Hello All,

I am Jeff Truitt, the other intern in the Maryland State Archives’ Military History Research Team. I am a senior at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, and am majoring in History with a minor in Philosophy. The Revolutionary War has always been an area of interest for me, and researching the Maryland 400 will be a great way for me to continue learning about the subject.

Most of the academic work I have done on the Revolution has been locally focused, such as a research report on an active family of Kent County that were leaders of the movement in that area. An essay I wrote on the Battle of Cowpens earned me the Quill and Compass Scholarship at my college, which has helped me pursue my academic goals. I also have some experience writing biography, something we are working to accomplish for members of the Maryland 400 with this project. Through researching for these projects I have become familiar with working with old  government records, newspapers, court documents, and many other primary sources as well as secondary sources.

Though my ultimate goal is to attend law school and become a practicing attorney, United States history will always be one of my favorite topics. I intend to use the skills I learn from researching and working at the Archives to create a strong base to build from for my career. The Maryland 400 are the central focus of my planned senior thesis at Washington College, and this project is a perfect way for me to learn about them and who they were. I hope you enjoy the results of our work and find it as interesting as we do.

-Jeff Truitt