGSMD Research Center
Old Trinity Church, Church Creek, searchable index

Kent County

Kent County Cemeteries - Tombstoning in Kent County, by USGSMD, available at the USGSMD Research Center and for sale at the USGSMD Bookstore

Kent County Cemeteries, Findagrave

Queen Anne's County

Queen Anne Remembers - Tombstones of Queen Anne's County, by USGSMD, available at the USGSMD Research Center and for sale at the USGSMD Bookstore

Queen Anne's County Cemeteries, Findagrave

Talbot County

Talbot County Cemeteries, Findagrave
Tombstones of Talbot County, by USGSMD, available at the USGSMD Research Center and for sale at the USGSMD Bookstore

[top]

Census Records

Maryland

1776 and 1778 Maryland Census Records, alphabetical, Maryland State Archives

USA

1790 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1800 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1810 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1820 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1830 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1840 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1850 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1860 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1870 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1880 US Federal Census, free and searchable, Ancestry.com
1880 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1900 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1910 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1920 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1930 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org
1940 US Federal Census, free and searchable, Ancestry.com
1940 US Federal Census, free and searchable, FamilySearch.org

[top]

Church Records

Caroline County

Caroline County Churches, Maryland State Archives, list of churches, some church records have been archived.

Dorchester County

Cambridge Circuit, Neck District, 1830 - 1880, Marriages, Baptisms and Deaths, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine
Church Creek Charge, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine

Cokesbury M. P. Church Records, class records and baptisms, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine
Dorchester Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Dorchester County Churches, Maryland State Archives, list of churches, some church records have been archived.
Friendship Church, Airey, MD - Register of Members 1890's, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine
Galestown M.P. Church 1868 - 1878, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine
Hooper's Island Methodist Episcopal Church South 1882 - 1898, Deaths, Baptisms and Marriages, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine
Old Trinity Church, Church Creek
Wheatley M.P. Church, Class Records 1868, Dorchester County, MD Genealogical Magazine

Kent County

Kent County Churches, Maryland State Archives, list of churches, some church records have been archived.

Queen Anne's County

Old Churches of Queen Anne's County, 1938, by Homemaker's Clubs of Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County Churches, Maryland State Archives, list of churches, some church records have been archived.

Talbot County

Talbot County Churches, Maryland State Archives, list of churches, some church records have been archived.

Maryland

Barratt's Chapel and Museum of Methodism, database and repository for Eastern Shore Maryland Methodist church records
Maryland Churches, Maryland State Archives, list of churches, some church records have been archived.
Methodist Episcopal Church Records, Hillsborough Circuit, 1860 - 1890, by USGSMD, Caroline, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties: Hall's Cross Road, St. Paul's, King's Creek, Wye Mills, Magee's Chapel, Ridgely, Beaver Dam, Miles River, and Hillsboro. Available at the USGSMD Research Center and for sale at the USGSMD Bookstore

USA

The United Methodist Church, General Commision on Archives and History, Annual Conference Journal Memoirs Index, Obituaries and Honor Rolls; searchable

[top]

Databases and Websites

Caroline County

Dorchester County

Kent County

Queen Anne's County

Talbot County

Maryland and more

Access Genealogy, A Free Genealogy Resource, Maryland
Ancestry.com, $
Ancestry.com List of Free Index Collection, free and searchable, Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com List of Maryland Data Collections, some free, Ancestry.com
Ancestry Wiki, free
Archives of Maryland Online, Maryland State Archives
Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet, Maryland
Early Chesapeake Families, pedigrees and DNA project
Ethnic Research in Maryland, Maryland State Archives
FamilySearch.org, free
FamilySearch - Maryland Records, free, list of Maryland records, more at the bottom of page
FamilySearch Maryland Wiki, links and history
Freepages RootsWeb Genealogy Websites Index
Maryland State Archives
Maryland State Archives, Reference and Research, holdings and online records
RootsWeb, free
US National Archives
WikiTree, free

[top]

Death Certificates

Maryland

Instructions on how to find a death record at the Maryland State Archives
Maryland Death Certificates - Index 1898-1944, Maryland State Archives
Maryland Death Certificates - Index 1945-1968, Maryland State Archives
Maryland Death Certificates - Index 1973-2014, Maryland State Archives

[top]

DNA

DNA quick reference

Autosomal DNA, test for both males and females to find both their mother's and father's DNA lineage and cousins. All males and females get 1/2 their DNA from their mother and 1/2 their DNA from their father. Therefore, all males and females get 1/4 of their DNA from each grandparent, 1/8 from each great grandparent, etc.
MtDNA (Mitochondrial DNA), test for both males and females to get their mother's mother's mother's etc. line. Males and females get MtDNA from their mother only.
YDNA, test for males only (males have an X chromosome and a Y; females have 2 X chromosomes). The YDNA test will get their father's father's father's etc. line. Males get a Y chromosome from their fathers only and fathers pass a Y chromosome to their sons only.
X Chromosome, part of the Autosomal DNA, males have one X chromosome and females have 2 X chromosomes. Not to be confused with Mitochondrial DNA. Males get an X chromosome from their mother only, while females get an X chromosome from both their mother and father. Fathers pass an X chromosome only to their daughters and mothers pass an X Chromosome to their sons and daughters.
Beginners Guide to Genetic Genealogy by Kelly Wheaton, great resource and easy to understand.
ISOGG - International Society of Genetic Genealogy's Beginners' Guides to Genetic Genealogy

DNA Testing Companies

23andMe.com, one test available for both males and females that tests all of the following: Autosomal DNA (males and females), YDNA (males only) and Mitochondrial DNA (males and females) and health.
AncestryDNA, one test available for both males and females, tests autosomal DNA only, to get both your mother's and father's DNA lineage and cousins.
FamilyTreeDNA.com, 3 types of tests available; Autosomal (for males and females), Mitochondrial DNA (for males and females) and Ydna (for males only).

DNA Tools and Websites

AncestryDNA Helper by Jeff Snavely for Chrome, free, This extension downloads list of matching users and ancestor information and helps with analyzing and comparing your AncestryDNA test results and more.
GEDmatch.com, free, download your Ancestry, 23andMe and FTDNA DNA results to compare to others and cousins to view which chromosomes you match, and many other great tools. 2016 - Ranked the Top 20th Genealogy Site and 2014 FGS Award.
Genome Mate Pro, free, A tool for managing DNA comparisons. Genome Mate Pro is an app to help manage the data collected from autosomal DNA research. Data is stored locally on the user’s computer, not in the cloud or on a server.

[top]

Facebook Groups

[top]

How To...

Genealogy

Back to the Basics: Genealogy 101 - Video, youtube, free, Ancestry
Begin Your Genealogy Quest, FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch Wiki, FamilySearch.org
Genealogy Learning and Guidance, About.com
Researching your Revolutionary War Patriot Ancestor

Genealogy Website, free

Genealogy Web Creations, Website Design for the Genealogist, Patricia Geary
Working With Rootsweb Freepages Accounts, by Patricia Geary, How to request a free website account, organize and create your genealogy website and how to download your gedcom to WorldConnect for free, pdf.

[top]

Land Records, Deeds, Plats and Maps

Guide to Maryland Land Records Online, by USGSMD Member, Gary Willis

Caroline County

Caroline County Plats, go to advanced search and type surname in description, Maryland State Archives

Dorchester County

Dorchester County Plats, go to advanced search and type surname in description, Maryland State Archives

Kent County

Kent County Plats, go to advanced search and type surname in description, Maryland State Archives

Queen Anne's County

Queen Anne's County Plats, go to advanced search and type surname in description, Maryland State Archives

Talbot County

Talbot County Plats, go to advanced search and type surname in description, Maryland State Archives

Maryland

1910 Maryland and Delaware Census Map, AccessGenealogy.com
Maryland Land Records - Deeds, free, need to register, Maryland State Archives
Maryland Plats, Maryland State Archives

[top]

Marriages

Caroline County

1774 - 1851 - Original Book, Maryland State Archives
1774 - 1781, Genealogy Trails
1774 - 1815, Sandy's Index
1774 - 1815, $ Ancestry.com
1845 - 1847, Genealogy Trails
1848 - 1849, Genealogy Trails
1850, Genealogy Trails
1865 - 1886 - Original Book, Maryland State Archives
Marriages From the Journal of American Ancestry Genealogy, Genealogy Trails

Dorchester County

1780 - 1867
1865 - 1876
1866 - 1906
1877 - 1885
1906 - 1921, MDGenWeb Archives
1861 - 1879 Church Creek Charge Marriages, Dorchester County Maryland Genealogical Magazine
Misc. Early Marriages from "History of Dorchester County" by Elias Jones 1902, GenealogyBuff.com

Kent County

1654 - 1676, MDGenWeb Archives
1699 - 1715, Genealogy Trails

Queen Anne's County

1730 - 1740, Genealogy Trails
1817 - 1858, Sandy's Index
1817 - 1906 - Original Book, Maryland State Archives
1865 - 1908, Sandy's Index

Talbot County

1663 - 1681, MDGenWeb Archives
1796 - 1810, $ Ancestry.com
Pre - 1800, Genealogy Trails
1800 - 1803, Genealogy Trails
1804 - 1805, Genealogy Trails
Marriage Announcements, Genealogy Trails
Marriages from the Journal of American Ancestry Genealogy, Genealogy Trails

Maryland

1634 - 1777, Ancestry.com $
1649 - 1720 and 1774 - 1886, index alphabetized by bride and groom, Maryland State Archives
1655 - 1850, Ancestry.com $
1666 - 1970, FamilySearch.org
1667 - 1899, Ancestry.com $
1727 - 1839, Marriages and Deaths from the Maryland Gazette, Ancestry.com $
1788 - 1800, Ancestry.com $
1801 - 1820, Ancestry.com $
1837 - 1850, Index to Marriages and Deaths in the Baltimore Sun, Ancestry.com $
1851 - 1860, Index to Marriages and Deaths in the Baltimore Sun, Ancestry.com $
Marriage Reference Guide, Maryland State Archives

[top]

Member Websites

BALL-KILBOURNE, Gary L. - Prairie Genealogy

CREEDEN, Kathryn - Kathryn's Quest

JANSEN, J. Bradley - GEDMatch.com

MILLER, Stephani - My Eastern Shore Roots

PROUSE, Randall - WikiTree.com

REDMAN, Matthew C. - Descendants of John Redman of Virginia's Northern Neck with Matt Redman's Ancestors & Allied Families, Ancestry.com RUFFNER, Malissa - Family Epic, Storied Genealogical Research

THOMAS, Nathalie - Nathalie's - Thomas Family Genealogy

WILLIS, Gary Noble - Digging Up Dead Relatives

* * *

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center, Indiana

Caroline County Public Library, Maryland

Cincinnati Public Library, Ohio

Dorchester County Public Library, Maryland

Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland

Family Search International

Historical Society of Kent County, Maryland

Kent County Public Library, Maryland

Maryland Historical Society

Mid-Continent Public Library - Midwest Genealogy Center, Missouri

Queen Anne's County Free Library, Maryland

Talbot County Free Library, Maryland

Wisconsin Historical Society

[top]

Military

Maryland

The British Invasion of Maryland 1812 - 1815 and Maryland Roster of War of 1812, PDF, Roster starts on page 205

USA

Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865, free and searchable, Ancestry.com
Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865, free and searchable, Ancestry.com

[top]

Newspapers

Caroline County

Caroline County Newspapers, Maryland State Archives
Caroline County Online Newspapers:, Maryland State Archives

Denton Journal 1870 - 1965, $ Ancestry.com
Denton Journal 1870 - 1965, Caroline County Public Library
Denton Journal 1870 - 1965, $ NewspaperArchive.com
NewsBank Database:, searchable, Caroline County Public Library

Bay Times 2008 - Current
The Capital 1991 - Current
Crisfield Times 2007 - Current
Dorchester Star 2006 - Current
Kent County News 2006 - Current
Record Observer 2006 - Current
The Star Democrat 2005 - Current
Sunday Star 2005 - Current
Times Record 2006 - Current

Dorchester County

Dorchester County Newspapers, Maryland State Archives
Dorchester County Online Newspapers:, Maryland State Archives

NewsBank Database:, searchable, Dorchester County Public Library

Bay Times 2008 - Current
The Capital 1991 - Current
Crisfield Times 2007 - Current
Dorchester Star 2006 - Current
Kent County News 2006 - Current
Record Observer 2006 - Current
The Star Democrat 2005 - Current
Sunday Star 2005 - Current
Times Record 2006 - Current

Kent County

Kent County Newspapers, Maryland State Archives
Kent County Online Newspapers:, Maryland State Archives

NewsBank Database:, searchable, Kent County Public Library

The Star Democrat 2005 - Current

Queen Anne's County

Digital Newspaper Archives:, searchable, Queen Anne's County Library

Bay Times 1980 - 2014
Record Observer 1980 - 2014

NewsBank Database:, searchable, Queen Anne's County Library

Bay Times 2008 - Current
The Capital 1991 - Current
Crisfield Times 2007 - Current
Dorchester Star 2006 - Current
Kent County News 2006 - Current
Record Observer 2006 - Current
The Star Democrat 2005 - Current
Sunday Star 2005 - Current
Times Record 2006 - Current

Queen Anne's County Newspapers, Maryland State Archives
Queen Anne's County Online Newspapers:, Maryland State Archives

Talbot County

Talbot County Newspapers, Maryland State Archives
Talbot County Online Newspapers:, Maryland State Archives

NewsBank Database:, searchable, Talbot County Free Library

Bay Times 2008 - Current
The Capital 1991 - Current
Crisfield Times 2007 - Current
Dorchester Star 2006 - Current
Kent County News 2006 - Current
Record Observer 2006 - Current
The Star Democrat 2005 - Current
Sunday Star 2005 - Current
Times Record 2006 - Current

Maryland

Chronicling America - Historic American Newspapers, free, Library of Congress
Google News Archive, free, Google
Maryland Early State Records - Newspapers, Early State Records Online - Maryland State Archives
Maryland Newspapers, Maryland State Archives
Maryland Online Historical Newspapers Summary, The Ancestor Hunt
Online Digitized Maryland Newspapers, Maryland State Archives

[top]

Societies and Libraries

Caroline County

Dorchester County

Kent County

Queen Anne's County

Talbot County

Maryland

[top]

Wills, Estates and Probate

Caroline County

Administrative Accounts Index 1703-1776, for Administrative Account Books in the Register of Wills Records on FamilySearch.org (link below). By USGSMD Member Gary Willis.
Administrative Accounts Index 1790-1805, for Administrative Account Books in the Register of Wills Records on FamilySearch.org (link below). By USGSMD Member Gary Willis.
Administrative Accounts Index 1805-1817, for Administrative Account Books in the Register of Wills Records on FamilySearch.org (link below). By USGSMD Member Gary Willis.
Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, FamilySearch.org
Register of Wills Records, FamilySearch.org
Will Index 1688 - 1898, MDGenWeb Project
Will and Probate Records Index 1634 - 1940, over 1,000 pages. A joint volunteer project by the Maryland State Archives, Comptroller of the Treasury, Register of Wills and FamilySearch. The volunteers are in the process of indexing all of the Maryland counties. Baltimore and Carroll counties have also been completed. If you would like to volunteer for this project, please email usgsmd@yahoo.com.

Dorchester County

Kent County

Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, FamilySearch.org
Register of Wills Records, FamilySearch.org

Queen Anne's County

Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, FamilySearch.org
Register of Wills Records, FamilySearch.org

Talbot County

Maryland

1635 - 1777 Perogative Court Wills, Maryland State Archives
Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, FamilySearch.org
Register of Wills Records, FamilySearch.org
Register of Wills Office, Estate Search, free, searchable, Maryland.gov
Will and Probate Records Index 1634 - 1940, Maryland Genealogical Society. A joint volunteer project by the Maryland State Archives, Comptroller of the Treasury, Register of Wills and FamilySearch. The volunteers are in the process of indexing all of the Maryland counties. Baltimore, Caroline and Carroll counties have been completed. If you would like to volunteer for this project, please email usgsmd@yahoo.com.

Research Links

Table of Contents:

African American Genealogy Resources

Cemetery Records

Census Records

Church Records

Databases and Websites

Death Certificates

DNA

Facebook Groups

How To...

Land Records, Deeds, Plats and Maps

Marriages

Member Websites

Military

Newspapers

Societies and Libraries

Wills, Estates and Probate