Garrett County Maryland Deed Records
All Maryland land was first owned by the Calvert family proprietors who obtained it from the Crown. From 1633 to 1683 they issued headrights, or land grants, in return for transporting themselves and others to Maryland. The names of individuals transported for headright grants are found in Gust Sjorda's, Early Settlers of Maryland: An Index to Names of Immigrants Compiled from Records of Land Patents, 1633-1680 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968; FHl 975.2 W2s).
In the late 1600's the headright system was replaced by cash sales of proprietary lands. The grantee had to pay a semi-annual fee or land use tax to the proprietor and later to the royal govenors. Land Use Tax records exist for some areas (1639-1762).
During the Revolutionary War, Maryland offered land as a bounty to entice recruits to fill Maryland enlistment rolls. The lots, located west of Fort Cumberland (in Allegany and Garrett counties) are transcribed and indexed at the Maryland State Archives.
The Maryland State Archives has the original land office records dating from 1634 to the present. Land records include patents, surveys, grants, warrents, and proprietary rent rolls and debt books.
After land was transferred to private ownership, deeds and mortgages were filed with the local county clerk. You can obtains copies by writing to the county clerk at the courthouse in Garrett County.
Garrett County Circuit Court
203 S. 4th Street, Room 209
P.O. Box 447
Oakland, Maryland 21550
Hours of Operation: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M
The Family History Library has some transcribed records of land patents, warrents and deeds (pre-1850).
User-Donated Land and Deed Records
There are some miscellaneous user records posted to the Garrett County, MDGenWeb Archives and to the RootsWeb Deed Board.
Last Revised: Jan
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