Charles County, established 1658, county seat LaPlata.
News from the County:
This a video documentary produced by the Charles County Government as part of their African American “Deep Roots & Many Branches” series capturing African American History and Culture within the county.
The Charles County Maryland Genealogical Society came into existence on January 1, 2005. A grant has been received from the Charles County Historical Trust to update the circa 1976 cemetery inventory. They compiled a two-volume set of small and private cemeteries within Charles County. Copies are located at the Southern Maryland Studies Center on the campus of the College of Southern Maryland in LaPlata and three of the local libraries. The Charles County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans adopted, as its Join Hands Day 2005 project, to assist in the cleanup of some of the cemeteries. In searching for and locating the cemeteries, two cemeteries have come to the attention of the society and Thriven: the Stoddert cemetery at Bryans Road; and the Good Hope Baptist Cemetery in Mt. Victoria. While the first Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert is not buried at the Bryans Road cemetery, other family members are. This small cemetery is in the middle of a housing development and currently owned by the neighborhood association. Prior to 1965, the Navy had cleaned up the cemetery and put up a chain around the graves. Since that time, vandals have dumped debris (including ceramic tile) and other trash, trees have fallen, etc. The Good Hope Baptist Church was disbanded circa 1954 and that cemetery is also very overgrown and in need of cleanup and restoration. A consultation with Scott Lawrence of GraveConcerns was planned, weather permitting, May 22nd to determine what should be the best plan to restore these cemeteries. These two cemeteries are in need of additional volunteers to help with the cleanup. If you need additional information please contact Ms. Emond, the Coordinator of the Cemetery Transcription Project which includes necessary cleanup in order to do the digital photography of the tombstones. Ms. Wencel is President of the CCMGS.
Alexandria Chapel began the onsite work of identifying unmarked graves on October 24, 2020. Special thanks to Alexandria Chapel volunteers, the District Superintendent of the Washington East District, Rev. Dr. Johnsie Cogman, the Charles County Planning and Growth Management Office, Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites and the African American Heritage Society of Charles County for their work on this project. There’s more work to be be done, but we are pleased to share this video created by the Charles County Planning and Growth Media Office.
Charles County Cemetery Mapping Project (updated May 2023)
In The News:
Helpful County Resources:
Charles County – Sailor, Maryland’s Public Information Network
Charles County Website
Charles County Circuit Court
200 Charles Street P. O. Box 970 La Plata, MD 20646 (301) 932-3202, (301) 870-2659 www.courts.state.md.us/clerks/charles/general.html
Charles County Public Library
Charles County Historical Society
P. O. Box 161 Port Tobacco, MD 20677-0161 (301) 259-4279 http://charlescountyhistorical.org/
Charles County – MD Tombstone Transcription Project
www.usgwtombstones.org/maryland/charles.html
Charles County Maryland Genealogical Society (CCMDGS)
P. O. Box 1537 White Plains, MD 20695 Email: ccmdgs@yahoo.com http://ccmdgs.org/wordpress/
College of Southern Maryland, La Plata
Phone: 301-934-7606 Email: smsc@csmd.edu www.csmd.edu/community/southern-maryland-studies-center/resources/
African American Heritage Society of Charles County, Inc. (AAHSOCIETYCC)
7485 Crain Highway PO Box 2250 La Plata, MD 20646 301-609-9099 (Heritage House) 301-843-2150 http://somd.com/catalog/5743.php
Barony of Dun Carraig (SCA)
The Barony of Dun Carraig is the Southern Maryland chapter of the SCA, a nonprofit educational organization in Lusby, Maryland, is dedicated to the study and re-enactment of life in the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Contact via email www.duncarraig.net
Celtic Society of Southern Maryland
PO Box 209 Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-257-9003 The Celtic Society of Southern Maryland is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to preserve the culture and history of the Celtic nations through education, events, and grants. Visit us on Facebook www.cssm.org
Colonial Dames of the 17th Century
3110 Gideon Court Waldorf, MD 20601 301-843-2282 The National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century was formed in 1915 and has 13,000 members in 45 state societies. We are descendants of those brave people who came to America during the 17th Century. Some were the founders of Jamestown, others signed the Mayflower Compact, some were ministers of the Gospel, or landowners and freemen.
Historic Preservation Commission
PO Box 653 Leonardtown, MD 20650 301-475-4462 Members appointed by the St. Mary’s County Board of Commissioners. It is the Commission’s responsibility to assist with the identification and designation of historic districts within St. Mary’s County in accordance with the St. Mary’s County Zoning Ordinance. Meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 4:00 p.m. in the Department of Land Use and Growth Management Conference Room of the Annex Building. November & December meetings are held on the third Thursday. 23150 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown, MD 20650. www.co.saint-marys.md.us/voluntr/Historic%20Preservation.asp
Pvt. Wallace Bowling Camp #1400 – Sons of Confederate Veterans
PO Box 2355 La Plata, MD 20646 301-932-8767 The Pvt. Wallace Bowling Camp #1400, one of numerous camps within the State of Maryland, was officially chartered in La Plata, May 1982, in honor of Pvt. William Wallace Bowling, a local patriot who served the South as a member of Co. A, 2nd Maryland Infantry, C.S.A. The Pvt. Wallace Bowling Camp #1400 is presently composed of nearly 60 Confederate descendants. www.angelfire.com/md/camp1400/
Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco
PO Box 302 Port Tobacco, MD 20677 (301) 934-4313 Contact via E-Mail The Colonial port town of Port Tobacco served as the seat of Charles County from 1727-1895, but its history extends from the prehistoric Native American inhabitants of Potopaco to the current residents of the town. The Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public interest in the heritage of Port Tobacco and Southern Maryland. The Society was established in 1948 and its efforts continue to be accomplished through the collection and preservation of related historical documents and artifacts. Ongoing research will be conducted into the customs and skills of town settlers and past residents. www.restoreporttobacco.org
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Captain Vincent Camalier Camp 1359 PO Box 1755 Lusby, MD 20657 Contact via E-Mail The SCV is the direct heir of the United Confederate Veterans, and the oldest hereditary organization for male descendants of Confederate soldiers. Organized in Richmond, Virginia in 1896, the SCV continues to serve as a historical, patriotic, and non-political organization dedicated to insuring that a true history of the 1861-1865 period is preserved. Membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all male descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces. Membership can be obtained through either direct or collateral family lines and kinship to a veteran must be documented genealogically. The minimum age for membership is 12. The Captain Vincent Camalier Camp 1359 meets monthly at the Garvey Center in Leonardtown. www.scv.org/
Southern Maryland Studies Center
8730 Mitchell Road P.O. Box 910 La Plata, MD 20646 301-934-7626 x7107 301-870-3008 x7107 FAX: 301-934-7699 Contact via E-Mail Researchers will find state and federal census records, newspapers, colonial records, church records, and local and state records on microfilm to the early 20th century. The manuscript collections contain records of organizations, individuals, and families from the 18th century to the present and provide insights into the economic, social, and political currents that shaped this region. The collection of print materials includes books, newspapers, photographs, slides, and maps. Our oral history collection is comprised of over 300 interviews with people from all walks of life. www.csmd.edu/library/smsc/