Vital Statistics
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Somerset Parish Register
Go to: Pages 3 - 14 | Pages 15 - 32
Introduction
Somerset Parish, one of the original parishes established in 1692, included the land bounded by Monokin and Manny Hundreds and the
land lying between the Wicomico and Manokin Rivers.
Among the clergymen who served this parish in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were: John Huet, 1691-1695; George Trotter,
1698-1703; Alexander Adams, 1704-1738; William Wye, (as curate or probationer), 1731-1736; Benedict Bourdillon, 1738-1739; Thomas
Chase, 1739-1745; Hamilton Bell, 1748-1783; Edward Gantt, (as curate or probationer), 1770; Samuel Tingley, 1783-1785; and Hamilton
Bell Jr., 1786-1794.
The first church in the parish probably stood on the grounds of the Elzey estate known as Almodington, and was probably built between
1694 and 1697. King's Mill Chapel, the first chapel of ease, was built sometime before 1723, about two and one-half miles south of
Princess Anne. A chapel was started in this latter town starting in 1768 or 1769, but was still not finished in 1771.
This register was first transcribed by Benjamin J. Dashiell of Somerset County, and placed in the Dashiell Genealogical Collection
at the Maryland Historical Society. Researchers recognized that there were inconsistencies and errors in this transcription, but the
loss of the original register (see image below) made correcting the transcription impossible.
The register was eventually located, fortunately. Then-director of the Nabb Research Center, Rebecca Miller, borrowed the volume for
duplication and the staff of the Center transcribed it again, correcting the earlier errors. The Nabb Research Center is delighted to
offer this document to academic and avocational researchers of Delmarva history.
The register contains an interesting feature: an account of all British rulers from the Heptarchy of the 1st century A.D. to
Queen Elizabeth (16th century). Click here to view a scan of this fascinating and unexpected
feature.
