The Merryman-Crane family papers document the nineteenth century life of two families of enslavers related by marriage, one centered in Richmond, Virginia, and the other in Baltimore County, Maryland.

The Merryman family settled in Baltimore County in the early 18th century. The papers consist of land deeds, legal documents, and correspondence. Although the papers span the period 1742-1908 the bulk of the material dates from the late nineteenth century. It is largely the correspondence and memorabilia of the 6 children of Micajah and Clarissa [Harryman] Merryman. Especially well represented is the correspondence among the women of the family including detailed letters from an extended trip to Europe (1883-1884) by two sisters.

There are also letters (1864) to Rachel Merryman from friends and relatives imprisoned at Fort Delaware. The Merryman family were enslavers, and there are materials throughout the papers documenting this. Of interest in the earlier material are letters (1779-1783) about settling in North Carolina and letters (1776-1782) in the form of military orders to Major Micajah Merryman.

In the 1880's Dr. Moses Merryman applied for membership in the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. The early Merryman papers in this collection are legal documents and wills that would support this application. The later Merryman papers are those of Moses's siblings.

The Crane family material relates to Henry R. Crane's immediate family. These are the papers of Henry's parents and three brothers all of whom pre-deceased him. There are a few items of Clara Crane, Henry's wife, and their four daughters.

Women's property rights are touched on in the form of a legal opinion (1788) concerning Mary [Ensor] Merryman (Mrs. Micajah) as well as her mother Elinor Ensor's will (1801). There are also two documents (1764) about safe-guarding the property that Sarah M. Harryman, a widow, brought to her second marriage.

The Crane Family papers consist of correspondence, poetry, prose, and financial documents. The material spans 1821-1908 but mainly dates from 1850-1890. The papers revolve around Isabella Steel Crane. Her incoming correspondence includes consolation for the early deaths of 3 of her sons and her husband.

Isabella Steel Crane and her correspondents discuss the Civil War - there are letters from her nephew Andrew Lowndes on life in Baltimore in the 1860s and letters from her son Henry while a Confederate soldier. The Crane family were enslavers.

The remainder of the Crane papers deal briefly with Isabella's son Henry, a businessman in Baltimore, Clara Merryman, his wife, and their four daughters.