Maryland

Maryland African American Genealogy

African American Genealogy online research is much more difficult due to the scant nature of record keeping for African American’s prior to the Civil War. This is the reason for creating a separate section for African Americans much like we have for Native Americans who’s research can also be hampered by the available records. The links below provide an accurate reflection of what is available to be searched for African American genealogy. Conducting successful African American genealogical research can be a challenging adventure. In recent years, the challenge has been lessened and the adventure heightened by the growing body of … Read more

Maryland In Liberia – Liberia History

The widespread interest awakened by the actual establishment of a permanent colony at Monrovia led to the formation of a number of State Colonization Societies, at first purely auxiliary to the central body, but later in some cases independent. The foundation of independent settlements at Bassa Cove and Sinou by the New York, Pennsylvania and Mississippi Societies, and their union in 1837 into the Commonwealth, has been considered. A much more important colony was founded by Maryland at Cape Palmas, which for years maintained its independence. In 1831, the Maryland State Colonization Society was formed. Active interest in the movement … Read more

My Birth and Parentage – Fugitive Blacksmith

I was born in the state of Maryland, which is one of the smallest and most northern of the slave holding states; the products of this state are wheat, rye, Indian corn, tobacco, with some hemp, flax, &c. By looking at the map, it will be seen that Maryland, like Virginia her neighbor, is divided by the Chesapeake Bay into eastern and western shores. My birthplace was on the eastern shore, where there are seven or eight small counties; the farms are small, and tobacco is mostly raised. At an early period in the history of Maryland, her lands began … Read more

The Fugitive Blacksmith

James Pennington

The Fugitive Blacksmith: Events in the history of James W. C. Pennington, Pastor of a Presbyterian Church, New York, formerly a slave in the State of Maryland, United States. The principal portion of the ‘Tract,’ as Mr. Pennington modestly styles his book, consists of an autobiography of his early life as a slave, and of his escape from bondage, and final settlement in New York as a Presbyterian Minister. His adventures and hair breadth escapes invest the narrative with startling interest, and excite the deepest sympathies of the reader.

Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements of Maryland

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the villages, towns, and settlements in what was the state of Maryland at the time the Handbook of American Indian of North America was written. Acquaskac to Attoughcomoco Highahwixon  

H Maryland Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements

A complete listing of all the Indian villages, towns and settlements as listed in Handbook of Americans North of Mexico. Highahwixon. One of several tribes displaced by the whites in 1651 from their homes in Charles and St Mary cos., Md., and given a tract at the head of the Wicomoco. They were probably Conoy. Bozman, Maryland, ii, 421, 1837.

A- Maryland Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements

A complete listing of all the Indian villages, towns and settlements as listed in Handbook of Americans North of Mexico. Acquaskac. A village situated in 1608 on the w. bank of Patuxent r., St Marys co., Md. The word may be related to Aquascogoc and Weckquaesgoek. Askimimkansen. A village, perhaps connected with the Nanticoke, formerly on an upper E. branch of Pocomoke r., probably in Worcester co., Md. Herrman, map (1670) in Rep. on Boundary Line between Va. and Md., 1873. Assacomoco. A village about 1610, probably near Patuxent r., Md. (Pory in Smith (1629), Virginia, u, 63, repr. 1819). … Read more

Biography of Lewis Balch, M. D., PH. D.

LEWIS BALCH, M. D., PH. D. ONE of the physicians and surgeons of Albany, whose professional assistance has been sought often in consultation through the state, is Dr. Lewis Balch. He was born in the city of New York, corner of Great Jones street and Second Avenue, on the 7th day of July, 1847. Ancestry on both sides is a notable one. It is of English and French origin. Several of his ancestors have rendered no small service in this country in civil and ecclesiastical matters. He is the oldest son of the Rev. Lewis P. W. Balch, D. D., … Read more

Susquehanna Tribe

Susquehanna Indians. A town and a tribe of the Iroquoian stock, situated in 1608 on the lower portion of the Susquehanna river and its effluents. The original form of the name used by Capt. John Smith was Sasquesahannocks in his text and Sasquesahanough on his map. He first heard the name from Tockwock, Nanticoke, or Powhatan speakers of the Algonquian tongue, while exploring the waters of upper Chesapeake bay and its affluents, as the designation of a mighty people who dwelt on the Susquehanna two days journey “higher than our barge could pass for rocks.” Of this people Smith wrote: … Read more

Shawnee Tribe

1710 Senex Map Portion

Formerly a leading tribe of South Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. By reason of the indefinite character of their name, their wandering habits, their connection with other tribes, and because of their interior position away from the traveled routes of early days, the Shawnee were long a stumbling block in the way of investigators.

Powhatan Tribe

Powhatan Indians: A confederacy of Virginian Algonquian tribes. Their territory included the tidewaters of Virginia, as well as possibly parts of Maryland.

Nanticoke Tribe

Nanticoke Indians (from Nentego, var. of Delaware Unechtgo, Unalachtgo, ‘tidewater people’).  An important Algonquian tribe living on Nanticoke River of Maryland, on the east shore, where Smith in 1608 located their principal village, called Nanticoke. They were connected linguistically and ethnically with the Delaware and the Conoy, notwithstanding the idiomatic variance in the language of the latter. Their traditional history is brief and affords but little aid in tracing their movements in prehistoric times. The 10th verse of the fifth song of the Walam Olum is translated by Squier: “The Nentegos and the Shawani went to the south lands.” Although … Read more

Conoy Tribe

Conoy Indians. An Algonquian tribe, related to the Delawares, from whose ancestral stem they apparently sprang, but their closest relations were with the Nanticoke, with whom it is probable they were in late prehistoric times united, the two forming a single tribe, while their language is supposed to have been somewhat closely allied to that spoken in Virginia by the Powhatan. Heckewelder believed them to be identical with the Kanawha, who gave the name to the chief river of West Virginia. Although Brinton calls this “a loose guess,” the names Conoy, Ganawese, etc., seem to be forms of Kanawha Conoy … Read more

Condition of Tribes by State in 1890

Condition of the Arkansas Indians in 1890 Total                    250 Indians in prisons, not otherwise enumerated        32 Self-supporting Indians, Taxed                            218 The civilized (self-supporting) Indians of Arkansas number 218, 146 males and 72 females, and are distributed as follows: Pulaski County, 47; Sebastian County, 47; other counties with 11 or less in each, 124. The Indians of Arkansas are mostly in a county bordering on the Indian Territory, and in the county containing the state capital.  There are not enough to form a distinctive class. Condition of the Connecticut Indians in 1890 The civilized, (self-supporting) Indians of Connecticut, counted in the … Read more

Powhatan Indians

Powhatan Indians – Said by Gerard to signify “falls in a current of water,” and applied originally to one tribe but extended by the English to its chief Wahunsonacock, and through him to the body of tribes which came under his sway. Also called: Sachdagugh-roonaw, Iroquois name. Powhatan Connections. The Powhatan belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, their nearest relatives probably being the Algonquian tribes of Carolina and the Conoy. Powhatan Location. In the tidewater section of Virginia from Potomac River to the divide between James River and Albemarle Sound, and the territory of the present eastern shore of Virginia. … Read more

Shawnee Indians

The Shawnee Tribe, meaning “southerners,” is recognized for its significant role in the history of numerous regions across the United States, with its name reflected in places from Pennsylvania to Georgia. The Shawnee were part of the Algonquian linguistic group, closely related to tribes such as the Fox, Sauk, and Kickapoo. Known for their frequent migrations, the Shawnee had historic settlements in locations like the Cumberland River Valley and Ohio, forming five primary divisions, including Chillicothe and Piqua. Their complex history of relocation, resistance against European settlers, and leadership under figures like Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa has made them a central part of early American history. Shawnee populations were dispersed over time, eventually settling primarily in Oklahoma by the 20th century.

Biography of George Loughead Eyster, M. D.

Among Rock Island physicians none have a wider practice or a more successful one than the subject of this sketch, Doctor George L. Eyster, one of that city’s old established and prominent physicians and surgeons. He was born May 14, 1853, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, his parents being William IF. and Lucretia (Gibson) Eyster. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Vermont. His father’s family was of German origin, the Eysters being among the early settlers in the colony of Pennsylvania. Doctor Eyster’s father was for many years a clergyman of the Lutheran Church, being also engaged … Read more