TO SUPPORT A PROJECT TO DIGITIZE 18,000+ DOCUMENTS, DATING FROM THE MID-17TH CENTURY TO THE MID-19TH CENTURY, THAT MAKE UP THE ALIENATED GOVERNMENT RECORDS FOUND IN THE MARYLAND STATE PAPERS COLLECTED BY JOHN THOMAS SCHARF (1843 -1898). AS A MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, SCHARF SOUGHT OUT AND COLLECTED HISTORICAL RECORDS FROM AROUND THE STATE, OFTEN RESCUING THEM FROM CERTAIN LOSS AND DESTRUCTION