Description

This is the eighth volume in V. L. Skinner, Jr.'s popular series of transcriptions of 17th-century Maryland probate records. Volume VIII consists of abstracts of the records for the period 1697 to 1700. Mr. Skinner has combed through administration, bond, will, inventory, administration account, and final balance entries to produce this collection. The abstracts are arranged chronologically by court session. For the most part, the transcriptions state the names of the principals (testators, heirs, witnesses, administrators, and so forth) as well as details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more. Mr. Skinner notes that with the contents of Volume VIII, the Prerogative Court no longer assigned appraisers for the assessment of individuals' property. In all, this volume refers to between 6,000 and 7,000 inhabitants of the Province of Maryland at the end of the 17th century.