Sally, The people at the MD Archives are very helpful and gladly assist researchers who are new to the Archives and its systems of files, books, films, etc. However, you should have some specific ideas ahead of time about what types of information you are looking for (e.g., Wills, birth/death certificates, land/court records etc.). As a result of continuing budget cuts, their staff has been reduced and are overworked. Therefore, they have eliminated most or all of the direct assistance they used to provide over the phone or in reply to letters. I get to the Archives about once a year and still find the people on the floor to be very friendly and very helpful. But, make sure you check their hours of operation. Last time I checked, they were closed on Sun, Mon and Tues as well as some Saturdays. Bruce At 05:12 AM 9/6/2008, you wrote: >Bruce, > >Do they welcome researchers who don't know precisely what they are looking >for? > >Their web page sounded as if they discourage general researchers and list a >page of "professional genealogists" to contact re research there. > >Sally > >-----Original Message----- >From: lower-delmarva-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com >[mailto:lower-delmarva-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Bruce L. >Nicholson >Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 2:59 AM >To: lower-delmarva-roots@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [LDR] Research in Maryland-Savage and Courcier family names > > >Sally, > >All of the advice others have given is correct. The Maryland >Historical Society and the Enoch Pratt Free Library have a lot of resources. > >However, if you have only a few days (or only a few weeks for that >matter), I suggest you concentrate on the Maryland Archives in >Annapolis. All (well almost all) of the county records have been >transferred there. The Archives is by far the best place for family >research in Maryland, particularly if you have not spent some time in >Maryland previously doing such research. I have found several pieces >of information at the Historical Society in Baltimore but only after >exhausting everything at the Archives where I have found, by far, the >most information. Also, while the Pratt Libray has copies of all the >old newspapers, so does the MD State Law Library which is just across >the street from the Archives in Annapolis. So, I suggest you >concentrate first on the Archives in Annapolis. But, also be sure to >visit Baltimore and have some steamed crabs and crab cakes. But, >avoid the crab places right in the inner harbor. They are not all >that good and the prices are very high. Ask around wherever you are >staying for the best places to get crabs. But, don't worry, even the >most mediocre Maryland crabs and crab cakes are just about the best >thing you can ever eat. > >Good LucK! > >Bruce > >At 01:49 PM 9/5/2008, you wrote: > >I am planning a trip to Baltimore to do research re: my great, great > >grandfather Samuel Henry Savage who was born in 1808 0r 1810, "near > >Baltimore". He shows up in Indiana in 1835, where we have a marriage > >license, and dies in Indiana in 1880. Family lore is that the family was > >living near Norfolk, VA, before he headed west-we don't know if that was > >alone or with other family members. > > > >This has been a "brick wall" in our family for a long while. > > > >I thought the Enoch Pratt Library would probably be the best place to >start. > >Any suggestions about the best way to approach research in this library > >would be helpful from those of you who have been there before. Any other > >ideas for places to search would also be helpful. > > > >And if anyone has info re: good hotel to stay out while there, would > >appreciate that info also. > > > >Thank you in advance for any help. > > > >Sally Savage Rudolph > >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > >Checked by AVG. > >Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.9/1635 - Release Date: 8/26/08 >7:29 > >AM > > > >*************************************** > >QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING? > >Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: > >http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm > >------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word > >'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >Bruce L. Nicholson > >Professor Emeritus >Departmentof Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology >Universityof Maine >Orono, Maine > >Retired and living in Gold Canyon, Arizona > > >*************************************** >QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING? >Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: >http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' >without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG. >Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.0/1602 - Release Date: 8/9/2008 >1:22 PM > >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG. >Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.0/1602 - Release Date: 8/9/2008 >1:22 PM > >*************************************** >QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING? >Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: >http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word >'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Bruce L. Nicholson Professor Emeritus Departmentof Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Universityof Maine Orono, Maine Retired and living in Gold Canyon, Arizona