Records of the Land Office (Maryland)
Item
Country
US
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
350 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD 21401
Contact information: phone number
001 (410) 260-6400
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov
Reference number
MSA SH3
Type of reference number
Call number
Title (official language of the state)
Records of the Land Office (Maryland)
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
The Land Office
Date note
17th century/20th century
Language(s)
eng
Scope and content
This collection is part of the Land records preserved at the Maryland State Archives, and it includes deeds and similar records relating to the owning, buying and selling of land. It includes records regarding Dr. Jacob Lumbrozo (or John Lumbrozo), the first known Jewish resident in Maryland and one of the earliest physicians in the colony, namely records regarding debts and land ownership. See transcriptions of these documents in Hollander (1893).
Administrative / Biographical history
When King Charles I granted the Charter of Maryland to Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605-1675), on June 20, 1632, he gave him ownership of all land within certain boundaries.
In 1680, Charles, the third Lord Baltimore, appointed a Register of the Land Office to administer the new agency. The Register assumed duties relating to land grants from Lord Baltimore previously reserved for the Governor or Secretary and began issuing survey and grant patents warrants. In 1684, Charles established a four-member land council to hear and determine all matters relating to land in Maryland. As a result of the Protestant Revolution of 1688, the Land Office was closed from 1689 to 1694. Within the colony, questions were raised concerning whether the office was public or private. The Governor and Council, Secretary, and General Assembly aligned themselves against the Lord Proprietor, claiming a public right to settle judicial questions related to title, custody of records, and control over surveying. They asserted that Private rights were limited to the Proprietor's revenue collection. Since the Governor and Council managed the Land Office, the Proprietor had to rely on his agents to uphold his claims. The first two agents, Henry Darnall and Charles Carroll, the Settler, brought to the office a power and diligence unequalled by their successors. After the Proprietor's territorial rights were restored in 1715, the Land Office administration fell to the Judge of the Land Office, who also took the title of Register. He appointed a Surveyor General for both shores. That officer appointed deputy surveyors in each county.
The Proprietor lost his rights to Maryland with the outbreak of the Revolution. The 1776 Constitution authorised the Governor and Council to appoint a Register of the Land Office for each shore. It also took steps to protect those who already held property titles. Moreover, under the Confiscation Acts of 1780 and 1781, the revolutionary government appropriated lands formerly held by the Proprietor. Confiscated lands were subsequently divided and sold. The Land Office issued patents on the resurveyed tracts. In 1843, the Eastern Shore office was abolished. After that, the Western Shore Land Office administered all land patents. The 1867 Constitution declared the Land Office a repository of all patent records. In addition, the Land Office received records of the recently defunct Chancery Court. In 1967, the functions, records, responsibilities, and employees of the Land Office were transferred to the Hall of Records Commission. The State Archivist assumed the duties of the Commissioner of Land Patents and became responsible for issuing land patents and conducting court hearings.
In 1680, Charles, the third Lord Baltimore, appointed a Register of the Land Office to administer the new agency. The Register assumed duties relating to land grants from Lord Baltimore previously reserved for the Governor or Secretary and began issuing survey and grant patents warrants. In 1684, Charles established a four-member land council to hear and determine all matters relating to land in Maryland. As a result of the Protestant Revolution of 1688, the Land Office was closed from 1689 to 1694. Within the colony, questions were raised concerning whether the office was public or private. The Governor and Council, Secretary, and General Assembly aligned themselves against the Lord Proprietor, claiming a public right to settle judicial questions related to title, custody of records, and control over surveying. They asserted that Private rights were limited to the Proprietor's revenue collection. Since the Governor and Council managed the Land Office, the Proprietor had to rely on his agents to uphold his claims. The first two agents, Henry Darnall and Charles Carroll, the Settler, brought to the office a power and diligence unequalled by their successors. After the Proprietor's territorial rights were restored in 1715, the Land Office administration fell to the Judge of the Land Office, who also took the title of Register. He appointed a Surveyor General for both shores. That officer appointed deputy surveyors in each county.
The Proprietor lost his rights to Maryland with the outbreak of the Revolution. The 1776 Constitution authorised the Governor and Council to appoint a Register of the Land Office for each shore. It also took steps to protect those who already held property titles. Moreover, under the Confiscation Acts of 1780 and 1781, the revolutionary government appropriated lands formerly held by the Proprietor. Confiscated lands were subsequently divided and sold. The Land Office issued patents on the resurveyed tracts. In 1843, the Eastern Shore office was abolished. After that, the Western Shore Land Office administered all land patents. The 1867 Constitution declared the Land Office a repository of all patent records. In addition, the Land Office received records of the recently defunct Chancery Court. In 1967, the functions, records, responsibilities, and employees of the Land Office were transferred to the Hall of Records Commission. The State Archivist assumed the duties of the Commissioner of Land Patents and became responsible for issuing land patents and conducting court hearings.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2023
Published primary sources
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|---|---|---|
| Maryland State Archives | Collections (official language of the state) |