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The Prerogative Court was the focal point for probate in colonial Maryland. All matters of probate went directly to the Prerogative Court, which was located in Maryland’s colonial capital, Annapolis. The Prerogative Court was also the colony’s court for equity cases--resolution of disputes over the settlement and distribution of an estate.

Volume XXVII of this series by Vernon L. Skinner is derived from this important source for Maryland genealogists. In compiling the series, Mr. Skinner has worked primarily from microfilm copies of the Prerogative Court records; however, when necessary to resolve problems of paleography, he has consulted the original manuscripts, located at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis.

The series is arranged more or less chronologically by court session. Volume XXVII consists of abstracts for the balance of 1753 and then backtracks to pick up abstracts for 1750-1751, owing to the contents of the balance of Liber 33, Liber 34, and part of Liber 35. (Volume XXVI covers 1752 and part of 1753, as found in the balance of Liber 32 and part of Liber 33.) In all, the latest book in this distinguished series refers to an additional 7,000 colonial inhabitants of the Province of Maryland. For the most part, the transcriptions state the names of the principals (testators, heirs, guardians, witnesses, administrators, and so forth), as well as details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more.

See also the other volumes in this series:
Volume I: 1658-1674
Volume II: 1670-1674
Volume III: 1675-1677 and 1703-1704
Volume IV: 1677-1682 & 1702-1704
Volume V: 1682-1686
Volume VI: 1686-1689 and 1692-1693
Volume VII: 1693-1697
Volume VIII: 1697-1700
Volume IX: 1700-1703
Volume X: 1704-1707
Volume XI: 1703-1704, 1708-1709
Volume XII: 1709-1712
Volume XIII: 1712-1716
Volume XIV 1716-1719
Volume XV: 1719-1721
Volume XVI: 1721-1724
Volume XVII: 1724-1727
Volume XVIII: 1727-1730
Volume XIX: 1730-1734
Volume XX: 1734-1736
Volume XXI: 1736-1739
Volume XXII: 1739-1741
Volume XXIII: 1741-1744
Volume XXIV: 1744-1746
Volume XXV: 1746-1749
Volume XXVI: 1749-50, 1752-53
Volume XXVIII: 1751-1752, 1755
Volume XXIX: 1755-1758
Volume XXX: 1758-1761
Volume XXXI: 1761-1762
Volume XXXII: 1762-1764
Volume XXXIII: 1764-1765
Volume XXXIV: 1765-1767
Volume XXXV: 1767-1768
Volume XXXVI: 1768-1770
Volume XXXVII: 1770-1771
Volume XXXVIII: 1771-1772