National Society of Descendants of Lords of the Maryland Manors (1938 – 2014)
Foundations
The National Society of Descendants of Lords of the Maryland Manors was founded in February 1938 by genealogist Harry Wright Newman. Its first president was Mrs. Herman August Knorr (Catherine Lindsay Smith), who served from 1938 to 1940, and the Society was formally incorporated in July 1964.
The Society’s insignia—a five-armed cross with the black and gold armorial bearings of the Calvert family at its center—reflected the heritage of Maryland’s founding family.
Mission
The Society’s mission was to locate, document, and commemorate the historic manors of colonial Maryland, promoting both public understanding and the preservation of this unique chapter of American history. Among its most visible projects was the placement of informative roadside markers at the sites of Maryland’s manors.
Foundations
The National Society of Descendants of Lords of the Maryland Manors was founded in February 1938 by genealogist Harry Wright Newman. Its first president was Mrs. Herman August Knorr (Catherine Lindsay Smith), who served from 1938 to 1940, and the Society was formally incorporated in July 1964.
The Society’s insignia—a five-armed cross with the black and gold armorial bearings of the Calvert family at its center—reflected the heritage of Maryland’s founding family.
Mission
The Society’s mission was to locate, document, and commemorate the historic manors of colonial Maryland, promoting both public understanding and the preservation of this unique chapter of American history. Among its most visible projects was the placement of informative roadside markers at the sites of Maryland’s manors.
Membership
Membership in the Society was strictly by invitation to those descended from the First Baron of Baltimore or from any colonist granted a manor by the Lord Proprietor of the Province of Maryland. Also included were lines through heirs-at-law where the original lord died without issue.
At its peak, the Society reached close to 400 members across the United States and abroad. One of its most famous honorary members was Anthony Eden, K.G., the Earl of Avon and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1955–1957).
Joining with The Order
By 2014, the Society had largely achieved its original goal of researching and marking the locations of Maryland’s colonial manors, and active membership began to decline. In 2024, its legacy was formally carried forward when the Society merged with the Order of Colonial Lords of Manors in America, where its members continue to promote research, preserve archival materials, and share the story of Maryland’s manorial land grants. The Society’s papers are now preserved at the Maryland State Archives, ensuring that its decades of work remain a resource for historians and future generations.
Past Presidents:
| Mrs. Hermann August Knorr | 1938 – 1940 |
| Miss Rosalie Edelin Briscoe | 1940 – 1942 |
| Mr. Harry Wright Newman | 1942 – 1945 |
| Miss Stella Pickett Hardy | 1945 – 1947 |
| Mrs. Merle Leroy Cox | 1947 – 1949 |
| Mr. Harry Wright Newman | 1949 – 1951 |
| Mrs. Dorothy Jefferson Shuey | 1951 – 1953 |
| Mrs. Elizabeth Koones Henius | 1953 – 1955 |
| Mr. Harry Wright Newman | 1955 – 1961 |
| Mrs. William Henry Pitcher | 1961 – 1965 |
| Mr. Reed Marquette Fawell, Jr. | 1965 – 1969 |
| Mr. Francis William Hill | 1969 |
| Mrs. Charles Valentine Stiefel | 1969 – 1973 |
| Mr. William Beverly Bristor, Jr. | 1973 – 1977 |
| Mr. Abell Archibald Norris, Jr. | 1977 – 1979 |
| Mr. Clement Snowden Conkey | 1979 – 1983 |
| Miss Mary Elizabeth Kerby | 1983 – 1985 |
| Mr. John Frederick Dorman | 1985 – 1989 |
| Mrs. William Beverly Bristor, Jr. | 1989 – 1994 |
| Miss Mary Elizabeth Kerby | 1994 – 1998 |
| Mrs. William Edward Boone | 1998 – 2000 |
| Col. Francis Weems Matthews | 2000 – 2004 |
| Mrs. James Edward Wilson | 2004 – 2006 |
| B.G. M. Hall Worthington, Jr. | 2006 – 2011 |
| Mr. James Brent Hooper | 2011 – 2024 |
The Order of Colonial Lords of Manors in America strives to ensure that the story of America’s manorial past — and its role in shaping our early communities — remains accessible, accurate, and alive for generations to come.