Join Preservation Maryland President and CEO, Nicholas Redding, to learn about Maryland's only Revolutionary War Battle, its impact, and the often overlooked  tale of the Battle of St. George Island.

Nicholas has led the organization since 2014, and oversees the operations, programs and growing professional staff. Since his arrival he has overseen a complex merger and the subsequent creation of Smart Growth Maryland, a dynamic new program of the organization. Additionally, he has worked in partnership with the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center to establish the Campaign for Historic Trades, a new program dedicated to developing the next generation of traditional tradespeople. Outside of the organization, he serves as the vice-chair of the National Preservation Partners Network, the national network of statewide and local preservation organizations. Previously he has served as the chair of the Maryland Partners for Open Space, the statewide open space advocacy coalition, and also served as the vice-chair of the Frederick County Historic Preservation Commission. Prior to arriving at Preservation Maryland, he served in leadership positions at several heritage and preservation organizations including Executive Director of Long Branch Plantation, a 19th century historic site in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, and as Deputy Director for Advocacy at the Civil War Trust in Washington, DC. During time spent at the Civil War Trust, Redding led a national coalition to prevent the construction of a casino on the iconic Gettysburg battlefield. Prior to the Trust, he served as a Park Ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. He is a graduate of West Virginia’s Shepherd University and lives outside of Frederick, Maryland with his wife, daughter, and two beagles.

This an online event and will be held via Zoom.  Access the event here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87375795335?pwd=MRxeWqoj9sl19KwTxMmYxCsGmWZ0Ni.1   

Tim Benson will discuss the 1798 federal direct tax, the first federal property tax.  He will talk about the reason for the tax, what was taxed, how it was implemented, and what records are available to researchers.  He will focus on the records for St. Mary's County and bring insights into the socio-economic situation of St. Mary's County at the turn of 19th century.  He will describe his effort in transcribing the 1000+ names in the 44-page tax record into an Excel spreadsheet and give examples of how to access it.

Timothy Benson grew up in Kansas City and received degrees from the University of Kansas, University of Illinois, and Grace Theological Seminary. He retired from the Naval Air Warfare Center at NAS Patuxent River as a systems engineer in 2023 and is now a member of the  board of directors of the St. Mary’s County Historical Society. He has interest in Swedish and Mennonite genealogy, as well as U.S. History, particulary the Revolutionary War era.  He is also a pastor of a house-church in La Plata. He can be reached at tb@bensonfamilies.net.

This an online event and will be held via Zoom.  Access the event here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87375795335?pwd=MRxeWqoj9sl19KwTxMmYxCsGmWZ0Ni.1    

Mary Beth Corrigan will present a talk on Georgetown University's sacramental records.

Mary Beth Corrigan is a Manuscripts Consultant at Georgetown University Library based in Washington, D.C., District of Columbia.  Mary Beth received a Ph. D. degree from University of Michigan.

This an online event and will be held via Zoom.  Access the event here:   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87375795335?pwd=MRxeWqoj9sl19KwTxMmYxCsGmWZ0Ni.1        

Presentation Overview: America at 250! Researching Your Revolutionary Ancestors: 2026 marks the 250-year anniversary of America’s signing of the Declaration of Independence. At the time of America’s independence, the population of the American colonies was about 2.7 million. While 1776 is a pivotal year, the war for independence (the Revolutionary War) was fought from 1775-1783. About 500 thousand Americans served in the Patriots’ cause in some capacity. This presentation will provide a deep dive into discovering and researching your revolutionary ancestors. It will cover the top resources, strategies, websites, libraries, archives, and organizations for learning more about your ancestors at our nation’s founding. Resources and documents available at the National Archives, DAR, SAR, as well as state and local organizations will be included. The presentation will also reveal that many colonists did not support independence and supported the British/Tory cause. It is an exciting time to jump in and learn as much as you can about your revolutionary ancestors!

Scott Norrick’s passion is connecting people to their past. While providing a list of names, dates and places for ancestors is a start, Scott enjoys helping others discover the stories of triumphs and tribulations that defined our ancestors’ lives. He does this by assisting clients with breaking down their genealogical brick walls and by helping them document the rich stories of their family history. His areas of expertise include research in the American Midwest along with the immigration to the Midwest from Britain, Ireland, and Germanic countries. He also does significant research into Civil War records. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and a graduate degree from Northwestern University. With over 30 years of family history research experience, he is familiar with all the latest and time-tested genealogical tools. Through his company Ancestral Past, he welcomes the opportunity to assist others on their genealogy journey. He has presented to dozens of genealogical societies, history centers, and libraries.

This an online event and will be held via Zoom.  Access the event here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87375795335?pwd=MRxeWqoj9sl19KwTxMmYxCsGmWZ0Ni.1

Have you exhausted Maryland Land Records online? Learn how court records, probate records, survey maps, assessment records, and more can reveal more information to supplement land records for genealogical or property research.

Rachel Frazier has a Masters of Library and Information Sciences from the University of Maryland, and has worked for the Maryland State Archives since 2008, starting in the grant-funded Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, and now serving as the Director of Reference Services. Reference serves visitors with many needs - historical, genealogical, and legal. Rachel is the recipient of the 2024 Ancestry Leadership Award, and is a 2025 fellow with the History Leadership Institute. Making archives accessible and welcoming is an ongoing goal of Rachel and her colleagues.