17th Century Maryland would offer true religious freedom to colonists. Maryland, along with Pennsylvania, were the only truly religiously liberated states in colonial America. Marylanders were free to be Catholic or Protestant. While the father of Maryland was George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, the founder was acutally his son, Cecillius Calvert, a Catholic and a man of broad vision and indisputable character. The Charter of Maryland provided that the laws of Maryland would be made by the proprietor and the freemen of Maryland. One of the outstanding statements of the Charter forbade the people to be taxed without their consent.

The first colonists to Maryland numbered about 300 and arrived to Maryland in March, 1634. The colony was led by Leonard Calvert, brother of the proprietor. These colonists settled on an island at the mouth of the potomac, paying the Indians for the land, which they named St.Mary's. It is notable in Maryland, unlike the other colonies, that there were no Indian massacres but rather, the only conflict that plagues the Marylanders was from their southern neighbor, Virginia. The Virginians were intolerant of their Catholic neighbors who enjoyed free trade in foreign markets, unlike Virginia. This intolerance eventually led to conflict in 1645 when Maryland permanently gained control of Kent Island.

In 1649, Maryland passed the Toleration Act, which once again, stated the religious toleration of all Christian sects in Maryland and made it law. There were limits in this religious freedom. Only those who acknowledged the Holy Trinity would be allowed to worship in Maryland and those who refused to acknowledge the Holy Trinity would be put to death as a heretic. Anyone speaking ill of the Virgin Mary or the Apostles and Evangelists would be fined or subject to public whipping and imprisonment. Puritans, Independents, Baptists, Popish priests, Lutherans and Calvinists were protected from being called heretics, which led to many Puritans fleeing Berkeley controlled Virginia into Maryland in large numbers.

Charles Calvert, son of Lord Baltimore, was sent to Maryland in 1661 to become governor and became the first proprietor to be in residence in Maryland upon the death of his father, Ceclillius in 1675. Considerable numbers of Quakers, Dutch, Germans and Huguenots came to Maryland in the following years. In 1691 Maryland fell from the control of the Calverts and became a royal colony and remained so until 1715 when it once again fell into the hands of the Calverts.

During the period of royal control, a law was passed establishing the Church of England in Maryland and persecuting the Catholics as well as the Puritans. The Catholics, during this time, constituted one twelfth of the population in Maryland. This Catholic population included some of the best citizens in Maryland. The Catholics were further incensed when the capital of Maryland was moved from the Catholic center of St.Mary's to Providence, known then as Anne Arundel Town, now Annapolis.

Charles Calvert died in 1715 and was succeeded by his son, Benedict Calvert, the fourth Lord Baltimore. Benedict had become a Protestant. Benedict died a mere six weeks after the death of his father and the colony passed into the hands of his son, Charles, a mere boy of sixteen years of age.

One of the oldest counties in Maryland, and one in which several of our ancestors lived, is Somerset, which was founded in 1666. Somerset lies on the eastern shore, opposite Maryland's original settlement of St.Mary's on the western shore. The eastern shore has always been an area widely noted for its rich fishing industry.