Introduction
The following death notices have been culled from the annual necrologies <sic> that were printed in The (Baltimore) Sun Almanac during the yearbook's entire 39-year lifetime. Established during the Centennial year, the Almanac, with its dusty blue and black cover, proved to be a highly popular home reference for Sun subscribers, to whom it was issued gratis.
For the current family researcher, however, the necrology is the only element in these yearbooks that is of any potential genealogical value. The hope is, however, that these death notices will assist family researchers to “push back” on Maryland matters. For a precise date of death represents the necessary key to obtaining a copy of an individual's death certificate. This form of vital record contains (theoretically, at least) information about a deceased individual's parents.
In 1876, when the Almanac was established, death records began to be systematically maintained by Baltimore City, which was then a considerably smaller geographical entity than it is today. For Maryland as a whole, the recording of deaths became a legal requirement only in 1898.
Basically, these reconstituted death notices consist of five elements; the name of he deceased, his age, occupation, residence and/or place of death (ambiguity reigns on this matter), and the death date itself.
If an entry fails to indicate a person's age, this compiler has employed the abbreviation n.a., i.e., no indicated age. Similarly, for the sake of editorial conformity and space, the convention “in his 91st year” has been trimmed to 90 (years). No other liberties have been taken, except to add a county name when a non-Baltimore City place has been cited (Laurel, Prince George's County).
We have here in Maryland Mortalities many persons whose lived encompassed most of the 19th century, as well as some individuals who were born during the Revolutionary War Era. There are a number of “Old Defenders” and a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo.
Credit for sparking this project is fully extended to the Annapolis genealogist, John Frazer, Jr., who discovered one of the necrologies in an Almanac purchased at a yard sale in Anne Arundel County.
My work on this project was undertaken at the Maryland State Law Library, where a complete run of the Almanac may be consulted for verification.
Painstaking care has been exercised to transcribe encountered information accurately-- even to the incorporation of obvious original typos. In the course of compilation, some alphabetizing lapses have, unfortunately, occurred.
For the current family researcher, however, the necrology is the only element in these yearbooks that is of any potential genealogical value. The hope is, however, that these death notices will assist family researchers to “push back” on Maryland matters. For a precise date of death represents the necessary key to obtaining a copy of an individual's death certificate. This form of vital record contains (theoretically, at least) information about a deceased individual's parents.
In 1876, when the Almanac was established, death records began to be systematically maintained by Baltimore City, which was then a considerably smaller geographical entity than it is today. For Maryland as a whole, the recording of deaths became a legal requirement only in 1898.
Basically, these reconstituted death notices consist of five elements; the name of he deceased, his age, occupation, residence and/or place of death (ambiguity reigns on this matter), and the death date itself.
If an entry fails to indicate a person's age, this compiler has employed the abbreviation n.a., i.e., no indicated age. Similarly, for the sake of editorial conformity and space, the convention “in his 91st year” has been trimmed to 90 (years). No other liberties have been taken, except to add a county name when a non-Baltimore City place has been cited (Laurel, Prince George's County).
We have here in Maryland Mortalities many persons whose lived encompassed most of the 19th century, as well as some individuals who were born during the Revolutionary War Era. There are a number of “Old Defenders” and a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo.
Credit for sparking this project is fully extended to the Annapolis genealogist, John Frazer, Jr., who discovered one of the necrologies in an Almanac purchased at a yard sale in Anne Arundel County.
My work on this project was undertaken at the Maryland State Law Library, where a complete run of the Almanac may be consulted for verification.
Painstaking care has been exercised to transcribe encountered information accurately-- even to the incorporation of obvious original typos. In the course of compilation, some alphabetizing lapses have, unfortunately, occurred.
Walter E. Arps, Jr.
Annapolis, Maryland
15 August 1983
15 August 1983
~ Maryland Mortalities from The (Baltimore) Sun Almanac
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