The Orphans' Court is not about orphanages; this might help (found on-line). It deals with matters of estates. Maryland's first constitution, adopted in November of 1776, authorized a Register of Wills to oversee probate in each county. The following Spring, the General Assembly formally established the Orphans' Court as the mechanism for probate administration, with the Register of Wills as the Court's Chief Clerk. Today, the Orphans' Court hears all matters involving decedents' estates which are contested and supervises all of those estates which are probated judicially. It approves accounts, awards of personal representative's commissions, and attorney's fees in all estates. The Court also has concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit court in the guardianships of minors and their property. All matters involving the validity of wills and the transfer of property in which legal questions and disputes occur are resolved by the Orphans' Court. There are three judges who sit on the Orphans' Court in Baltimore City and in each of the counties, with the exception of Harford County and Montgomery County, where circuit court judges sit as judges of the Orphans' Court. ---- As to Custer's last stand helping with genealogy, the only thing I can add is George Armstrong Custer was the 2nd cousin of Emanuel Custer III. Emanuel's wife was Rebecca Friend, d/o Jonathan and Elizabeth Kinsie Friend, of Garrett County, MD (according to my files). _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 5:18 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [MDGARRET] County formation dates- Garrett's first officials Great information Patty, thanks so much. I think the dates when the counties were formed tells us some things -- a big help. I never was much on Geography and American History until I got into genealogy. I do recall a lot of references to "territories." I want to also get into Custer's last stand to see how that may have any relevance to the history connected to the Native American history we've been discussing. I especially noticed the date of the establishment of the orphan court (1873-- about 56 years after the Bittinger children were born). I'd like to know more about the history of the orphanages. I'm going to put this information right in the front of my Bittinger Book where I can put my hands on it quickly. Lois Hetrick Stewart