Book Reviews

Book Reviews Abstracts of the Inventories of the Prerogative Court of Maryland, 1769 1772 (160 pp., $12.001; 1772-1774 (148 pp., $12.00); 17741777 [121 pp., $11.00]. Abstracted by V. L. Skinner, jr. Family Line Publications, Westminster, Md., 1988. During the colonial period in Maryland, the Prerogative Court had jurisdiction over and recorded probate records. In 1777, the General Assembly abolished the Prerogative Court and set up an Orphans' Court and a Register of Wills for each county. The series under review will be a welcome addition to the research materials of Maryland, for these abstracts include references to persons who might not otherwise be located in counties where the early records have been destroyed. An inventory presents an interesting picture of the economic status and life style of the decedent and family as well as an indication of occupation. These volumes contain the name of the decedent, reference to the Liber and folio where the original inventory is recorded, county of residence, total value of the inventory, date of the inventory and of the approval by the administrator or executor, names of the appraisers, of the creditors, of the next of kin, of the administrator or executor, and names of any other persons mentioned. However, it would appear that names of the debtors to the estates are not listed, and this could have been another source for locating an elusive ancestor. It is anticipated that this valuable series, especially useful as a guide to the original records, will continue to be published. Antoinette J. Segraves Advertisements and Notices of Interest from Norristown, Pennsylvania, Newspapers, 1799-1821. Compiled by Judith A. H. Meier. Closson Press, 1935 Sampson Drive, Apollo, Pa. 15613-9238, 1987. 160 pp. $19.95. Pa. residents 6% sales tax. Newspapers are a great source for genealogical information, and abstracts, such as this by Mrs. Meier, are always welcome. This volume consists of abstracts from the Norristown Gazette which was published by David Sower, son of the famed Germantown 66 Book Reviews 67 printer Christopher Sauer, jr., starting on 1 June 1799. The Gazette ran for only a year, but Sower then published the Norristown Herald and Weekly Adviser. Also abstracted in this volume is The Register, published from 1801 to 1809. Included are notices of marriages and deaths, sales of houses, farms, mills, taverns, news concerning the formation of early county and village organizations, libraries, and churches. Genealogists should find a wealth of material. Montgomery County is an important county in early Pennsylvania, having been formed from Philadelphia County in 1785. Norristown newspapers served a large area, so information appears on residents of Chester, Bucks, and Delaware, as well as other counties. This is the first volume in a series, and the second volume is about to be published. Jane Adams Clarke Do's and Don'ts for Ancester-Hunters. By Angus Baxter. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1988. 115 pp., paper. $10.95 With phrases such as "the stuff of romance" and "the magic of the journey," Angus Baxter urges his readers to trace their ancestors and have fun doing it! The author seasons his genealogical check list with anecdotes and humorous comments which bring a light touch to a subject which can be tedious. Several points stand out. For example, Baxter declares family research begins with the person conducting it and moves backward through the generations rather than starting with an ancestor and coming down to the present. He is equally insistent that the pedigree pursuer distinguish between fact and belief and be alert for errors and deliberate "decoration" by past record keepers. The veteran genealogical writer punctuates his text with occasional capitalized phrases, one of the most memorable being, IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU. After reading this splendid book most people will be eager to start. John A. Baird, Jr. Maine Families in 1790. Vol. 1. Edited by Ruth Gray. Picton Press, Camden, Maine, 1988. 384 pp., index, paper. $30.50. This new book lists some 413 families that were living in Maine in 1790, when the region was still part of Massachusetts. It is an ambitious undertaking by the Maine Historical Society and its members, and they hope to publish subsequent volumes. 68 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine In alphabetical format, each head of household is listed with the family name as it appeared on the 1790 census and the corrected or current spelling if necessary. The town and county of residence appear next. The parents of the head of household and his or her vital statistics appear along with the vital statistics of the spouse. All the children are listed along with their vital statistics and those of their spouses in most cases. Each entry is documented by listing a source for the records. At the end of each entry is the name and address of the person who submitted the information. There are also some entries for families who did not appear on the 1790 Maine census. There is an excellent every-name index which has the family name listed by its various spellings. There is no timetable for publication of the next volume, but anyone with data on a Maine family in 1790 is invited to submit the material to the Maine Historical Society. Sandra Hewlett Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920. By William Thorndale and William Dollarhide. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1987. 445 pp. $49.95. Since the earliest period of colonial history, the county has been one of the basic administrative units in the United States. As the nation expanded geographically and population increased, counties were created in newly-acquired territories, and existing counties in established states were subdivided. The Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790— 1920 provides genealogists and other researchers using federal census records with a quick and easy way to trace these jurisdictional changes. In nearly 400 maps, the volume covers all the federal censuses beginning in 1790 and including the 1920 enumeration in anticipation of the release of the schedules from that census in 1992. The book's introduction includes a brief history of the United States census. There follows a summary of each census covered in the volume, including such information as the number of the census (e.g., the 1850 enumeration was the seventh decennial census), the population of the nation as of that census, what schedules were taken, and a citation of relevant congressional acts. The introduction concludes with a discussion of the problem of completeness or incompleteness of census records. A sample map provides a key for interpreting the individual state maps. The authors then provide a series of maps illustrating the Book Reviews 69 westward expansion of the continental United States from its post-Revolutionary War boundary at the Mississippi River to the beginning of the present century, with statehood for Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona. The heart of the volume is the set of maps for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, arranged alphabetically. A map is provided for each state for each relevant census until the state's modern county boundaries are achieved. On the early maps, historic names and boundaries are superimposed in black over the modern names and boundaries, which appear in white; the map backgrounds are gray. One of the book's most useful features is the note accompanying each map indicating which county name lists have survived or have been lost. Thus, the researcher can tell at a glance whether a county existed in a given census year and whether its population schedule has survived. The map section is followed by- an appendix, an interesting discussion of the problems of mapping county boundaries. A bibliography includes a description of previous unsuccessful map projects as well as a discussion of the sources for each state's maps. A county name index arranged by state concludes the volume. The volume is wad-documented, with notes provided for the preface, the introduction, the appendix, and the bibliography. The Map Guide to the U. S. Federal Censuses, 1 790-1920 is a useful tool for any researcher who needs to get a handle on the evolution of county boundaries. It may also be added that the book is a map-lover's delight. Although considerations of expense undoubtedly dictated that the maps be printed in a bland scheme of black, white, and gray, anyone who enjoys maps will enjoy browsing through this volume, in a sense watching the United States expand at the turn of a page. Jeffrey L. Scheib The Settlement and Indian Wars of the Western Parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania, 1 763 78 . By Joseph Doddridge. Heritage Books, Bowie, Md., 1988. 320 pp., index, paper. $20.00. The author, who died in 1826, describes this book as a tribute to the hardy families who brought civilization to western Pennsylvania and Virginia in the period before the independence of the United States. Published first in 1824, reissued in 1876 and 1912, this fourth appearance after 163 years confirms the appeal and durability of a detailed record by the energetic and observant Episcopal minister of long ago. Despite the old-fashioned prose, the book will hold the interest of anyone wishing to learn more about this crucial period of early 70 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine American history. Doddridge disavows desire for literary fame or monetary gain as he stresses the importance of recognizing the pioneers and making their sacrifices live, a task in which he is completely successful. The author devotes considerable space to what might be called early Americana, with chapters on such subjects as birds and beasts, house furnishings, poisonous snakes, weddings, and the weather. Doddridge, however, goes beyond these benign topics to emphasize the primitive quality of life in the wilderness and to destroy any possible smugness the contemporary reader may hold toward our ancestors. Their lives were in constant danger from the Indians, whose resistance to settlement included indiscriminate slaughter of women and children. Doddridge devotes the largest part of his book to the Indian Wars as he describes specific campaigns, particular forts, and the fate of numerous individuals captured by "the savages." There are pages of gory details interspersed with the bravery of the settlers and an affirmation that the American Revolution began a new era in the history of the world. The author also describes the influence of Christianity in that part of the country, and this thrust is amplified through an appendix by his daughter, Narcissa, who writes of the Episcopal churches her father founded in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. John A. Baird, jr.