Maryland's

Carroll County Genealogical Society

CCGS Local Collections

Carroll County Genealogical Society has produced a number of special projects representing research conducted by our associates and members found below. These projects are provided for your review and research.  You are welcome to use the material as needed to support your research. Please cite the source and material appropriately.

Free forms for recording and organizing your genealogy research results:

Member Only Content

Member Only Content includes the following collections related to Carroll County: 1813 Assessment Records, Cemetery Records (over 71,000), Church publications, the Friendly Visitor newsletter of Union Bridge 1918, Mills of Carroll County, Orphans Court Records (1837-1935), Origins of Carroll County, Releases from Administration (1837-1931), the Constitutional Memorial Garden Program 1938 (Winfield Consolidated School), Voting and Tax Records (1856), and the CCGS Newsletter Archive.

If your "brick wall" suddenly tumbles thanks to CCGS resources, please consider a small donation, or joining, the Carroll County Genealogical Society.  Your support guarantees that we can continue to provide resources such as these to assist you.

What's New

Revolutionary War Patriot Research

Our newest resource is a Revolutionary War Patriot Research Guide that will walk you through several resources to learn more about your patriot ancestor of the Revolutionary War.  This guide is fairly Maryland-centric and was prepared by John Laycock, Westminster Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (July 2026). If you are researching patriot ancestors in other states you may need other resources not available in this guide. This can be found under the Research menu.

Research Tips

All pdf. files are searchable

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Click on the red section titles to jump to sections that are lower on this page.

Carroll County Records - Carroll County Court Records - Cemetery Records

Family & Census Records - Military - Tax & Voting Records - Vital Records

African American

  • 1850 Census: see Family Records below
  • Death - Burial Notices: see Vital Records below
  • Carroll County Maryland Manumissions (will records) 1838-1864: see Vital Records below

Enslaved Persons in Carroll County in 1864

1850 and 1860 Western Maryland Enslavers - by Jeff Duvall

Carroll County Records

Centennial Celebration of Carroll County: The Official program for the Centennial Celebration of Carroll County 1837-1937. The Booklet, Carroll County 1837 - 1937, provides a historical synopsis of the County, as well as a quick look at the towns, churches and schools. Centennial Program & Booklet

James Lebbius Switzer's Reminiscences: This is a series of 15 articles published in 1910 by the Union Bridge Pilot, a Carroll County, Maryland, newspaper.  J. L. Switzer looks back more than 50 years to recount events of his childhood and the people living in and around his hometown of Union Bridge.

Ledgers - Historical Collections

Origins of Carroll County

1836 Petition to Create a New County to Serve the Citizens - Carroll County

Photographers of Carroll County

A list of photographers from the book: PHOTOGRAPHERS & PHOTOGRAPHS OF CARROLL COUNTY, by Bob Porterfield  

Public Schools of Carroll County

  • Public School Trustees of Carroll County - 1883
  • Public School Teachers for Carroll County - 1910 

Carroll County Court Records

Trial Dockets

Included here are two Trial Dockets for 14 February and 15 February, 1906. Jury selection has been made from the list of citizens selected for jury duty. 

Chattel Record Books of Carroll County

Chattel slavery is a specific form of slavery where human beings are legally rendered the personal property (chattel) of the owner, capable of being bought, sold, and inherited forever. While all chattel slavery is slavery, not all slavery is chattel.

Please read the Introduction as it provides an explanation of these records.  The books are indexes of the records from Carroll County.  The actual files are located at the Maryland Archives in Annapolis.

  • Introduction - Carroll County Chattel and Bond Record Books
  • Book 1 - Entries begin Jan. 14, 1842 ‐ Entries end August 12, 1844 ‐ 448 total pages
  • Book 2 - Entries begin Aug. 31, 1844 ‐ Entries end March 27, 1850 ‐ 467 total pages
  • Book 3 - Entries begin March 13, 1850 ‐ Entries end November 3, 1854 ‐ 468 total pages 
  • Book 4 - Entries begin Nov. 4, 1854 ‐ Entries end Jan. 20, 1859 ‐ 464 total pages 
  • Book 5 - Entries begin Feb. 5, 1859 ‐ Entries end March 21, 1864 ‐ 480 total pages 
  • Book 6 - Entries begin Feb. 2, 1864 - Entries end April 26, 1869 - 486 total pages 
  • Book 7 - Entries begin Apr. 8, 1869 - Entries end June 14, 1872 - 496 total pages 
  • Book 8 - Entries begin June 18, 1872 - Entries end May 22, 1876 - 538 total pages 
  • Book 9 - Entries begin May 20, 1876 - Entries end April 5, 1879 - 543 total pages 
  • Book 10 - Entries begin Apr. 26, 1879 - Entries end March 17, 1882 - 540 total pages 

Indentures - Carroll County Lists 1837 - 1927

Index to Carroll County Will and Probate Records 1800-1999

This alphabetical list is easily searched and will provide information for locating records at the Maryland Archives. The documents listed in the Index are to be digitized and will eventually be available on Family Search. This project is a joint effort with the Maryland Archives, the Maryland Genealogical Society and Family Search. Will and Probate Records Index 1800 - 1999

Insolvency Cases - Carroll County Cases at the Maryland State Archives

  • Guide to Understand and Accessing Carroll County Insolvency Cases
  • Example of an Insolvent Indenture
  • List of Carroll County Insolvency Cases
  • Alphabetical Record of Insolvent Indentures by Trustee
  • Alphabetical Record of Insolvent Indentures by Debtor

Cemetery Records

Cemeteries of Carroll County - Table of Surnames

This table provides a list of surnames for those interred in a Carroll County Cemetery.  The complete collection of of over 71,000 people can be found in the Member Only Content in the main menu.

Surname Table

Carroll County Cemetery Information - Member-Only Content

This is an extensive collection of over 71,000 internments. Data was collected between 1989 and 1994 and is presented by geographic areas within Carroll County. If you wish to purchase a physical copy of the book please proceed to the Store.

Mortality Information - Carroll County 

18851886188718881890189118921893
Necrologies from the Democratic Advocate
1850186018701880
Mortality Schedules

Bios of Physicians in the Carroll County 1880 Mortality Schedule

Family Records (family specific) & Census Records

African American 1850 Census

Agricultural Census

Alms House 1853 - 1965

Bible Records (by family)

One of the early projects of the CCGS involved preserving Bible records shared by members. These records were originally photocopied, and the quality varies due to efforts to avoid damaging the original Bibles. The photocopies have since been scanned and digitally enhanced as much as possible. Both the original hard copies and PDF versions of the scans are housed at the Westminster Library. To view them, please contact a CCGS researcher at research@ccgsmd.org

  • Index of available Bible Records
  • Bible Collections: Member-Only Content

Family Envelopes

Family Envelopes include notes and information submitted by individual researchers which is often undocumented.  Some family envelopes contain full or partial copies of material used to document research, family sheets and undocumented trees, handwritten or printed.   We consider this material of value, given the time frames in which this material may have been submitted, often 20 - 30 years past. Some researchers may point to out-of-print books and include passages from these past treasures.  Hints and direction for your research may often be found through your review of a family envelope. Family Envelope Index.

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Family Histories

Family Histories are on file in the Genealogy Section of the Westminster Branch of the Carroll County Public Library. They represent more than 40 years of donations by the authors or compilers. Some are in book form, some in 3-ring binders, others are unbound manuscripts. All are single copies for use in the library only. Please email research@ccgsmd.org  to assure availability if you are looking for a particular history. Family Histories Index

The following files are available digitally:

  • Caples - Samuel Caple (1752-1846) of Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Carroll Counties, Maryland, and Mary (Cole) Caple (1762-1836) of Baltimore County (Mary Cole, Daughter of William Cole and Mary Stevens):  FILE
  • Dodrer - George Dodrer 14 Aug 1789 - 3 Feb 1862 and his wife Nancy Ann Reinecker Dodrer  19 Jun 1793- 23 Feb 1870.  These historical documents have been scanned and are dated from 1862.  FILE
  • Wheeler - Bryan Wheeler and Cassandra Murray - ca 1788-1790 of Baltimore County, Maryland.  Bryan and Cassandra were the parents of 12 children:  FILE

Family Newsletter Collection         

APPLER, BAKER, BALLEW, CRAWFORD, CRIST, ELDER, GOSNELL, GREENWOOD, HIVELY, MACCUBBIN, PHELPS, PHILLIPS, ROBEY, SHERMAN, SHIPLEY, STRICKLAND

Old Family Photos

James A Schneider - 1918 - Family Portrait 

  • Back Row - Right to Left - James A Schneider 1865-1935; Ella M (wife) 1873-1949; Elsie M (dau) Virginia A (dau) 1896-1972; Zelda M. (dau) 1900 - ?; Leighton A. (Son) 1903-1983
  • Front Row - Right to Left - Ralph N (son); Fred C (son) 1907-1989; B Aubrey (son) 1912-1960; Johah (son) 1913-?; Jean C (son) 1914-1987

Philip Myers family - Photo Album - We need your help to identify family members in these photographs.

Roland Park - Photo taken in July 1906 behind the car barn. 

  • Top Row -  beginning at right - Harry Wooden; Jim Sullivan; John H; Charley Miller, Will Keys; Tom Yingling
  • Bottom Row - beginning at left - Olly Wooden; Tommy Tucker; W Bolton; Hugo Schmidt  Photo - FRONT
  • Handwritten description of the photo - BACK

Maryland Archives

External links to various sections of the Maryland Archives official website can be found under the Links tab in the main menu. Select Maryland Archives in the category list on the left side of the Links page for a full listing.

Military

Revolutionary War

A Patriot Research Guide is available under the Research menu.

Civil War and War of 1812

WWl

Our Family Remembers WWI was a project designed to allow members an opportunity to share memories of their family and contributions to the country during this Centennial Event of World War I.  It is part of a larger effort for the Celebrating America Program and is representative of the Carroll County Genealogical Society contribution to this historical remembrance. Bios are located on a separate page, Remembering WWl, found under Research on the main menu.

Tax and Voting Records

Tax Year 1773

  • Delaware Hundred List of Taxables - Delaware Hundred, originally in Baltimore County, was located approximately in the southeast corner of what is today Carroll County. Source: Md Archives.
  • Pipe Creek Hundred List of Taxables - Pipe Creek Hundred comprises an area around Westminster today.  Source: Md Archives.
  • Carroll County Commissioners Tax account book, 1858-1872.  These digital images are from the Maryland State Archives collection found under SC 6166-1-1 in Special Collections.  This collection is the result of a collaborative effort by the Carroll County Historical Society and the Maryland Archives and offers insight into expenditures by the County and interaction with its citizens.  Filled with names and payments, you just might find your ancestor in the many listings.  It is a large file; please be patient as it downloads for viewing.  We think you will find it of interest and a gold mine when your family surname is found.

Carroll County Election Districts 1837 - 1910

Voting in Carroll County - List of qualified voters in 1873 by Election District

Frederick County 1865 Voters list - Complied by Jeff Duvall

Vital Records

African American Death-Burial Notices

Carroll County Maryland Manumissions 

1838-1864 (Will Records).

Manumission is the formal, voluntary act of a slave owner freeing their enslaved people, often via legal documentation or a will. It is a historical term representing the transition from chattel slavery to freedom, commonly used in the U.S. antebellum era to describe individual acts of liberation.

This table of manumissions lists the enslaved person's name, along with the enslaver's name and the date of the will.

Marriages

Marriages conducted by Rev. S.J. Derr, Lutheran Minister at St. Paul's, Arcadia & St. Mark's, Hampstead  

Marriages conducted by William Franklin, Elder at Sams Creek Church of the Brethren, Marston Road.  Source: American Sentinel, Friday, August 18, 1905

Marriages conducted by Elder Solomon Stoner, Dunkard Preacher. 437 couples. Source: The Pilot, Union Bridge, Maryland, January 2, 1948. Compiled by Mary Ann Ashcroft.

Join CCGS

Annual Membership Fees

  • $20 Individual Membership
  • $25 Family Membership (two members per household)

  • FREE Student Membership (13 or older full-time student)

     

Member Benefits

  • Research assistance at a reduced fee
  • The Carrolltonian, our quarterly newsletter
  • Access to Member-Only website content