Although these have been published and are online I like to see the original documents whenever possible. I had a lady visit the Maryland Historical Society for me to make some photos. I thought others might be interested in how the names are arranged on the original. I'm sure this was his "neat" copy that he sent in.

Gayle Howard Londeree
glond769@aol.com

"Oath of Allegiance, St. Mary's County, John Ireland, March 2, 1778". MS. 3088 Oaths of Fidelity or Oaths of Allegiance, 1775-1778, Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore .

[The John Ireland return was in Box 2, Folder 470.]

Each page is divided into two columns. All writing is with pen in the same hand. Pages are folded like a booklet, so page two is attached to page one, with no writing on back of pages, except the last.

Page facing page one

"I, A. B. do swear, that I do not hold myself bound to yield any allegiance or obedience to the King of Great Britain, His Heirs or Successors, and that I will be true and faithful to the State of Maryland, and will, to the utmost of my Power, support, maintain and defend the Freedom and Independence thereof, and the Government as now established against all open Enemies, and secret and traitorous Conspiracies, and will use my utmost Endeavours to disclose and make known to the Governor, or some one of the Judges or Justices thereof, all Treasons and traitorous Conspiracies, attempts, or Combinations, against this state or the Government thereof, which may come to my Knowledge. So help me God."

1st page 1st column

John Tennison
Bennett Perran
James Roach
Joseph Dunbar
William Hayden, of George
Thomas Forrest Junr..
John Graves
Thomas Shanks
Richard James Rapier
Thomas Thompson senr..
Patrick Carbery
John Fenwick
John Gibson, of William
Joseph Thompson, of Thos..
Raphael Payne
William Boulds
John Basil Thompson
Joseph Walker of Thos..
Bennet Cissell
George Booth

1st page 2nd column

Edward Mattingly
Michael Brook
John Shanks senr..
John Baptist Cissell
Zachariah Mareman
Joseph Mareman
John Budd
William Mareman
Raphael Neale Junr
Athanatius Thompson
Robert Ford Senr..
Senna Nelson
John Carpenter senr..
James Davis
Thomas Sheircliff
Martin Henry
William Heard Junr..
James Alvey
Jesse Tennison
Daniel Friend
Luke Mattingley senr..

2nd page 1st column

Peter Howard of Thos. bay side
John Bothick
Thomas Greenwell
James Payn
Joshua Graves
Philip Rooke
Joshua Mareman
Henry Walker
Raphael Cissell
Ignatius Drury
Enoch Drury senr
Richard Mason
John Roberts
John Hoskins
Wiliford Thompson
John Cook senr-
Peter Carbery

2nd page 2nd column

John Bradburn
Benedict French
Raphael French
John Bradburn junr..
Benet Mattingley
Augustin Jenkins of Ricd..
James King of John
John Heard
Walter Davis
John Wathen
John Jordan
Joseph Howard
Ignatius Newton
Thomas Hall
John B Greaves
John Brewer
James Mills of John

3rd page 1st column

Ignatius French
Raphael Foard
Barton Cissell
Ignatius Mattingly junr
Ignatius Daft
James Morgan
James Fenwick
James Howard senr..
Francis Mattingley
William Daft
Bennett Hopewell
William Morgan
William Fields
Rubin Craige
Benjamin Hoskins
William Shaw

3rd page 2nd column

John Shiercliff
Joseph Spalding
William Evens
Robert Mattingly
John Daft
Anthony Roberts
John Baptist Wimsat
George King
Archibald Greenwell
Joshua Abell
Edward ?ates [ the first letter is not written like other “G”s, “Y”s, or “J”s on the document]
Mathew Heard
Ignatius Norris
William Leach
Ignatius Larue
Philip Norris
Francis Wheatly

4th page 1st column

William Heard
Peter Peake
Thomas Norris
Thomas Joy
Clement Hayden
Gabriel Newton
Edward Campbell
John Leaton
Thomas Dillehay
Joseph Hargiss
John Lancaster
Peter Craig
John Baptist Read
Jestenian Whealer
William Mallehone of Thos_
Arthur Thompson

4th page 2nd column

Zachariah Newton
William Johnson
Jeremiah Graves
Jonathan Howard
John Morgan senr..
Stephen Davis
Peter Howard of Thos..
Jesse Alvey
John Clarke
John Drudge
Raphael Thompson
Peter Joy
Enoch Drury

Back of Page 4 – in same hand as the list

St Mary’s County Sst
I hereby certify that the within is a true and
exact list of those Persons who have taken and
subscribed the oath of Fidelity and support to
the state of Maryland before
John Ireland
March 2nd.. 1778