The Deputy Commissary’s Guide within the Province of Maryland (1774), written by Elie Vallette and printed in Annapolis by Anne Catharine Green, is a landmark manual on Maryland probate law. Designed to help with wills, estate administration, and related procedures, the 248-page volume also includes sample legal forms and currency conversion tables, making it a valuable resource for legal historians and genealogists today. Its printer, Anne Catharine Hoof Green (c. 1720–1775), was a pioneering businesswoman who, after the death of her husband Jonas, became Maryland’s public printer and sustained The Maryland Gazette, a local weekly newspaper and currently one of the oldest newspapers in America.
Green’s publication of influential works like Vallette’s guide, along with her recognized skill and independence, secured her legacy as one of colonial America’s most important women in print. Our thanks to the Archives for the images on this page.
Reference:
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, Anne Catharine Hoof Green.