This is the standard history and biographical record of Washington County from its first settlement in about 1735 to the beginning of the 20th century. Volume I contains chapters on the French and Indian Wars, including Braddock's march through the valley, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812, etc., with space devoted to lists of militia and the regular army, officials, professional men, and other Washington County luminaries. Genealogical information on many of the latter can be found in the copious footnotes to this section of the book. Still other chapters treat the social history of Western Maryland. The balance of Volume I and the entirety of the second volume are devoted to over 1,500 biographical sketches, containing genealogical information on representative and prominent families.