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Calvert County, Maryland

County Court, Probate, Land & Tax Records  •  County Census Records
County Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records
County Cemeteries & Graveyards  •  County Church & Bible Records

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Calvert County was created in 1654 and was formed as an Original County. The County was named for the Calvert family. Prior to 1658 it was called Patuxent, after the Patuxent Indians, a branch of the Algonquians.. The County Seat is Prince Frederick. Most records were destroyed when the courthouse burned in 1882, but some deeds dating back to 1840 were re-recorded. Abstracts of deeds sent to Annapolis beginning in 1784 and provincial court deeds/land office records also make up for some of the destroyed records.

Established in 1654, Calvert County is one of the oldest counties in the United States. Native people lived in Calvert County 9,000 years ago, according to evidence unearthed by archaeologists at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. Calvert County's earliest identified settlers were Piscataway Indians. Indian tribes established villages at intervals along the river with the largest being at the mouth of Battle Creek. They grew corn and tobacco on rich farmlands that were to prove very attractive to colonists arriving from England in the early 1600's.

John Smith is reported to be the first Western man to lay eyes on Calvert County's peninsula, describing it in his journal as he saw it in 1608 during his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. The first English settlement in Southern Maryland dates to somewhere between 1637 and 1642, although the county was actually organized in 1654. Established by Cecelius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, English gentry were the first settlers, followed by Puritans, Huguenots, Quakers and Scots. In 1695, Calvert County was partitioned into St. Mary's, Charles and Prince George's, and its boundaries became substantially what they are today.

The original location of the county seat was Calvertown, Calvert Town or Calvert Towne, on the Patuxent. When this proved to be inconvenient the county seat was moved in 1722 by an Act of the Assembly to a tract known as "Williams' Old Field" which was designated as the site of a new courthouse. The town created by this act was named Prince Frederick. The Courthouse was finally completed in 1732.

British troops invaded Calvert County in 1780, during the Revolutionary War. A second invasion took place during the War of 1812, when Calvert County became a battleground, both on land and sea. The battle of Barney's flotilla at the mouth of St. Leonard's Creek is an exciting and important point in county history. Recently divers discovered the remains of that famous flotilla at the bottom of the creek where Barney's men scuttled their barges to keep them from falling into British hands. During this engagement, the county court house and jail were burned.

The main crop in Calvert County was tobacco, a labor-intensive crop that resulted in a reliance on slavery to make it profitable. This made the county very vulnerable to the forces that tore at the nation, resulting in the Civil War. Although Maryland was officially aligned with the North, many countians sympathized with the Confederate cause. A prison camp for captured southerners was built at the mouth of Battle Creek, near the site of Calvertown.

When slavery was ended, profound changes swept the countryside. Out of necessity, the economy of the county turned away from large plantations dependent on cheap labor and to the livelihood available in the waters. In 1867, Captain Isaac Solomon established a commercial fishery in the southernmost part of the county, which became known as Solomon's Island. A cannery and a fishing fleet combined with boat building to create a bustling economy.

Life in Calvert County continued without much change into the 20t` century. The introduction of the automobile made inland travel more attractive, although the lack of good roads made for a rough ride. In 1936, the county had only 15.2 miles of paved roads. Electrification did not come to the county until 1939, when Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative began service in the area. A toll bridge was built across the Patuxent River at Hallowing Point in 1951, connecting Calvert and Charles Counties. A workboat or ferry was the only direct link with St. Mary's County from Solomons. As recently as 1972, children in Solomons commuted to school in St. Mary's County by boat.

The Second World War brought real change to Calvert County. In 1942, Solomons became the training site for Navy and Marine detachments, with the establishment of an Amphibious Training Base at Dowell. The invasion of Normandy was simulated on the lower Cliffs of Calvert. This influx of personnel and dollars brought a new prosperity to the county.

Two other improvements that have dramatically affected the county are the construction of MD RtA, and the Thomas Johnson Bridge. Md Rt. 4, a 38 mile-long four-lane highway begun in 1964 and completed in 1987, runs the length of the county and is named after Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein. The Thomas Johnson Bridge connects Solomons to St. Mary's County. These changes have fueled the remarkable growth that Calvert County is experiencing today. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Calvert County are Anne Arundel County (north), Prince George's County (northwest), Charles County (west), Dorchester County (east), Talbot County (east), St. Mary's County (south).

Calvert County Towns Include Chesapeake Beach, North Beach. Communities Include Barstow, Broomes Island, Dares Beach, Dowell, Lower Marlboro, Port Republic, Sunderland. (Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government.)

Various organizations, such as the United States Census Bureau, the United States Postal Service, and local chambers of commerce, define the communities they wish to recognize differently, and since they are not incorporated, their boundaries have no official status outside the organizations in question. The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county: Calvert Beach-Long Beach, Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point, Dunkirk, Huntingtown, Lusby, Owings, Prince Frederick, St. Leonard, Solomons.

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County Court, Probate and Tax Records

See Also Maryland Land Records, Marriage Records, Court, Tax & Probate Records

Government records of Calvert County are available in original, microfilm and digital formats from the Maryland State Archives The Official County website is located at http://www.co.cal.md.us/government/.See also Courthouse History.

NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. Most records were destroyed when the courthouse burned in 1882, but some deeds dating back to 1840 were re-recorded. Abstracts of deeds sent to Annapolis beginning in 1784 and provincial court deeds/land office records also make up for some of the destroyed records.

Calvert County Register of Wills/ Clerk of Orphan's Court has Probate Records from 1882 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number:

The Register of Wills is responsibl for appointing personal representatives to administer decedents estates and for overseeing the proper and timely administration of these proceedings. We also perform the following duties: assist and advise the public in the preparation of all required forms; maintain and preserve the permanent record of all proceedings; serve as the Clerk to the Orphans Court; track estates and refer delinquent matters to the Court; determine and collect inheritance taxes and probate fees/court costs; audit accounts of personal representatives and guardians; and, verify compliance with court orders.

Calvert County Circuit Court Clerk has Land Records from 1882 and Marriage Records from earliest to 1919 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number:

The Clerk's responsibilities include supervising Clerk's office personnel in the civil, criminal, courtroom clerks, business license, marriage license, land records, and juvenile units.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Maryland Calendar of Wills, Maryland Marriages, 1655-1850 and Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899.

The earliest tax records are to be found among the proprietary papers, dating from the 1630s. At the Maryland State Archives is a tax list for St. Anne's Parish, Anne Arundel County, 1764-66. Also here are the surviving 1798 U.S. direct tax records, for Anne Arundel County (indexed), Baltimore County and City, and the counties of Caroline, Charles, Harford, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, Saint Mary's, Somerset, and Talbot.

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Research In Vital Records or Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in Maryland

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Division of Vital Records Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, 6550 Reisterstown Rd., Reistertown Road Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21215; (410) 764-3038 or (800), 832-3277, Fax: (410) 358-0738. The Division of Vital Records of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues certified copies of birth, death, fetal death, and marriage certificates for events that occur in Maryland. The Division also provides divorce verifications. The Division provides information on procedures to follow for registering an adoption, legitimation, or an adjudication of paternity. Calvert County Health Department has Births, Death and marriage records after 1919

RECORDS AVAILABILITY AND COST

  • Birth Certificates: The state of Maryland began issuing certificates for births since Aug 1898. Birth certificates for individuals born in Maryland after 1939 are also available for same day service at local health departments in all jurisdictions except Montgomery County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County. The State of Maryland Archives has Birth certificates since 1875 for Baltimore City and 1898 for Maryland counties.
    • Cost is $25.00 per certificate, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates:The state of Maryland began issuing certificates for deaths since since 1969. Within 30 days of a death, copies of the record may also be obtained from the local health department in which the funeral director filed the death certificate, with the exception of Baltimore City and Baltimore County health departments. You must apply in person at the appropriate local health department. The State of Maryland Archives has Death certificates prior to 1969.
    • Cost is $25.00 per certificate, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage Certificates: The state of Maryland began issuing certificates for marriage since since Jan 1, 1990. The State of Maryland Archives has Marriage certificates since 1640. Marriage Certificates are availible since before Jan 1, 1990 from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the license was issued.
    • Cost: $25.00 from the Division of Vital Records, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail. Contact the Maryland Archives and the Clerk of the Circuit Court for fees.
  • Divorce Certificates: The Division of Vital Records issues verification only since Jan 1961. Certified copies should be available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.
    • Cost: $25.00 from the Division of Vital Records, payment is payable to the Division of Vital Records. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail. Contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court for fees.

ORDERING RECORDS

  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person:  Birth certificates for individuals with valid, government-issued photo identification who were born in Maryland are available for same day service at the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore. Same day service is also available at local health departments in all jurisdictions except Montgomery County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County for individuals born after 1939.
  • Order By Mail: Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. However, people are urged to allow sufficient time for delivery for all birth/death records. Mail a check or money order of $12.00 for each certified certificate. Do not send cash. Mail to the following address: The Division of Vital Records, 6550 Reisterstown Road, Reisterstown Road Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21215. Please include return address on envelope and application form. Allow 3 to 6 weeks for the search by mail for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records.

The Maryland State Archives maintains many records that are invaluable for biographical and genealogical research. These include birth records, adoption records, marriage records, divorce records, and death records, and some indices to these records.

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Maryland

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Calvert County, Maryland are 1790 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Calvert County, Maryland are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Census Records by clicking the link below:

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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Statewide Maps that exist for Maryland

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Maps. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Maps by clicking the link below:

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County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Maryland

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Maryland Genealogical Addresses

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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County County Cemeteries & Graveyards

See Also Research In Cemetery Records or Cemetery Records in Maryland

There are many churches and cemeteries in Calvert County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Calvert County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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County Church & Bible Records

See Also Research In Church Records or Church & Bible Records in Maryland

 

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Calvert County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Calvert County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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